Rainbow Six jackpot will top $200,000

With five weeks between stakes, the recurring storyline at this time of year at Gulfstream Park tends to be the Rainbow 6.

And whaddya know? When racing resumes Thursday at the south Florida track for another four-day week, the Rainbow 6 will surge past the $200,000 mark once the horses settle into the gate for the fifth of 10 races.

The last meaningful stakes day at Gulfstream was July 2, when the Summit of Speed was held. The next comes Aug. 6, with the Florida Sires series.

Until then, handicappers will busy themselves trying to take down the Rainbow 6 with the solo perfect ticket required to sweep the jackpot. After Sunday, the carryover stands at $197,499. The 20-cent-minimum gimmick runs from races 5 through 10 on Thursday, when first post is set for 1:15 p.m. Eastern; race 5 is at 3:21.

There’s also a carryover of $24,179 into the 50-cent late pick five (races 6-10).

Here’s a quick look at a Rainbow 6 sequence in which trainer Peter Walder plays a leading role:

◗ Race 5: Oxidada takes a big class plunge when going turf to dirt for Walder as one of the main contenders in this bottom-level mile. Kickn In, Tormenta de Oro, I’m Really Sumthin, and Roraima are other logical plays to start off your ticket.

◗ Race 6: Walder has a top contender here, too, in the Irish-bred Vedelago, who may take his strongest challenges from All Over It, Dreams Cut Short, and Bakyt.

◗ Race 7: Here’s Walder one more time with the off-the-claim Flash Jak, whose jockey, Emisael Jaramillo, continues to press Tyler Gaffalione atop the local standings after riding three winners Sunday. Amaluna and Elnath are the other likely favorites in a field of seven fillies and mares competing under a hybrid condition of starter allowances and optional claiming.

◗ Race 8: This is one of the deeper races in the sequence, with Mansion House and Gaffalione perhaps a lukewarm favorite in a turf route that also will have Give to U.K. Cats, Turkomani, Acknowledge, and Schettino on many tickets.

◗ Race 9: Walder and Jaramillo team here with a 6-year-old named Scam who is turning back in distance after a brief layoff in trying to duplicate what he did in winning for this same hybrid condition June 11. Chief threats: Niconellie, Rasta Rant, Sonofaderbywinner, and Ranger in Paradise.

◗ Race 10: You probably couldn’t blame some bettors for saving their Rainbow 6 and pick-five single for last in the form of August Lilly, who retains Jaramillo after finishing second in three of her first four career starts and appears poised to finally get through her maiden condition. If she fails as a strong favorite, the most likely upsetters are Queen of Gems, Tearless, and Maux Exotic.