Shaq Diesel. (Ryan Thompson)
Mrs. Gambolini ‘Single’ Candidate in Lady’s Island
Fawkes Saddles Shaq Diesel to Victory in Big Drama
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is set for Sunday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for a third racing day following last Sunday’s jackpot hit for $185,237.
The jackpot pool is expected to grow Sunday to more than $500,000. The carryover is $54,773.
The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, featuring the $70,000 Lady’s Island Handicap, a five-furlong turf event for fillies and mare, in Race 7.
Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Mrs. Gambolini, a 2 ½-length winner of the April 27 Golden Beach Handicap at Gulfstream last time out, should prove to be a popular ‘single’ in Rainbow 6 wagering. The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready, who has won three of her four career starts, is favored on the morning line at 4-5 in a field of eight. Victor Barboza Jr.-trained Great Venezuela looms as the biggest threat to Mrs. Gambolini. The ultra-consistent 4-year-old daughter of Neolithic, who has finished first or second in 10 of 11 carer starts, is rated second on the morning line at 9-5.
The Rainbow 6 will be kicked off in Race 4 by a 1 1/16-mile starter optional claiming allowance on Tapeta that drew a well-balanced field of nine older fillies and mares. Bet Stormy offered a strong showing on turf in first start off the claim by trainer Bobby Dibona. Daughter of Get Stormy moves to the Tapeta track, over which she has won three times in as many tries. Peter Walder-trained Goodbetterbest is another who has shown an affinity for the all-weather surface, over which she has won three times, finished second three times and third once in seven starts. Jose D’Angelo-trained Sarah’s Dream, who had a four-race win streak last year, will seek to win her first of 2025 coming off a promising third-place finish last time out. In a race that many bettors are likely to view as a ‘spread’ race, Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Lady Emily Kathryn returns to her favored Tapeta course after finishing fourth against better over Keeneland’s main track.
D’Angelo-trained Buzz Rocket is favored at 8-5 on the morning line in Race 5, a $35,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf. The son of Curlin raced competitively in maiden special weight company in last two. Steve Dwoskin-trained Starship Iceman tries turf for the first time while dropping from maiden special weight races in his first two starts. He is out of a stakes-winning mare. Carlos Perez-trained Black Empire and Antonio Sano-trained Oasis Prince have shown some promise.
Not much to choose among the 10 participants in Race 6, a five-furlong $8000 claimer on Tapeta for non-winners of two lifetime, 3-year-olds and up. Perez-trained Monet Never is coming off a vastly improved second-place finish on Tapeta against better. Joseph drops Venezuela Is Gold to the bottom following four even runs since being claimed for $35,000. David Fawkes-trained To Monarch, whose only win came on Tapeta, drops more than half his value.
A very challenging $8000 claimer for 3-year-olds and up in Race 8 follows the Lady’s Island. A field of 10 non-winners of three races lifetime has been assembled for the seven-furlong race on the main track. Sano-trained Secret Lover is an 8-5 morning-line favorite who will try to break through with a win from the tricky rail post position after three straight runner-up finishes. Dan Hurtak-trained Imapepper gets a rider upgrade to Rajiv Maragh coming off a series of solid efforts.
El Muheet is likely to be ‘singled’ out by many Rainbow players in Race 9, a 1 1/16-mile $17,500 maiden claimer on turf that drew a full field of 12 3-year-olds. El Muheet came up just a half-length short of winning at this level last time out in his first start for D’Angelo.
Ron Nicoletti, Samantha Perry Rainbow 6 Preview:
Fawkes Saddles Shaq Diesel to Big Drama Victory
It seemed only fitting that trainer David Fawkes would saddle the winner of Saturday’s $75,000 Big Drama.
Fawkes, who trained the 2010 champion sprinter, watched Shag Diesel rate off the leaders before driving to the lead in midstretch to win the Big Drama by four lengths over Air Combat. Life Is Precious was third.
While Of a Revolution, Dilger and Air Combat moved three-wide past a 46.14 half, jockey Miguel Vasquez rated Shaq Diesel a length behind the leaders before driving to the lead down the stretch. It was one of three victories for Vasquez.
A 5-year-old son of Khozan, Shag Diesel covered the seven furlongs in 1:24.17 for his seventh victory in 23 starts. He was fifth in March in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) and third in last year’s Big Drama behind Grade 3 winner Octane.
