Rainbow 6 mandatory payout pool could reach $7 million

MIAMI – The Rainbow 6 has been a tough egg to crack around these parts for quite some time now. The popular wager went 47 consecutive programs without a unique winner during the Gulfstream Park summer meet before finally being hit for $2.2 million on Sept. 27, just two days before a scheduled mandatory payout that would have produced a final pool in excess of $10 million.

The Gulfstream Park West fall session has proven no different. Through Thursday, the Rainbow 6 had not had a unique winner over the first 37 days of the meet. And if it should survive Friday and Saturday’s programs, there will be a mandatory forceout of the entire pool Sunday, which would have a carryover of more than $1 million and a final pool estimated to be in the vicinity of $5 million to $7 million.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will encompass the fourth through ninth races on the card and features more quantity than quality. It is made up of claiming events with price tags ranging from $6,250 to $20,000 for the maidens who will contest the second leg on the turf. As is pretty much the norm on a daily basis around these parts, three of the Rainbow 6 races will be decided over the main track and three, weather permitting, will be on turf.

It figures to take a little luck and a healthy bankroll to correctly solve this puzzle. The following is a handicapping synopsis of the six races in the sequence.

Race 4

Lailoni is the logical favorite on the drop to this level but appears a little suspicious coming off the farm and making just her second start since mid-July. As a result, Infinity Sky and Vicky Apple might be the best two options. Infinity Sky is coming off a game showing despite a race-long pace duel last time. Vicky Apple is stepping up off a career-best effort vs. lesser over the local strip four weeks ago.

Race 5

Lower-level maiden 2-year-olds sprinting on the turf is usually a crapshoot with many unknown factors coming into play. Milkah is the top choice off a solid enough two-turn try over the surface when beating eight of nine rivals last time, although she’ll likely have to work out at trip coming from mid-pack or beyond turning back in distance today. La Flamenca has speed and did have her best chances compromised by a tough post and traffic issues in her only try on grass. Golden Nole has some early foot plus the red-hot Paco Lopez as her best two assets and probably should be included in the mix. Tolly Club is a bit of a question mark switching to grass, but does get Lasix and a set of blinkers for the first time today.

Race 6

Deal With It Dude might wind up a single on many tickets. He is taking the plunge to the bottom of the claiming ladder off a creditable effort against tougher, hanging late after making a menacing middle move. Cabre could be the key to this race while making his second start off a layoff and stretching out to a mile for the first time. In a field with plenty of speed types, he might be the quickest of the bunch and dangerous if able to set up shop on the lead. Many of the other potential contenders are lifetime non-winning types, such as All Star Seiler, Mysterio, Dazzling Prose, and El Zeus.

Race 7

The factor that stands out in leg 4 is the amount of speed signed on for this 7 1/2-furlong conditioned claimer on the grass. A hotly contested pace would likely favor America’s Simmard, who has been on the fringes numerous times in this category and might finally be ready to break through and get that elusive third win if the race falls apart, as expected. Eric the Salesman also has shown some ability to pass horses late, gets Lopez up, and finished in front of America’s Simmard in his lone try against never-won-three competition here two weeks earlier. Another Softball may prove the speed of the speed stretching out around two turns for the first time since finishing second as a maiden at Gulfstream Park in April. The winner of that race, Cause for Pardon, has gone on to become an allowance type.

Race 8

Things don’t get any easier here with many logical contenders in this seven-furlong conditioned claiming dash. Durlyn and Noncents are both five-time winners, so they obviously fit these conditions well. Durlyn will be shedding blinkers after hanging late as an odds-on favorite against similar last time. Creative Award is tossed in at a price on the drop back to this claiming level off a sizzling five-furlong work Nov. 15.

Race 9

The “all” button is a big temptation in the finale for anyone who can fit such a play into their bankroll, considering the inconsistent nature of the 12 runners in this lower-level conditioned claimers going two turns on turf. Blues Songs gets a shaky top billing off a couple of near misses with the same kind in her last three starts, but will need to work out a trip among all the traffic certain to line up during the latter stages of this one. Passing Moments dueled for the lead and held willingly in a relatively slow renewal of this same event on Oct. 27, but might just have enough gas in this pretty paceless affair to shake loose on the lead if aggressively handled early from her inside post.