Possible $5 million in new money for Gulfstream Rainbow 6 forceout

Closing day of the 2022-23 Championship meet at Gulfstream Park is Sunday, and it’s one last big one. A forceout of a burgeoning Rainbow 6 pool gives added emphasis to an 11-race card that brings an adventurous end to a meet that began Dec. 26.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 spans races 6 to 11. Track officials are expecting new handle of about $5 million, although maximizing handle is dependent on the jackpot not being emptied Friday or Saturday. Regardless of whether that happens, the forceout will proceed. There is no “solo winner” requirement when the Rainbow 6 pool undergoes a mandatory disbursement.

Through Thursday action, the Rainbow 6 jackpot stood at $731,567.

First post Sunday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, with the first Rainbow 6 race going at 3:14. Sunny skies and highs in the mid-80s are in the Hallandale Beach, Fla., forecast, meaning the four turf races in the sequence most likely will be run as scheduled.

The most recent Rainbow 6 forceout was held March 5, when more than $5.2 million was bet into a carryover of $1.37 million; each winning ticket returned $40,357. The Gulfstream record for a Rainbow 6 pool is $15,788,225, set in January 2018.

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After Sunday, Gulfstream will go dark for three days before the five-month spring-summer meet begins Thursday.

Here’s a quick look at the Rainbow 6 races:

Race 6

Surely this will be a “spread” race for serious players just looking to survive the first leg. Five of the eight fillies and mares in this first-level allowance for Florida-breds squared off against each other in a March 3 scrum won by Riveting Spirit, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the results of that race are turned upside down or sideways in this rematch.

You might be able to toss Pretty Keen – a no-factor eighth at 35-1 in the common race – but otherwise, the best option might be the “all” button hoping to catch a price while moving on. Riveting Spirit, by the way, remains eligible for the condition by way of a $20,000 claiming option also being exercised with Una Luna and Passion Plus.

Race 7

Fly the W, a Glen Hill homebred named in tribute to the Chicago Cubs, has become a Tapeta terror, winning five of his last six starts over the Gulfstream all-weather course (including a pair of wins with 95 and 94 Beyer Speed Figures) and 6 of 13 overall. The 7-year-old gelding most recently was a decent third for the same type of starter-allowance conditions that govern this 1 1/16-mile race, but that came over turf; a fortunate byproduct was maintaining his fitness until another Tapeta race came along.

The nine other older horses facing Fly the W appear well matched, but still, he’ll be a single on many tickets.

Race 8

If the Tampa Bay Downs shipper Chess Master runs anywhere close to his Tampa Turf Dash score that earned him the second 100 Beyer of his 41-race career, this turf-sprint allowance could be over in a hurry. The 7-year-old gelding will break from the inside post in a field of 10 after being entered by owner-trainer Kerri Raven for an optional $62,500 tag.

To his outside, Silent Poet could be the main danger, even amid a win drought dating to August 2021. The speedy 8-year-old has earned more than $950,000 as a mainstay among the divisional elite in his native Canada.

Race 9

This looks like a trip-up race, so tread carefully. None of these 11 fillies and mares have shown themselves capable of dominating at this open $8,000 level, and the tote board most likely will reflect just how evenly matched they are. Using four or more horses on their Rainbow 6 tickets could be where many bettors are headed.

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The presence of leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. on Chasing Joy might be enough to make her a lukewarm favorite – but Domineering, Rain, Sophia’s Storm, and Ghostly Night are logical challengers, while The Great Kath and Amazing Trip look dangerous when dropping sharply in class following layoffs.

Race 10

Get Smokin has used his brilliant speed in establishing himself as a major player in two-turn graded turf stakes throughout his career, but it’s the six-month-plus layoff that will keep some Rainbow 6 players from singling him in this high-end turf allowance going 7 1/2 furlongs. Yes, his recent work tab at Mark Casse’s Ocala training center looks solid, but it’s reasonable to think Get Smokin may need a race – which opens things up to a list of alternatives that should include Whisper Not, Red Danger, Max K. O., and the 2021 Queen’s Plate winner, Safe Conduct.

Race 11

Has there ever not been a Rainbow 6 finale that looked something like this? Delightfully inscrutable, some might say.

No one could blame you for quickly siding with a first-timer from the barn of Wesley Ward (Shootoutthelights, with Ortiz riding) or Todd Pletcher (Taormina, by uber-sire Into Mischief) and calling it a day. Or you could dive further into the fine print and also use the likes of Queen Karima, Secret Money, Eilat, Schumer, or Oolong Hai. The choices are plentiful, just like the potential payoff at the end of the Rainbow.

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