Florida Sire Stakes winners back for Round 2

One of the highlights of the Gulfstream Park summer meet is on tap for Saturday, when the second legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series are run at the south Florida track.

As usual, many of the top finishers in each division of the first legs of the series Aug. 6 are expected to be back in the four Saturday races, including every winner. Entries are to be drawn Wednesday.

Here’s a look at each of those Sire Stakes events, all to be run at seven furlongs:

◗ $300,000 Affirmed: Three Rules, whose seven-length victory for trainer Jose Pinchin in the Dr. Fager Stakes kept him unbeaten and untested in three starts, figures to be a huge favorite in this race for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

◗ $300,000 Susan’s Girl: Cajun Delta Dawn, also undefeated in three starts after capturing the Desert Vixen, could get a very stern test when taking on a couple of promising 2-year-old fillies in Shes Got the Look and Sweet Tooth Haven, both impressive maiden winners in August.

◗ $150,000 Prized: Trainer Mark Casse confirmed that Awesome Banner will be back for a rematch with Dream of Me in this race for 3-year-old colts and geldings. Awesome Banner was defeated as the 1-20 favorite by Dream of Me in the Unbridled.

◗ $150,000 Jewel Princess: R Kinsley Doll won the Three Ring after finishing second in a claiming race in her previous start, and she will be back to prove that that latest triumph was no fluke.

◗ Two $75,000 stakes for Florida-breds, the Wasted Tears and The Vid, also will be part of the big Saturday card. The Vid is for 3-year-olds and up and the Wasted Tears for fillies and mares, with both at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The third and final legs of the Sire Stakes series are Oct. 1.

Rainbow 6 jackpot at $150,000

The lone allowance on a 10-race Thursday card is part of a Rainbow 6 sequence (races 5-10) that has grown to $150,895. That nominal feature (race 8) is a $43,000, first-level turf route with a $16,000 claiming option. A field of eight is entered, plus two main-track-only designees.

The first of five straight days of racing gets under way Thursday at 12:50 p.m. Eastern. There will be racing Monday because of Labor Day.

The Friday card was supposed to be drawn Sunday, but because of light entries, the racing office opted to defer the draw until Wednesday, when a double draw (with Saturday) is scheduled.

◗ With some two-thirds of the three-month summer meet in the books, Tyler Gaffalione, with 63 winners, has more than doubled his closest rival atop the jockey standings, with Emisael Jaramillo second with 31 wins. Antonio Sano leads the trainer standings by a 17-14 count over Ralph Nicks. The meet runs through Oct. 1.