Gulfstream Today 1.9.20: Friday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Guaranteed at $2.5 Million

By David Joseph —-

GULFSTREAM TODAY 1.9.20

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Guaranteed at $2.5 Million

Video Link: Friday’s Stronach 5 All-Star Ticket

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be guaranteed at $2.5 million Friday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the 29th consecutive racing day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet Thursday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $226.40.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10. Race 9 and Race 10 will also be included in Friday’s Stronach 5, the multi-race, multi-track wager with an industry low 12-percent takeout. Race 9 is a mile first-level optional claiming allowance on the main track, in which Todd Pletcher-trained Blewitt, a three-time winner in New York who will be making his first start since April. Race 10 is a five-furlong first-level optional claiming allowance on turf for older fillies and mares, in which Lady Grace, a third-place finisher in a Woodbine stakes in her most recent start for trainer Mark Casse, will take on eight rivals.

The Stronach 5 will be kicked off by Race 8 at Laurel Park, followed by Race 1 at Santa Anita, Race 9 at Gulfstream, Race 3 at Golden Gate Fields, and Race 10 at Gulfstream.

Stronach 5 All-Star Ticket Video Link:GULFSTREAM TODAY

1.9.20

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Guaranteed at $2.5 Million

Video Link: Friday’s Stronach 5 All-Star Ticket

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool will be guaranteed at $2.5 million Friday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the 29th consecutive racing day of the 2019-2020 Championship Meet Thursday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $226.40.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10. Race 9 and Race 10 will also be included in Friday’s Stronach 5, the multi-race, multi-track wager with an industry low 12-percent takeout. Race 9 is a mile first-level optional claiming allowance on the main track, in which Todd Pletcher-trained Blewitt, a three-time winner in New York who will be making his first start since April. Race 10 is a five-furlong first-level optional claiming allowance on turf for older fillies and mares, in which Lady Grace, a third-place finisher in a Woodbine stakes in her most recent start for trainer Mark Casse, will take on eight rivals.

The Stronach 5 will be kicked off by Race 8 at Laurel Park, followed by Race 1 at Santa Anita, Race 9 at Gulfstream, Race 3 at Golden Gate Fields, and Race 10 at Gulfstream.

Stronach 5 All-Star Ticket Video Link: https://youtu.be/57lWxcc4hbY

Who’s Hot: Jockey Edgard Zayas tripled aboard Five of Hearts ($10.40) in Race 1, Mr. Stark ($27.60) in Race 3, and Mr. Cesco ($5) in Race 8.

Irad Ortiz Jr. also rode three winners, tallying with Sweet Mia ($20.80) in Race 4, Valdolobo ($4.80) in Race 7 and Stunning Sky ($6) in Race 9.

Tyler Gaffalione rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard Cross Court ($2.80) in Race 2 and Dancing Dunhill ($4) in Race 5.

Rainbow 6 Pool: $2.5 Million Guaranteed (Friday) https://youtu.be/57lWxcc4hbY

Who’s Hot: Jockey Edgard Zayas tripled aboard Five of Hearts ($10.40) in Race 1, Mr. Stark ($27.60) in Race 3, and Mr. Cesco ($5) in Race 8.

Irad Ortiz Jr. also rode three winners, tallying with Sweet Mia ($20.80) in Race 4, Valdolobo ($4.80) in Race 7 and Stunning Sky ($6) in Race 9.

Tyler Gaffalione rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard Cross Court ($2.80) in Race 2 and Dancing Dunhill ($4) in Race 5.

Rainbow 6 Pool: $2.5 Million Guaranteed (Friday)

Warrior’s Charge Tops Sunshine Millions Classic Noms List

Gemonteer Back into Graded Company in Tropical Turf (G3)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Ten Strike Racing and Madaket Stables LLC’s Warrior’s Charge, who finished fourth in last year’s Preakness Stakes (G1), is prominent among the 18 nominations for the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic.

The 1 1/8-mile Classic is one of four stakes for Florida-bred horses on the Jan. 18 Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Brad Cox, Warrior’s Charge set the pace into the stretch before fading to fourth in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course, finishing 2 ½ lengths behind victorious War of Will. The 4-year-old son of Munnings went to the sidelines following his stakes debut in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown for seven months, returning with a front-running two-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at Fair Grounds Dec. 18.

