Bernier: Targeting Rainbow 6 on mandatory-payout day

On Sunday at Gulfstream Park, there will be a mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6, a pick-six wager with a base bet of 20 cents. If the wager isn’t hit Friday or Saturday, the pool Sunday figures to be enormous, and even the smallest bettor should consider playing.

There is a 50 percent chance of rain Sunday in the Hallandale Beach, Fla., area, so the DRF TicketMaker play I’ve put together below could change drastically due to scratches or if races are taken off the turf. Here’s a look at the sequence.

RACE 7
Mike Maker sends out ULTIMATE CAUSE (4), a mare making her second start since November. Her most recent start was mediocre at best, but the pace seemed to fall apart, and she was positioned a few lengths off the lead throughout. If she takes a step forward for a master trainer, she’s dangerous. I’ll also use BONITA SPRINGS (5) as an “A” in TicketMaker. Tom Bush is an underrated trainer, and this mare’s turf races make her a threat.

As backups, I’ll include INDYGITA (3), O. K. KAY (6), FARCICAL FELINE (7), GRACE’S DRAMA (8) and MADAME UNO (9).

A: 4,5
B: NONE
C: 3,6,7,8,9

RACE 8
NOOTKA SOUND (6), trained by Wesley Ward, feels like a horse whom people will focus on in this sequence. I’m using her, but I’ll also include CAMILA PRINCESS (1), who owns the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field, and DARK ARTIST (8) for Jane Cibelli. I’m intrigued by the Paynter offspring on turf, and Dark Artist tries grass for the first time here. I’ll also be using NIKKI’S CAUSE (5) and NEWMANS FAST GIRL (10) as backups.

A: 1,6,8
B: 5
C: 10

RACE 9
I can’t stress enough the importance of consulting the DRF Clocker Report before finalizing any plays Sunday, particularly with a maiden race like the ninth. Without knowing how any of these 3-year-olds are training, I’ll include GITGO (2), for Darrin Miller and Javier Castellano, who owns the highest last-out Beyer in the field; PEKIN (6), whose race two starts back on dirt likely is good enough to beat these runners; and GRAN RED (9), a first-time starter for the always-dangerous Victor Barboza Jr. Since this is a bottom-level maiden claimer, I want significant coverage. As backups, I’m including KID KANTHAROS (3), DREAMING OF JO JO (4), and OCTOPYTHIUS (7).

A: 2,6,9
B: 3,4,7
C: NONE

RACE 10
FIRST DISTINCTION (2) needs the lead to win, and luckily for her, she appears to be the lone speed. I’ll lean heavily on her as my only “A.” As savers, I’ll include PRINCESS KNOLL (3), returning to dirt for Yvon Belsoeur, PARA VIVIR (8), breaking from the far outside beneath Emisael Jaramillo.

A: 2
B: 3
C: 8

RACE 11
Another race where I’m leaning heavily on one horse. DANCE RHYTHMS (4) was visually fantastic when winning her maiden most recently at the $50,000 claiming level, and a replica of that effort makes her very tough here. She owns the highest last-out Beyer in the field with a 79 and figures to be forwardly placed throughout. My backups include STORMYMEISTER (2), THAT’S HER M. O. (5), and STARCLOUD (6).

A: 4
B: 2,5,6
C: NONE

RACE 12
A giant field closes out the sequence, and I’m most interested in three horses: CALL TO HONOR (1), who had a miserable trip last out; PADEN (8), who turns back in distance for Mike Maker and drops to the lowest level of his career; and STARSHIP APOLLO (12) for Daniel Vella off the claim. You could make some sort of case for most of this field. My backups will include SANDRO (4), DONEGAL HALL (6), INMYFATHERSIMAGE (9), BOURNE COUNTRY (14), and FRANCOIS (15) if he draws in.

A: 1,8,12
B: 4,9
C: 6,14,15