Rainbow 6 mandatory payout has difficult sequence; carryover hits $559K
?q=100)
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Another Rainbow 6 mandatory payout is on tap Sunday at Gulfstream Park, and it should prove to be another handicapping nightmare for those taking a shot at the carryover of $559,027 – especially those working with limited bankrolls.
The racing office has done small- to mid-level players no favor by putting up a pair of inscrutable 12-horse fields to close out the sequence.
The Rainbow 6 will run from race 6 through 11 and features four turf races, weather permitting, a key point in light of the fact the course has been off limits for the most part, and has taken a good bit of rainfall the past couple of weeks.
Race 6: A pretty well-matched field of 10 starter-allowance types on the turf could make it a difficult task to survive the opening leg. The in-form and, more importantly, very versatile King d’Oro is a must-use and should be a safe play as the likely favorite on turf or dirt. Causin’ Mayhem is hard to ignore as is anything from the barn of trainer Martin Drexler these days. Mister Abarrio was no match for King D’Oro on Tapeta in their last meeting but is probably a better horse on grass, while My Boy Tony comes in from Kentucky off a career-best Beyer Speed Figure.
Race 7: Three-year-old maidens will go 1 1/16 miles on the turf in leg 2. The race features a pair from the barn of Todd Pletcher, including first-time starter Adventurist, who figures to be well backed with Irad Ortiz Jr. taking the call, but he could be vulnerable off a series of modest-looking works. His stablemate No Escape could be the safer choice of the pair as he exits a second-place finish as the 6-5 favorite in his debut at Tampa Bay Downs. He was beaten by Lastabitlonger, who flattered the effort by coming back to finish second with a 76 Beyer in a first-level allowance race.
Tiger Twenty Four should improve off a much-needed debut when passing four of his eight rivals after a terrible start. He figures to be a price while drawn inside, always an advantage at this distance. Solid Left is also eligible to improve off his debut when poorly posted, and the addition of Lasix is perhaps worth noting. Murabeh goes turf to dirt off a decent outing to start his career in a race that has already produced a pair of next-out winners.
Race 8: Good luck sorting out this full allowance field going two turns on grass. The race figures to have an honest pace scenario, so one might want to find a few late-runners to fill the ticket. Dea Matrona is working well off the claim, and with the red-hot Dylan Davis aboard is among those fitting the bill, along with class-dropping Movin’ On Up and Kalispera, who faces a tough task breaking from post 12.
I’m not sure what to do with Chad Brown’s Diamond Vega, who ran mid-pack in a super key race making her U.S. debut on the Tapeta. The barn has been very quiet at the meet but is always dangerous in these spots and it is encouraging that they reach out to Ortiz.
Race 9: This is a very competitive allowance sprint on the main track. I’m going to try to limit this to just a couple of picks. Billal exits a super key race last out at Churchill Downs and has worked extremely well locally for his 2025 debut. Cyclone Mischief was second best in his Churchill finale when finishing behind next-out stakes winner Kavod (94 Beyer) and in front of next-out allowance winner Osbourne (92 Beyer).
Race 10: The first of the two killer races to end the sequence. A full field going five-eighths on grass always means a horse’s trip is a key element, as little usually separates the top contenders. This race is no exception. With so much speed signed on, it may again be prudent to search out the closers and hope they can get a clean run through this bulky lineup. But that means leaving out the likely favorite, Banneker, who is winless in three starts on grass but hails from the barn of trainer Carlos Narvaez, who is on an incredible tear at the moment.
I will try to get through leg five with Asher’s Edge, who is coming off an easy win under similar conditions against statebreds in his 2024 finale; Born Flashy, who worked well on the grass at Palm Meadows with the addition of blinkers; and Heymackit’sjack, a New York-bred whose best should put him right in the mix as he comes off a well-graded main-track work last week at Palm Meadows.
Race 11: Anyone fortunate to still be alive deserves a pat on the back but will likely need to have taken a spread to seal the deal in the finale. This race features another full field of mostly lightly raced 3-year-old maidens on the grass. Among the most logical choices are Champagne Brunch, who is coming off a good effort last time and a couple of solid Tapeta works; Brown Sugar, who ran creditably in her only start and is a full sister to Preakness winner Rombauer, who did win once on turf; Classic Q, whose jockey/trainer combo of Davis and Mark Casse have been on fire together of late; and Snipsnippitysnip, whose experience on the grass could prove a valuable asset in this spot.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.