Gunnevera not training as Sano would like

Gunnevera has missed intended workouts again and is no longer under consideration for the Grade 1 Woodward at Saratoga as trainer Antonio Sano makes contingency plans to insure the standout 5-year-old returns to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Sano told Gulfstream Park publicity last weekend that Gunnevera simply isn’t training as well as he would like and that he will seek a new path to the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita. Sano had hoped to make the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga earlier this month, but a bruised hoof forced the trainer to scrap that plan in favor of the Aug. 31 Woodward, which is now out, too.

“His foot is fine,” Sano said. “He just hasn’t come back as good as I want.”

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Gunnevera, owned by Del Valle Salomon, has earned more than $5.5 million from 21 career starts, although a fair chunk of that figure comes from two starts in the Pegasus World Cup. A late-running second at 30-1 last fall behind Accelerate in the BC Classic at Churchill Downs, the son of Dialed In has not raced since finishing third in the March 30 Dubai World Cup. His sporadic workout slate in recent months includes three breezes in June, followed by a five-week gap to his two most recent works on July 21 and 27.

Rainbow 6 at nearly $600,000

A $47,000 statebred allowance that drew a near-capacity field of 11 filly-mare turf sprinters serves as the nominal feature Thursday at Gulfstream as another four-day week begins with a nine-race card. First post is 1:15 p.m. Eastern.

The race 7 feature is part of a Rainbow 6 sequence that spans races 4-9 and will start with a jackpot of $596,772. The Rainbow 6 jackpot has not been swept by a solo winning ticket since July 6, a span of 22 racing days. No forthcoming forceout date has been announced by the track.

There is no stakes this coming weekend at Gulfstream. The next such race is the $100,000 Benny the Bull for Florida-breds on Aug. 24.

◗ Rain is in the forecast for South Florida for much of the coming week, raising the possibility that some turf races might again have to be switched to the main track. Although turf racing was held Sunday as scheduled, wet conditions necessitated turf races to be moved to the main track during six of the seven preceding cards. Five turf races are carded for Thursday.