It is the first Saturday of Gulfstream Park's Championship Meet, which in 2025 also means a mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6. With a carryover of over $184k built up over the past couple of weeks, track officials are anticipating a pool of around $2M when the sequence kicks off in Race 6 at approximately 2:44 PM eastern time. Here are my thoughts.

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 6:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 5 Prevent
Backups: 7 Classic of Course

Forecast: The Rainbow kicks off with this high-level handicap event at two-turns over the all-weather where #5 Prevent not only gets back to his preferred surface, but also is likely to find himself on an uncontested lead under jockey Emisael Jaramillo. The 6-time winner has earned 5 of his career victories over this surface and should be tough to catch late. If Prevent gets challenged more on the front end than it appears on paper, #7 Classic of Course is the likeliest to take advantage. The Florida-bred has proven versatile winning on 3 different surfaces through his first 15 starts, including an off the pace victory three-back over the all-weather at this same distance. Regular rider Jonathan Ocasio will remain onboard.


Race 7:
Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 3 Spirit Prince
Backups: None

Forecast: My strongest opinion of the sequence comes in this optional claimer over the lawn where the pace should be honest at the very least. This bodes well for #3 Spirit Prince. The Miguel Clement trainee comes in off a third-place effort at Kentucky Downs won on the front end by a horse for course named Quartocento. Prior to that, the Cairo Prince colt came from off the pace to beat a first-level allowance bunch at Monmouth Park. He comes in fresh and should get a ground saving, off the pace voyage under veteran jockey Joe Bravo. All in on #3 Spirit Prince!


Race 8:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 1 Heaven’s Promise; 2 Diamonds N Thrills
Backups: None

Forecast: I am also expecting a lively early tempo in this beaten $8k claimer over the all-weather, which should benefit those who can settle off the pace early and finish with energy. #1 Heaven’s Promise fits the profile. The Union Rags filly ships back to Florida from the Mid-Atlantic and drops to the lowest level of her career. Her maiden victory came over this surface in April and she draws favorably along the rail. #2 Diamonds N Thrills is unlikely to offer the value of my top choice, but also fits the profile of a horse that is likely to make the most of the likely race shape. The Spun to Run filly has hit the board in 8 of 11 over the Gulfstream Park synthetic and should get a much better setup than she did earlier this month when they went 25.1 and 50.2 in the early stages.


Race 9:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 5 Makeit to Cheyenne
Backups: 2 Xy Speed

Forecast: This five-furlong dash over the grass offers up a rematch of the October 26 race won by #5 Makeit to Cheyenne. The D J Stable gelding got a cleaner trip than #2 Xy Speed that day and held off the veteran by a head to spring the upset. Xy Speed certainly brings the strongest resume in, but draws inside again and certainly is not the same horse he once was. He can win as the public choice in what looks like a two-horse race, but I prefer Makeit to Cheyenne. The addition of blinkers has the Joe Orseno trainee moving in the right direction, while it is hard to imagine Xy Speed posting a career best in career start 49. Either way, I expect one of them to get to the wire first with a preference to Makeit to Cheyenne.



Race 10: Florida Sire In Reality S.
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 5 Strategic Risk
Backups: 1 Khozalite

Forecast: The colts and geldings finale for the 2YO Florida Sire Series is a 1 1/16-miles event over the main track where the majority of the field has stamina questions to answer. #1 Khozalite already responded with a two-turn victory over the turf against MSW company in late August before cutting back to one-turn to win the Affirmed last month. He is the clear one to beat, but will have to work out a trip from the inside with plenty of other speed types drawn to his outside. He is hard to toss given the question marks throughout the field, but I prefer the value of #5 Strategic Risk. The son of Noble Bird has not won at a route of ground like Khozalite, but has the pedigree to handle the added distance. He comes in off a third-place effort in the aforementioned Affirmed. I am banking on him getting a quality mid-pack trip under jockey Javier Castellano. At his 8-1-ML offering, he is also worth a Win bet using Xpressbet and 1ST/BET’s Money Back offer. Remember to register for that promotion!



Race 11:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 6 Eton
Backups: 4 Change at Jamaica; 2 The Great Oscar

Forecast: The sequence and the first Saturday of the Championship Meet conclude with a non winners of two event over the sod where I like #6 Eton most. The English Channel gelding moves back to the lawn in his first start off the claim for trainer Carlos David. David clicks at well over 20% recently off the claim and this guy gets back to his preferred surface. It appears his race to lose. If he fails as the likely post-time favorite, perhaps #2 The Great Oscar or #4 Change at Jamaica can come rolling late and close this out. Either way, best of luck on the opening Saturday at Gulfstream Park!