Xy Speed victorious in an allowance on the turf Nov. 8, 2024, at Gulfstream Park (Coglianese)
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $150,000
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. –Turf racing will resume Friday at Gulfstream Park following a break during the month of July.
A five-furlong maiden special weight event for 2-year-old fillies in Race 2 will be the first of three turf races on a nine-race program. The eight-horse field includes several, well-bred, well-connected first-time starters, including Divine Secrets and Will to Thrill from the barn of Hall of Famer Mark Casse. Divine Secrets, from the first crop of sire Charlatan, is out of Gospel Girl, whose eight offspring that have raced are all winners, including $870k earner Happy Farm. Will to Thrill is a daughter of War of Will, whom Casse saddled for victories in the 2019 Preakness (G1) and 2020 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).
In Friday’s Race 8 feature, a mile optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up on turf, Joe Orseno-trained Sticky McShnickens seeks to return to winning form following a pair of runner-up finishes. A field of evenly matched fillies and mares has been assembled for Race 5, a 1 1/16-mile $17,500 claimer on Turf.
Turf stakes action returns Saturday with the running of the $75,000 Bear’s Den, a mile stakes that drew a deep field of nine 3-year-olds. Jose D’Angelo-trained Iron Hand, who has won four straight since trying Tapeta, is slated to make his turf debut. Patrick Biancone-trained Layabout, who broke his maiden on Tapeta before coming right back to win on turf, will make a bid for three in a row.
The Bear’s Den will be one of four turf races on Saturday’s 11-race program.
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $150,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $150,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Sunday for the sixth racing day following a mandatory payout.
The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, including two grass events in Races 5 and 8 on to mark the return of turf racing following a month break.
In the Rainbow 6, 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 usually goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
