HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot will be guaranteed at $250,000 Saturday, when the popular multi-race wager’s six-race sequence will include six Claiming Crown Stakes.
The $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel will kick off the Rainbow 6 sequence in Race 6. Grupo 7C Stable’s Jesus’ Team, who finished third in the Oct. 3 Preakness (G1) and second in the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his two most recent starts, is rated as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $35,000 or lower. The Jose D’Angelo-trained 3-year-old son of Tapiture is scheduled to prep for a planned start in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
The co-featured $95,000 Emerald, a mile 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or lower, follows in Race 7. Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Tusk is scheduled to come off an 11th month layoff since a victory in the Tropical Park Turf (G3) in January. Trainer Michael Maker, the all-time leader in Claiming Crown victories for a trainer, entered six horses (including one also-eligible), headed by defending champion Muggsamatic.
The $85,000 Rapid Transit, the $95,000 Tiara, the $90,000 Canterbury, and the $75,000 Iron Horse will complete the Rainbow 6 sequence.
The $80,000 Glass Slipper (Race 2), the $75,000 Express (Race 4) and the $90,000 Distaff Dash (Race 5) will kick off the popular Claiming Crown event.
The Rainbow 6 went unsolved went for the third straight day of the 2020-2021 Championship Meet Friday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $36,663.54.
The jackpot pool 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.
Defending Champion Irad Ortiz Jr., Tyler Gaffalione Return
Irad Ortiz Jr., the defending two-time Championship Meet titlist, and Tyler Gaffalione, South Florida’s favorite son who has risen to stardom, are set for a return to action at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
Ortiz is scheduled to ride in all but one of Saturday’s 11 races, while Gaffalione has scheduled mounts in every race.
Ortiz, who doesn’t have a mount in the Jewel, is named on two morning-line favorites – Krsto Skye in the Express and I’m a G Six in the Rapid Transit – but would seem to have ‘live’ mounts in all others.
Gaffalione has the mounts on three morning-line favorites, including defending champion Liza Star in the Glass Slipper and Sugar Fix in the Tiara. The 26-year native of Davie, FL is slated to ride Treasure Trove, rated second at 7-2 behind favored Jesus’ Team, in the Jewel.
This year, Ortiz has ridden 275 winners, including Mucho Gusto in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream last January. He edged two-time Championship Meet titlist Luis Saez, 135-134, to win the 2019-2020 Championship Meet crown.
Gaffalione, who rode his first career winner at Gulfstream Sept. 7, 2014, has ridden 248 winners this season while capturing titles for all six major meets in Kentucky. Gaffalione rode Zulu Alpha for a victory in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in January.
