Rainbow 6 guaranteed for $650,000 on Thursday
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for a 19th consecutive day on Sunday and will offer a $650,000-guaranteed jackpot when racing resumes with an eight race program on Thursday. The jackpot was last hit to the tune of a $182,098 payoff on April 28.
Among the highlights on Thursday’s program will be the local debut of Brooklyn Strong, who won the 2020 Remsen and finished 15th the following spring in the Kentucky Derby. Brooklyn Strong will make his first start since being transferred to trainer Victor Barboza Jr. He competes under a $35,000 claiming tag going a mile and one-sixteenth in the afternoon’s fourth race.
Reyes gets win No. 500
Jockey Leonel Reyes reached his 500th North American victory on Sunday and did it in style, guiding Republique to victory in the afternoon’s featured event.
Republique, a 3-year-old half-sister to 2021 Preakness winner Rombauer, is now perfect in two starts. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., her wins both came over the synthetic Tapeta surface, the latest around two turns at a mile and 70 yards.
The 35-year-old Reyes was a two-time national riding champion with over 1,600 victories in his native Venezuela before relocating to the U.S. in South Florida in 2016.
Willy Boi earns shot at Smile
Willy Boi is likely headed for the six-furlong Smile here on July 2 following his super impressive 5 1/4-length triumph in Saturday’s Big Drama Stakes. The win was the second one-sided victory for Willy Boi since being transferred to trainer Jorge Delgado’s barn earlier this season.
Willy Boi has been ridden to his last two wins by jockey Chantal Sutherland. He received a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance in the Big Drama.
“The horse is getting bigger and stronger and better and better every day,” said Delgado.