Gulfstream Today 2.27.25: Grande Hot Triple Crown Prospect after Thursday Feature Win

By David Joseph —-

GULFSTREAM TODAY

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Repole Stable’s Grande established himself as a hot prospect for the Triple Crown Thursday at Gulfstream Park, where the son of Curlin scored a decisive victory in the Race 8 feature by 2 ½ lengths.

Six of the seven horses that contested the 1 1/8-mile feature for 3-year-olds have been nominated to the Triple Crown.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Grande was making his two-turn debut at the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) distance following a 2 ½-length victory in a mile maiden special weight race Jan. 11. Hall of Famer John Velazquez was aboard for both impressive performances.

“We expected this out of him,” Velazquez said. “We ran him a mile because we didn’t think he was a short-distance horse. Going from a mile to a mile and an eighth, we expected him to do this. I didn’t know how easy he did it, because this was a nice group of horses.”

Saddled by longtime Pletcher assistant Anthony Sciametta, the even-money favorite broke well from the starting gate to follow pacesetter Jimmy’s Dailys and Solid Left into the first turn before advancing into a close stalking position heading into the backstretch. Jimmy’s Dailys, the 2-1 second betting choice ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr,, ran the first quarter of a mile in 23.93 seconds and continued on to complete the first half mile in 47.94 as Grande pulled alongside. Grande pulled took the lead on the turn into the homestretch and seized full command at the top of the stretch. Grande drew clear to complete the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.49 with Jimmy’s Dailys finishing a clear second, 3 ¼ lengths ahead of Indecisiveness, a 53-1 long shot ridden by Horacio Karamanos.

“He was very comfortable the whole way around. He sat there playing around, playing around,” Velazquez said. “He did get into the bridle a little sooner than I wanted him, but I let him run and he opened up. I showed him the whip to make him do a little something. It was very nice.”

Grande, a $300,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, stamped himself as a strong candidate for the March 29 Curlin Florida Derby. Pletcher has saddled the winners of eight editions of Gulfstream’s premier Kentucky Derby (G1) prep, including Fierceness and Forte the past two seasons.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $425,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved Thursday for the eighth racing day following a Feb. 15 mandatory payout that yielded multiple jackpot payoffs of $164,292.76.

The popular multi-race wager’s jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $425,000 Friday, when the six-race sequence will span Races 5-10, featuring a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance in Race 10. The five-furlong turf feature will be contested by a field of 11, including 14-race winner Xy Speed and 13-time winner Yes I Am Free, a pair of hard-knocking multiple stakes-winning veterans. Stakes-winner Mattingly is scheduled to make his second start off a layoff after finishing third in his 2025 debut. Biz Biz Buzz will seek his second win in a row after defeating Xy Speed and Mattingly, respectively Feb. 2.

A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 jackpot pool has been scheduled for Sunday’s 11-race program. The jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $4 million.

On mandatory payout days, the entire Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is paid out to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the wager’s six-race sequence. The carryover jackpot is usually 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 usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Run-up Distances: The run-ups for 1 1/16 mile and 1/1/8-mile races has been extended. An additional 85 feet has been added to 1 1/16-mile races and 53 feet has been added to 1 1/8-mile races.

The change was made by management after jockeys suggested the change to give horses a longer distance before they enter the first turn.

Who’s Hot: Hall of Famer John Velazquez doubled on Thursday’s card, guiding Grande ($4.20) to a dominating win in the Race 8 feature after riding Nantasket Beach ($4.00) to a Race 5 victory.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks, training centers and premier events including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and 1/ST TV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information email david.joseph@GulfstreamPark.com and visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.