Grand Job breaking maiden on his U.S. debut at Belmont at the Big A October 31. (Adam Coglianese/NYRA)
Rainbow 6 Pool Expected to Grow to Estimated $5 million
Grand Job Looks to Stay Undefeated in U.S. in G3 Royal Delta
Gulfstream Today
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 will be held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the total pool is expected to grow to an estimated $5 million or higher.
The Rainbow 6 went unsolved Friday for the 13th consecutive program since a Jan. 26 mandatory payout that yielded multiple payoffs of $37,865.
There will be a $503.491 carryover heading into Rainbow 6 wagering on Saturday.
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.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence, which will span Races 7-12, will be headlined by the $165,000 Royal Delta (G3) in Race 11. Bell Tower Thoroughbreds and Medallion Racing’s Grand Job has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 11 fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old daughter of Triple Crown champion Justify will seek her third straight victory without defeat in the U.S. Grand Job, who went winless in four starts on Tapeta or turf in Europe, graduated in style Oct. 31 at Aqueduct, where she won by six lengths eased up at seven furlongs. She came right back Dec. 1 to score by a handy 8 ¼ lengths in a one-turn mile optional claiming allowance at Churchill Downs. Junior Alvarado, who was aboard for both victories, has the mount for Grand Job’s 2025 debut. Veteran multiple-stakes winner Miss New York returns to Gulfstream for the Royal Delta following a second-place finish in a Laurel stakes.
The Rainbow 6 sequence will be kicked off by a well-balanced field of $25,000 claimers going a mile on turf in Race 7. Many bettors will identify Race 7 as a ‘spread’ race, considering that Flat Top Box is the morning-line favorite at a lukewarm 4-1 in an 11-race field. The Ron Spatz trainee, who drops from $50,000 claiming company, will need Dylan Davis to work out a trip from the far-outside post. Never Say Never, rated second at 9-2, moves back to the turf with Hall of Famer John Velazquez up after finishing a close second on Tapeta in his first race for trainer Guadalupe Preciado.
Race 8, a mile and 70-yard event on Tapeta with a field of 11 $10,000 claimers, may prove to be just as testing for handicappers. Martin Drexler-trained Nerves of Steel has been identified by the linemaker as a fairly solid morning-line 2-1 favorite. The son of Speightster drops from an even effort in $35,000 claiming company in his first start since being claimed for $15,000 out of a Woodbine starter allowance. Speight’spercomete will make his second start off the Kelly Breen claim following a less-than-ideal third-place trip.
Knightsbridge will represent Godolphin and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in Race 9 as a likely single for a whole lot of Rainbow 6 players. Knightsbridge is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine assembled for the $97,000 optional claiming allowance going a mile on the main track. The lightly raced colt won his first two starts with ease, including a nine-length victory last March at Gulfstream. The 4-year-old son of Nyquist is coming off a late-closing third in the Perryville (G3) at Keeneland. Ian Wilkes-trained Uno Mas Bourbon will make his first start of 2025 after finishing third and fourth in the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland and Clark (G2) at Churchill Downs, respectively.
The Rainbow 6 sequence moves back to the turf for Race 10 for a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares. A well-balanced field of 12 has been assembled, headed by lukewarm 4-1 morning-line favorite Candy Gray, a Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 4-year-old who is coming off a front-running victory against slightly softer rivals while under pressure throughout. Brian Lynch-trained Princess Bettina is coming off a solid third-place finish in the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf. Trainer Christophe Clement is represented by Hello Hollywood, beaten by only a half length while finishing fourth following a troubled trip, and Eastern Express, who will be coming off a layoff following back-to-back wins at Monmouth and Colonial Downs last summer.
The Royal Delta will headline the sequence in Race 11, before the Rainbow 6 sequence is wrapped up by a field of well-matched 3-year-old maidens going 1 1/16 miles on turf in Race 12. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will equip Papa Golf with blinkers for the first time following a pair of promising third-place finishes on turf. Dropping from maiden special weight company, the son of Hard Spun, the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 11, will be ridden by Velazquez. Chad Brown-trained Governing Party will also drop from maiden special weight company following back-to-back troubled outings. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Back in the Saddle will be equipped with blinkers for the first time following a pair of very promising efforts.
Race 11
Race 12
Who’s Hot ~ ~ ~
Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. saddled back-to-back winners in Races 2 and 3, visiting the winner’s circle with Passionate Cry ($5.20) and Grand Golden Road ($8.40), respectively. Miguel Vasquez collected bookend riding victories, lighting up the toteboard with Mamuka ($106.80) in the first race and guiding Sheshimaintenance ($18.60) to score in Race 9.
Fan favorite Fly the W ($4.20) won for the 21st time in Race 7, out-gaming Ocean Atlantique by a neck under Luis Saez. The Bobby DiBona-trained 9-year-old gelding has finished in the money in 38 of 46 career starts.
