Rainbow 6 jackpot at Gulfstream edging toward $1 million

The Rainbow 6 at Gulfstream Park is steadily climbing toward having a $1 million pool to shoot at. There is a $700,000 pool entering Thursday, and assuming there is no single winning ticket, the jackpot pool will likely be around the $800,000 mark Friday.

Kicking off the sequence in the fourth race Friday is a $20,000 starter race, and Witch Hunter looks like the one to beat in the seven-furlong dash for fillies and mares.

A 4-year-old New York-bred daughter of Khozan, Witch Hunter is cutting back to seven furlongs after finishing second going a mile in an $8,000 starter race that carried a $16,000 claiming option on Aug. 28. Her chances took a big hit when she got off to a slow start and had to rally into a moderate pace. In her previous race, she broke alertly and took them all the way, going seven furlongs at the same level on July 24.

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Witch Hunter has improved since trainer Victor Barboza Jr. claimed her for $6,250 on behalf of Michael S. Foster on May 21. In her first outing for her new connections, she finished a close second running over a track rated wet-fast in an $8,000 starter race that carried a $16,000 claiming option June 18, then received a career-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure for her win July 24.

With her tactical speed, Witch Hunter should get a nice trip from a forward position with Marcos Meneses retaining the mount. She will break from post 4 in the field of seven.

The Antonio Sano-trained Don’t Get Khozy is coming off a win in a race with second-level allowance conditions or for horses who had not won a race since Jan. 18. With Leonel Reyes aboard, Don’t Get Khozy rallied from last in the one-mile race.

She was making amends for her loss as the favorite in a $60,000 handicap on June 6 when she did not fire after hopping and breaking outward at the start. It was the only time Don’t Get Khozy did not finish in the top three in nine starts this year. She has compiled an enviable 9-10-3 record from 31 starts and once again figures to be in the mix when it matters.

Nationalist is coming off a 5 1/4-length romp going a mile in a $6,250 claiming race Aug. 6. She was claimed out of the race by trainer Rohan Crichton, who was acting on behalf of Daniel L. Waters. Considering that since 2017 Crichton has a 26-percent strike rate and $2.55 ROI first off the claim, nobody should be surprised if Nationalist makes a big impact for her new connections.

Barboza also has strong numbers first off the claim, 44 percent winners the past five years, and he is bringing back Sky Chaser after haltering her for $62,500 on behalf of Sonata Stable on May 22. The 5-year-old daughter of Drill finished last in the seven-furlong conditioned allowance race, but she is a five-time winner and could fire fresh with leading rider Edgard Zayas riding.