Photo Credit: Lauren King
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen’s Finding Fame captured Friday’s featured race at Gulfstream Park, staying undefeated in two career starts with a relentless stretch drive in the mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-old fillies.
Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the daughter of Empire Maker saved ground a few lengths behind pacesetter Sweet Mia along the backstretch past fractions of 23.26 and 46.27 seconds for the first half mile. Sweet Mia, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, maintained the lead around the far turn before meeting a challenge from Finding Fame on the turn into the homestretch. Sweet Mia kicked away from her challenger to open up by a couple lengths in the stretch but shortened stride inside the final 16th of a mile. Under strong handling by jockey Edgard Zayas, Finding Fame took advantage and drew off to victory by 1 ¼ lengths. Sweet Mia held second, a length ahead of Money Never Sleeps.
Finding Fame ($6.80), who ran a mile in 1:37.96, had previously debuted with an off-the pace victory at Gulfstream Feb. 23.
“I thought she was laying perfect and when she ranged up on that horse, I thought she’d run on by her, but she didn’t. But she had another kick,” McGaughey said. “This filly is immature. I’m going to tell the guys, ‘Let’s take our time with her.’ She kind of reminds me, watching her in the paddock, of [multiple graded-stakes winner] Pink Sands. It took her a while to get going, although this filly is more advanced.”
Finding Fame was purchased for $425,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September sale.
Four Graces, the 8-5 favorite who won her March 1 debut impressively, finished fourth after attending the early pace.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.1 Million
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.1 million for Saturday’s 13-race program at Gulfstream Park that will get under way at 12:30 p.m.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the seventh consecutive program Friday, when tickets with all six winners were each worth $4,985.54.
The carryover 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.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 8-13. A maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds will kick off the sequence in Race 8. Todd Pletcher-trained Colonel Liam, a $1.2 million purchase at the 2019 OBS April sale, is scheduled to make his debut in the mile event. Four optional claiming allowances will follow, including a six-furlong race for older fillies and mares. Kathleen O’Connell-trained J.P.’s Delight, the winner of four of five career starts, is slated to clash with several talented veteran campaigners, including John Kimmel-trained Pacific Gale, a multiple graded stakes-placed mare who has run in seven graded races in a row. A mile claiming race on turf will conclude the sequence.
There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $5,626.53 heading into Saturday’s program.
