Turf-sprint co-feature highly competitive
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Back-to-back allowances anchor a nine-race Thursday card at Gulfstream, including a $62,000 turf sprint (race 7) that’s about as deep and competitive as you’ll find anywhere.
Phantom Vision (7-2) and Honey Pants (4-1) are lukewarm favorites in an oversubscribed lineup in race 7, but Jeanie B, Richies Great Girl, Millennium Force, and Reinagol are among the other fillies and mares in with solid chances, too.
Some 30 minutes later, Doll Baby makes her second career start in race 8, a $61,000, first-level allowance that drew eight 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. Doll Baby, a daughter of two-time champion Groupie Doll, was a sharp first-out winner here Jan. 30 for owner-breeder Mandy Pope and trainer Ralph Nicks.
First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Although warm and dry weather has been the norm for much of the last few weeks, a 40 percent chance of rain is in the local forecast for Thursday. Turf racing moves to the Tapeta under adverse conditions if deemed necessary by management.
Both co-features are part of the Rainbow 6 (races 4-9), which had its jackpot emptied Sunday by another forceout. New handle was more than $3.5 million, with winning 20-cent tickets paying $4,240.
Highlights of the coming weekend are a pair of $100,000 sprints for fillies and mares, the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie and the Captiva Island, both on Saturday.