Turf form key to Rainbow 6 sequence
Excitement is starting to build for Thursday’s card at Gulfstream Park, where there is a $1,006,359 carryover in the Rainbow 6. Beginning in the fifth race, four of the six races in the sequence will be contested on turf. Also, nine of the 10 races carded are restricted to fillies and mares. The only race open to boys is race 9, where Reason to Soar and Front Loaded appear to be the main players in a first-level allowance race that carries a $25,000 claiming option.
Love and Lemons looks like a solid favorite in a $12,500 maiden-claiming race that kicks off the sequence in race 5. The 4-year-old daughter of Lemon Drop Kid is coming off a runner-up finish in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race April 13 and should be a short price in the five-furlong dash on turf. Trained by Joseph Orseno, she went into her last start following a two-month layoff and could take a step forward with a race behind her and Tyler Gaffalione retaining the mount.
Competition runs deep in race 6.
Cajun Queen looks like the one to beat in a $16,000 conditional claimer that will be contested over 7 1/2 furlongs on turf. However, the Herman Wilensky-trained 6-year-old hasn’t raced since she finished third in a $25,000 optional-claiming race Sept. 16 and might need a race to be at her best.
Final Flurry, Wild Chatter, Prado Vision, and Lapantalones Fance are coming off decent efforts in a more reasonable time period.
Mardi Gras Girl is a possible single in a maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds on the main track in race 7. Trainer Michael Yates had her primed for a big effort when she made her debut here April 13, and she ran well, finishing a clear second behind her stablemate, Cajun Firecracker.
First-time starters Awesome Park and Lailoni have decent workouts and come out of live barns.
Meant Tobe Mine will take a lot of support in Race 8, a first-level allowance race that has a $25,000 claiming option. She has speed and figures to be in the mix right from the start in the five-furlong turf sprint.
She is jumping up in class, but she won her last two races by a combined 18 3/4 lengths. She was haltered for $16,000 out of her last start by trainer Rohan Crichton, who the past couple of years has a 46 percent strike rate with claimed horses running back the first time. Meant Tobe Mine will be ridden by Nik Juarez who won four races Sunday.
Other speed in the field, most notably Eila, could help set up Unbridled Courage, who should be rolling late.
Cases could be made for Little Christina, Sly Roxie, and Cordele.
Reason to Soar is the one to beat in race 9, but Front Loaded could be dangerous making his first start as a 4-year-old. Also, Reason to Soar drew the rail and will need a heady ride by Gaffalione to avoid getting bogged down inside. Trained by George Weaver, Reason to Soar was coming off a lengthy layoff when he won a first-level allowance race for Florida-breds on March 31 in his first start this year.
Front Loaded has been training forwardly for trainer Jose Pinchin and was good enough to finish second behind Gunnevera in the Tangelo Stakes last year. Gunnevera is a two-time Grade 2 winner with more than $2.9 million in earnings. He also finished third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27.
Wild in Red will be favored in the last race but is an iffy proposition at best in the five-furlong turf sprint for nonwinners of two running for a claiming price of $12,500.
She romped when she debuted in a $20,000 maiden-claiming race Oct. 20 at Gulfstream Park West, but she was claimed out of the race by trainer Jena Antonucci and hasn’t raced since.
If she runs as well as she did in her debut, she’s the winner. If not, it becomes a wide-open race with Wishfully and Bright Venezuelan the most likely to benefit.
