No one was able to piece together a single winning ticket on Saturday, so that means this afternoon at Gulfstream Park there will be a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6. With a carryover of $54,773, track officials are expecting the pool to grow to more than $500k before they are set to go to post for Race 4 at around 2:19 PM eastern.


Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.


Race 4:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 1 Goodbetterbest; 2 Sarah’s Dream
Backups: 8 Lady Emily Kathryn

Forecast: The sequence kicks off with an optional claimer over the all-weather. #8 Lady Emily Kathryn is the 2-1-ML favorite, but I prefer the two inside runners. #1 Goodbetterbest has won multiple times over the turf and all-weather, but is consistently fastest over the Gulfstream tapeta. She should get a perfect trip from her inside draw. #2 Sarah’s Dream also switches from turf-to-all-weather. She has won all 3 starts over the tapeta and also should benefit from her favorable post.


Race 5:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 4 Starship Iceman; 1 Buzz Rocket
Backups: 3 Black Empire

Forecast: #1 Buzz Rocket was made the 8-5 ML choice by oddsmaker Brian Nadeau in this maiden claimer at two turns over the grass. The $460k FTK October 2023 purchase did not pan out as planned for the former connections and was claimed by Jose D’Angelo this winter. His continued lack of early speed has continually left him with a lot to do late, but he drops to the lowest level of his career. If they go fast early, he will be tough to hold off, but I am not sure that is going to happen.

If the pace is moderate, it could be #4 Starship Iceman that steals it on the front end. The lightly-raced 5YO clearly has had issues, but the blinkers go on for his first journey around two turns and competing on the turf. He has lots of questions to answer, but could get brave against a modest bunch under jockey Leonel Reyes.



Race 6:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 9 Breezer
Backups: None

Forecast: I think most horseplayers will opt to take their stand either in Race 7 or Race 9. I understand singling one of the two favorites in the turf sprint to follow or on El Muheet in the finale, but I will take a contrarian approach by going thin in a race I expect the public to spread in.

There is a ton of speed signed on in this $8k claimer for non-winners of two. I am hoping #9 Breezer gets the perfect trip stalking in the clear just off the early speed. The Medaglia d’Oro colt is just 1 for 14, so clearly, he has lacked the will to win thus far. That said, he comes into the race off a pair of underneath finishes over this surface and I love the outside draw and move to Edwin Gonzalez. Hopefully he finds the winner’s circle for the first time this year.



Race 7:
Grade: X
Main Ticket: 4 Great Venezuela
Backups: 7 Mrs. Gambolini

Forecast: The Sunday feature is a rematch of the April 27 encounter between 4-5-ML favorite #7 Mrs. Gambolini and 9-5-second choice #4 Great Venezuela. Mrs. Gambolini cruised to the lead in her 4YO debut in late April allowing Great Venezuela little chance to get her from off the pace. If the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee out foots this field of turf sprinters out of the gate again, they are likely running for second place. I expect her to take a little more heat in the early stages though assuming #1 Tiffany Gold or #3 Breezy Bella break well. Hopefully, this allows Great Venezuela to turn the tables and earn her eighth career win for trainer Victor Barboza Jr.


Race 8:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 2 Lace Up: 7 Imapeppa
Backups: None

Forecast: #1 Secret Lover appears a vulnerable 8-5-choice in this conditional $8k claimer at 7-furlongs over the main track. The son of Khozan has finished second in 3 consecutive starts against similar competition, but lacks speed and is just 1 for 19 dating back to the start of 2024. I will use two in hopes of taking down the chalk.

#2 Lace Up is my top choice. The Florida-bred chased the pace in a race that totally fell apart going 6-furlongs on May 1. He should benefit from a less contentious first half mile and likely favorable pocket trip. #7 Imapeppa is my other use. The son of Secret Circle is far from a win machine himself, but is consistent. He has hit the board in all 4 starts since his maiden victory last fall and should get the jump on the ML favorite.


Race 9:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Frosted Punk; 8 El Muheet
Backups: 12 Risen Sun

Forecast: Like I mentioned above, #8 El Muheet is likely to be a very common single to close out the sequence. The War Front colt dropped to this level for the first time 3 weeks ago in his first start for Jose D’Angelo and failed as the 4-5-favorite. He did miss by just a head to a lone speed wire-to-wire winner though. The public is going to be willing to forgive him against this field whether you are willing to or not.

Admittedly, El Muheet is tough to get excited about tossing, but I do like a bomb in #1 Frosted Punk. The second-time starter for trainer Kathleen O’Connell did little running on debut, but that was going 5.5-furlongs over the all-weather. The added ground should benefit the Frosted gelding. Hopefully, the surface switch does as well.

Good luck on Carryover Sunday!