Three allowances anchor new pool for Rainbow 6
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A trio of allowance races, the last of which drew a couple of recognizable names, will anchor a Rainbow 6 sequence with a brand-new pool Sunday at Gulfstream Park.
With the Rainbow 6 subject to a forceout Saturday, the jackpot for the 20-cent wager will start building anew Sunday. The Rainbow 6 goes as races 6-11, with half of those being the co-featured allowances. Here’s a quick rundown:
Race 6
Mia Martina, a recent private purchase by Eclipse Thoroughbreds, will make her first start in the care of trainer Graham Motion facing five other 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on turf in this $47,000 first-level allowance. Mia Martina will have Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle after winning her career debut at a $45 mutuel at Gulfstream West in late November.
Runaway Rockette could come favored after finishing second in her most recent start to Con Lima, who wheeled back to dominate the Ginger Brew.
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All six fillies will race on Lasix for the first time after being denied the medication last year as 2-year-olds.
Race 9
Mike Maker holds a strong hand in this $48,000 first-level turf sprint with the uncoupled duo of Aunt Nadine and Unaquoi, both of whom own sharp form in such races. Aunt Nadine (post 4, Tyler Gaffalione) was a just-miss second when last tried in a turf sprint in mid-November at Aqueduct, while Unaquoi (post 7, Edgard Zayas) was a rallying second in the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash in her latest.
Roman d’Oro (post 6) surely will draw her share of tote action with Ortiz climbing aboard for trainer Mark Casse.
Race 10
Mischevious Alex and Shirl’s Speight, both of whom drew notice last year as a prolonged Kentucky Derby trail unfolded, are among the principals in an inordinately deep race worth $52,000. The six-furlong race drew a field of 11 4-year-olds and up under multiple conditions, including a second-level restriction.
Mischevious Alex (post 1, Ortiz) won back-to-back Grade 3 races last winter, the Swale at Gulfstream and Gotham at Aqueduct, while eventually excusing himself from the Derby discussion when proving to be more of a miler type. Unraced since Aug. 1, the Into Mischief colt has been turned over by owners Cash Is King and LC Racing to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
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Shirl’s Speight (post 8, John Velazquez) drew mention as a Derby possibility after winning his first two starts before he was forced out by illness. Trained by Roger Attfield, the Charles Fipke homebred makes his first start since Oct. 3 and his first ever on dirt.
First post for the 11-race Sunday card is 12:05 p.m. Eastern, with the local forecast calling for sunshine and a high of 70. Five of the races are scheduled for the turf course, which should once again be rated firm amid a sustained dry period.
After Sunday, Gulfstream goes dark for two days before another five-day week starts Wednesday. The highlights of the coming weekend are the four Sunshine races on Saturday. All are for Florida-breds and are worth $75,000, plus an additional $25,000 to the winner if he or she is registered to the Florida Sire Stakes.