Willow Case springs upset in Thursday’s Juvey Opener. (Lauren Kind)
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $275,000
Gulfstream Runners Well-Represented on Kentucky Oaks Card
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Amanda Hernandez’s Willow Case, a juvenile daughter of multimillionaire Neolithic that was fourth in her unveiling last month, came with a steady drive through the stretch to run down 1-5 favorite Drama and upset Thursday’s opener at Gulfstream Park.
Ridden by Edgar Perez for trainer Ramon Minguet, Willow Case ($31.80) covered 4 ½ furlongs over a fast main track in 54.21 seconds to capture the maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies by a neck. It was 14 ½ lengths back to 39-1 longshot Instapurchase in third.
Arindel homebred Drama, a distant but decisive second behind stablemate Mythical in a similar spot April 17, broke alertly and established the early lead through a quarter-mile in 22.69 seconds and a half in 47.57. Perez hustled Willow Case to give chase and set his filly down once straightened for home to reel in Drama, who took a 1 ½-length lead into the stretch.
“I broke and I was laying second,” Perez said through an interpreter. “I was right behind the favorite and coming to the wire the horse stopped and I went right by.”
Beaten 15 ½ lengths in the April 17 maiden event, Gulfstream’s first 2-year-old race of 2025, Willow Case became the first juvenile winner for the mare Pillow Case, who has produced three winners from five foals. Neolithic, placed in Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 stakes with earnings of nearly $2.3 million, now has 40 2-year-old winners from 224 starters (18 percent).
Gulfstream will host the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies May 10. The five-furlong turf sprints offer automatic berths and a $25,000 travel stipend to one of six juvenile races at Royal Ascot this summer in England.
“I think she’ll handle the grass, too,” said Perez, who was also aboard for Willow Case’s maiden voyage.
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $275,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be estimated at $275,000 for Friday’s nine-race program at Gulfstream Park.
First race post time is 12:50 p.m.
The popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for nine consecutive racing days following a mandatory payout of $6,047.50 April 13.
In the Rainbow 6, the carryover 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.
Friday’s sequence begins in Race 4, a 5 ½-furlong claiming event on the all-weather Tapeta course for 3-year-olds and up which have never won two races. The narrow 5-2 favorite is Breezer, exiting a third in a similar event sprinting five furlongs April 12.
Race 5 is a maiden special weight for Florida-bred fillies and mares 3 and up going five furlongs on the Tapeta. City Minute is the 5-2 program choice to break through after finishing second or third in each of her first four starts including her 4-year-old debut April 4.
Irish-bred La Cantera stretches out and drops in class off a fifth in the 7 ½-furlong Sanibel Island March 29 for Race 6, a starter optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Mom’s Martini and We Sea You both come in off wins.
In Race 8, a starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the Tapeta, Neshume chases a third straight win with different connections racing first off a $17,500 claim for trainer Mary Eppler. Air Force Cruising had a two-race win streak snapped when second as the favorite last out under similar conditions April 5.
The Race 9 finale is a maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3 and up scheduled for one mile on the turf. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher entered the pair of Thank You Mam, a first-time starter by English Channel, and Tapit filly Our Prosperity, unraced since her debut last summer at Saratoga. Open Lane, fifth by less than two lengths in her March 8 unveiling at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Christophe Clement, is the lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite.
A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 is scheduled for Sunday, when the jackpot pool is expected to reach $3 million if not hit before then.
Gulfstream Runners Well-Represented on Kentucky Oaks Card
In addition to hosting nine live races beginning at 12:50 p.m., Gulfstream Park offers fans the chance to watch and wager on Churchill Downs’ 13-race Kentucky Oaks (G1) program Friday featuring several runners from the 2024-2025 Championship Meet.
Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) runner-up Anna’s Promise; Gulfstream Feb. 5 maiden winner Early On, who went on to run second in back-to-back stakes including the Gazelle (G3) behind Ballerina d’Oro, third in the Davona Dale (G2); and Davona Dale runner-up La Cara are all entered in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.
The Edgewood (G2) features Locked, who opened his 4-year-old season running second in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) as a preview for his romp in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1). Among his rivals is stablemate Fierceness, record-setting winner of the 2024 Florida Derby (G1).
Herecomesthebride (G3) winner Vixen; stablemate Nitrogen, unbeaten in three races this year starting with the Jan. 4 Ginger Brew; and Lush Lips, a popular front-running optional claiming allowance winner Jan. 10, are each set to line up in the Edgewood (G2).
Eclatant, unraced since her victory in the Feb. 1 Forward Gal (G3); Unchained Elaine, last out winner of the March 16 Any Limit; and stakes winner Whatintheliteral, most recently fourth in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, are among the field in the Eight Belles (G2).
Epona’s Hope, racing first time for trainer John Servis, looks to stretch her win streak to four races including a third straight stakes in the Unbridled Sidney (G3). Thorpedo Anna, the 2024 Horse of the Year, looms a huge favorite in the La Troienne (G1) against a group that includes 2023 Davona Dale winner Dorth Vader, who returned from a 330-day layoff to be second in a Gulfstream optional claiming allowance March 28.
First race post time at Churchill is 11 a.m.
Notes ~ ~ ~
Jockey Edwin Gonzalez registered a Thursday hat trick aboard Trumpetta ($7) in Race 2, Extendo ($23.80) in Race 8 and Luna Louska ($13.40) in Race 9 …
Edgar Perez doubled with Willow Case ($31.80) in Race 1 and Mackor ($6.60) in Race 6.
