Raydar Control should lead the way; mandatory payout in Rainbow 6
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Trainer Steve Klesaris said one couldn’t print what he was thinking when his projected pacesetter Raydar Control got knocked back to last shortly after the break of his most recent start. Fortunately, at the wire it was all’s well that ends well for Klesaris and Raydar Control, who somehow managed to overcame the horrendous beginning and still win the statebred allowance race as a prohibitive 3-5 favorite.
Klesaris is hopeful there will be a lot less angst when he sends Raydar Control back out against a somewhat tougher field of open-allowance and optional-claiming opposition in Sunday’s $70,000 main event at Gulfstream Park. The five-furlong dash over the Tapeta course also serves as the fourth leg of yet another mandatory Rainbow 6 sequence that will have just a two-day carryover at best and is expected to close with a pool somewhere in the vicinity of $500,000.
Rayday Control had been clear on the lead in each of his four outings, winning twice, prior to his near disaster moments after the break of his most recent start. The race marked the first time Klesaris sent out the 4-year-old son of Bahamian Squall since the horse was transferred to his barn following the retirement of former trainer Dennis Ward earlier this spring.
Despite finding himself in very unfamiliar territory at the rear of the pack in the run down the backstretch, neither Raydar Control nor jockey Diego Herrera ever gave up. They circled the field four wide around the turn before overtaking the pacesetting Sticky McShnickens and outgaming that rival through the final furlong to pull off a somewhat miraculous three-quarter-length triumph.
“Honestly, I really thought it was over watching him get sandwiched and squeezed right out of there leaving the gate like that last time,” Klesaris admitted. “For him to overcome something like that and still win was awfully impressive.”
Klesaris said despite the yeoman effort, Raydar Control came out of the race in good order and that he expects him to show off his usual blazing speed right from the outset if away cleanly Sunday.
“He’s just naturally quick, so I don’t think there will be any holding him back if he breaks well. And this looks like a perfect spot for him,” Klesaris said.
Raydar Control figures to receive his sternest challenge from Giant Teddy, a very popular item at the claim box over the past several months having changed hands after each of his last four starts for the same $25,000 price tag he’ll run under once again. This time he’ll go postward for trainer Fernando Abreu while exiting a very popular gate-to-wire, two-length victory against similar opposition on May 31.
Herrera, who was the winning rider aboard Raydar Control and Giant Teddy in their last starts, has opted to stick with Giant Teddy on Sunday with Edwin Gonzalez picking up the call from Klesaris astride Raydar Control.
Coffee at K J’s, a winner of two of his last three outings, also looms a dangerous contender in a lineup that includes Rachel’s Coach, Walking in Memphis, and Great Lilo.
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