After a Florida Derby Day that saw Commandment get his nose down on the wire to win a desperate photo against The Puma in the headliner, it is closing day of the 2025-2026 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park. The 11-race card is led by a mandatory payout in the Rainbow 6, which has a carryover of $286,399. Track officials are estimating the pool to reach $2.5M when all is said and done. Here is how I plan to attack the final Rainbow 6 of the meeting.


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: C+
Main Ticket: 1 Chemical Romance; 2 Bull Shoals; 6 Serac
Backups: None

Forecast: #2 Bull Shoals was made the understandable 2-1-ML choice by oddsmaker Brian Nadeau after a runner-up effort at odds of 67-1 to kick off his career. The son of Mo Forza ran second to a runner that came back, took public support, but had a troubled voyage in yesterday’s Cutler Bay. If Bull Shoals moves forward off of that effort, they are running for second, but he is tough to trust at his likely off odds second time out. Therefore, I will include a few others capable of springing the upset. #1 Chemical Romance ran too poor to believe last out and proved he has the upside to be competitive against this level of competition two-back, while #6 Serac adds the blinkers and still has upside for trainer Nicholas Palmer.


Race 7:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 6 Noble J
Backups: None

Forecast: I will take my biggest stand of the sequence with 9-2-ML shot #6 Noble J in this state-bred first-level allowance over the main track. The Monarch Stables gelding came back off a year and a half layoff in December and won going away before a pair of speed and fade efforts against this level of competition. There is no doubt his run last out was poor, but it came down on the inside on a day where the outside was by far the place to be in Hallandale Beach. Trainer David Fawkes has given the son of Noble Bird time and he should get a much more favorable setup with very little early zip signed on. The removal of blinkers for the first time hopefully relaxes this guy early and the move to the better part of the racetrack all meet should benefit him greatly. Gate-to-wire to gain a little separation from the public.


Race 8:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 12 Ninja Star; 2 Winooski
Backups: 1 Maktub; 4 Honesto; 8 Bless America

Forecast: #12 Ninja Star is the clear one to beat on the class drop in this full field $10k open claimer over the all-weather. The Florida-bred has won 5 of 16 over the synthetic, won at this level two-back, and exits a much better race than he is entered in later today. That said, he is likely to be a short price and only bested similar competition by a head in early February. I will use him along with #2 Winooski on all tickets and threw some prices in as backups. There is a non-zero chance this thing falls apart. Anything goes if the favorite does not fire his best shot.


Race 9:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 2 Themanupfront
Backups: 9 The Brigade

Forecast: I lack creativity in this optional claimer over the lawn where I could not past the two ML choices. #2 Themanupfront drew better and should have a tactical advantage over #9 The Brigade. If jockey Jonathan Ocasio controls the early tempo, he will be tough to get by late. I will center things around the Bobby Dibona trainee with plenty of coverage going to The Brigade as well.


Race 10:
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 3 Palace View; 5 Nantasket Beach; 10 Baytown Parfait
Backups: 9 Longbranch Lou

Forecast: The final race of the meet over the all-weather is a competitive one at 1m70yds where #5 Nantasket Beach was made the slight favorite over #9 Longbranch Lou after bypassing a stakes race over the grass yesterday. I have a slight bit of doubt about the 7YO gelding over this surface, but trainer Lauren Robson has earned the benefit of the doubt. She has won with 20% of her 56 starters dating back to the start of 2025 and has spotted horses wonderfully this winter. Therefore, he is a must use along with late running #3 Palace View. I am also intrigued by #10 Baytown Parfait after a huge effort last out. Sure, he lost to #9 Longbranch Lou, but did all of the dirty work. He could have things a lot easier upfront this afternoon.


Race 11:
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3 Ati Girl; 9 Peachy Canyon; 11 Dyna
Backups: None

Forecast: The final race of the meet looks wide-open. #11 Dyna is a logical contender for a barn that is heating up late in the meet, but drew poorly off a long break making her impossible to trust. If she can work out a trip, she is the one to beat, but I like a pair of prices as well. The aforementioned Lauren Robson sends out wild card #9 Peachy Canyon. The Tristar Farm runner made one start, but in December at Dundalk over their synthetic surface. The upside is there for a barn that clearly knows what they are doing. I like #3 Ati Girl most. The daughter of Nyquist has had five chances, but all for former trainer Tim Hamm. Not only did she progress nicely over those starts at Tampa Bay Downs, but now she moves into the barn of Bill Mott. With an inside draw, she is tasty value at her 15-1 ML offering. Let’s close out the meet in style!