The Rainbow 6 jackpot at Gulfstream Park has not been hit for 18 straight race days and the carryover pool has grown to $271,570 for Thursday. The bet, which has a 20 cent minimum, will run on the fifth through 10th races.
It’s obvious Del Mar is saving up for the weekend, because the mid-week card on Thursday has six claiming races among the day’s eight offerings, as well as a maiden race and a starter allowance.
Appealing Tale nearly pulled off an upset in the San Diego, but he’s a sprinter at heart, and it is sprinting to which he will return on Saturday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Pat O’Brien at seven furlongs, a race for which he tuned up with an easy three-furlong drill in 37.80 seconds Tuesday morning.
Obviously will be seeking his third victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Mile in the last four years on Sunday, but trainer Phil D’Amato was not happy with the weights for the grass race, which finds Obviously toting top weight of 124 pounds even though he hasn’t run since November and hasn’t won a race since June 2014.
With three wins in his last four starts, including a victory in the local prep for the Pacific Classic, Catch a Flight figures to be one of the top contenders in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar. He remained on edge with an easy work on Tuesday morning, indicating trainer Richard Mandella will have a formidable one-two punch in the meet’s biggest race.
Saratoga will host a seminar Sunday for prospective new owners. The day-long seminar begins at 8 a.m. and is hosted by former jockey Richard Migliore and racing analyst Ernie Munick.
Trainer Ron Moquett shipped Far Right to Saratoga to train as he weighs the potential options for the graded stakes-winning 3-year-old.
David Jacobson plans on being well represented in the Grade 1 sprint races on the Aug. 29 program with Salutos Amigos in the $700,000 Forego and Room for Me in the $500,000 Ballerina.
Garnet Barnsdale's analysis of the Thursday 8/20 card at Mohawk Racetrack.
The decision to keep a small string at Saratoga this summer has paid off handsomely so far for trainer Keith Desormeaux’s stable, which has two stakes wins from seven starters at the meet. There may be more to come.
