For Goodness Sake will try to challenge Pletcher pair
Among the many story lines to emerge from last weekend at Gulfstream Park was this very familiar one: The Rainbow 6 is still growing.
After Sunday’s action at the south Florida track, the Rainbow 6 jackpot stands at a whopping $2,178,641 going into Thursday, when the sequence will run from races 6 through 11. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern, with the Rainbow 6 starting at 3:05.
The feature of the Rainbow 6 and the 11-race card is a well-matched, second-level allowance in which Todd Pletcher sends out a pair of contenders in the uncoupled duo of Savoy Stomp and Tennessee. A field of seven is entered in the 10th race, which goes around two turns at 1 1/16 miles with a $46,000 purse and carries a $62,500 claiming option.
Among the top challengers to the Pletcher pair is For Goodness Sake, who moves from turf to dirt while favorably drawn in post 2 for jockey Luis Saez and trainer Mike Tomlinson.
“We’re glad to finally get a two-turn dirt race to fill for him,” said Tomlinson, who has enjoyed a very productive winter in Florida with horses such as Candip, Barbados, Twenty in One, and Greengrassofyoming. “Hopefully, Luis can work out a good trip for him.”
The Rainbow 6 has not been swept since Jan. 13, a span of 35 racing days. The jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. Lacking a solo winner, 70 percent of that day’s pool (following takeout) is dispersed on tickets with the most winners, with the remainder added to the carryover.
Aside from the Rainbow 6 carryover, Thursday at Gulfstream offers a $20,111 carryover in the rolling Super Hi 5 in the first race of the day. Unintimidated looks like the horse to beat in a field of eight Florida-bred maidens.
Gulfstream went on a rare three-day break following a huge weekend during which Mohaymen and Cathryn Sophia solidified their statures toward the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, respectively. There was no racing Wednesday because the Fasig-Tipton sale was being held at Gulfstream that afternoon.
KEY CONTENDERS
For Goodness Sake, by Big Brown
Last 3 Beyers: 78-88-89
◗ He was perhaps out of his element in back-to-back turf attempts to start his Gulfstream meet and would do very well here to revert to his big effort under the Churchill Downs lights in late November.
Savoy Stomp, by Medaglia d’Oro
Last 3 Beyers: 89-70-92
◗ This Team Valor colt will stretch out from a seven-furlong optional claimer from which the winner, Early Entry, came right back to prevail at a higher level. He shows a solid work pattern since that Jan. 16 race.
Tennessee, by Giant’s Causeway
Last 3 Beyers: 92-80-87
◗ One of two entered here for an optional $62,500 claiming tag (with Nauset Beach), he’s an obvious threat on his best day, although the fact that he’s for sale might unsettle some potential backers.