Stonehedge LLC’s Well Defined, a graded-stakes winner trained by Kathleen O’Connell, is also prominent on the nominations list. The 4-year-old son of With Distinction established domination over Florida-sired 2-year-olds in 2018 with a 7 ½-length victory in the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile final of the Florida Sire Stakes. Last year, Well Defined captured the Sam F. Davis (G3) by 2 ¾ lengths.

Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc.’s Jay’s Way is on the Classic nominations list for the third year in a row. The 7-year-old gelded son of Gone Astray, who is trained by Armando De La Cerda, captured the Classic in 2018 and finished second last year.

Equine Authority Inc.’s Red Crescent, who won the Millions Classic Preview at Gulfstream Park West before finishing fourth in the Dec. 14 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) at Gulfstream; Live Oak Plantation’s Salute With Honor, who finished third in the Autumn (G2) at Woodbine in his most recent start; and Harold Queen’s Noble Drama, a multiple-stakes winner who returned from a seven-month layoff to win an optional claiming allowance impressively Dec. 14; are notable nominees to the Sunshine Millions Classic.

The $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 4-year-olds and up, attracted 25 nominations. Anne D. Scott’s Galleon Mast, the 2018 Turf winner who most recently captured the Millions Turf Preview at Gulfstream Park West; and John Oxley and Breeze Easy LLC’s Curlin’s Honor, a multiple graded- stakes winner who most recently won the Artie Schiller at Aqueduct; are among the high-profile nominees.

The $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares, drew a list of 21 nominees, including Sanford Bacon and Patrick Biancone Racing LLC’s Kelsey’s Cross, a graded stakes-placed 4-year-old daughter of Anthony’s Cross, who most recently finished off-the-board in the Oct. 12 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland.

The $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, a six-furlong dash for 4-year-olds and up, drew 17 nominations, including M and A Racing LTD’s Happy Farm, who captured the Fall Highweight (G3) at Aqueduct last month.

Gemonteer Back into Graded Company in Tropical Turf (G3)

Gelfenstein Farm’s Gemonteer, unsuccessful in two previous tries against graded company, will get a third chance to break through, this time over his favorite course in Saturday’s $100,000 Tropical Turf at Gulfstream Park.

Gemonteer is based with trainer Jena Antonucci at Gulfstream, where the 5-year-old son of Distorted Humor has never been worse than second in five previous races, three of them wins. He enters the Tropical Turf having put together back-to-back wins for the first time.

“We think he’s earned himself a chance,” Antonucci said. “He’s had some ironic, weird luck in his two opportunities that we tried before. His first graded stake was a boggy, deep course where he just wasn’t a happy participant. Then when we went to California he actually ended up with a huge foot bruise. He’s been in really great form lately and we’re just hoping we come into this opportunity on all 10 cylinders … or 12.”

Gemonteer ran ninth in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga and 10th in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2) at Santa Anita in 2018, the latter in late December to cap his sophomore campaign. He didn’t race again for seven months, returning with a pair of starts last summer at Saratoga, where he was beaten a half-length when third in an optional claiming allowance Aug. 24.

From there, Gemonteer won a seven-furlong turf sprint in September at Kentucky Downs and returned home to capture another optional claiming allowance going 7 ½ furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream Dec. 11.

“That’s always the question. You go from their 3-year-old year and step up to 4-year-olds and hope you grow a little bit,” Antonucci said. “Mr. Gelfenstein gave him the time to grow up and take a breath after campaigning and doing his job well for us. He’s come into this year just happy and thriving and flourishing.

“He really didn’t do anything wrong all through Saratoga and, obviously, Kentucky Downs and then when he came back here,” she added. “He’s earned it, so we just have to keep listening to him and hopefully put him in good opportunities.”

Gemonteer, who will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, is at his best racing on or near the lead, each of his three wins coming that way, and Antonucci doesn’t figure Saturday’s race to be any different.

“It’s just who he is. He loves looking other horses in the eye. He’s just such a competitive horse,” she said. “It’s the nature of who he is, so we’re not going to make him what he’s not. Sometimes that’s where you have to do all the heavy lifting, but we think he’s up to it.”

Gemonteer, an $11,000 yearling of 2016, has a record of 4-2-2 with $232,533 in purse earnings from 11 starts, all with Antonucci.

“For a middle-sized operation like us, these horses are everything. So it’s great to have the opportunity with a horse like this, where he can be a star,” she said. “He’s a star in our barn and he shows it out on the racetrack every time he runs that he deserves the opportunities. My job is to stay out of his way.”

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry. For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com or call 954.457.6451.