Gulfstream Park Notes: Rainbow 6 Tops $1 Million, Stonetastic Cruises

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – There will be a 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot carryover of more than $1 million greeting bettors when live racing resumes at Gulfstream Park Monday for a special Presidents Day holiday card.

Monday’s program is comprised entirely of 12 starter stakes worth a total of $680,000 in purses. First race post time is 12:35 p.m.

A total of $395,691 was wagered Sunday into the Rainbow 6, which saw the carryover grow to $1,046,372.44 without a single unique winner of the popular multi-race wager for the 24^th consecutive racing program.

There were multiple tickets sold with all six winners on Sunday, each worth $1,763.46.

The largest Rainbow 6 payout of the current Championship Meet was $262,634.84 on Jan. 7. It was last solved on Jan. 13 for $76,799.38.

The carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Stonetastic Cruises to Win in $65,000 Miami Shores
Able to avoid the early trouble from her previous start, Stoneway Farm’s Grade 2 winner Stonetastic made short work of seven rivals with a front-running five-length victory in Sunday’s $65,000 Miami Shores.

Favored at 1-2 in her 5-year-old debut, Stonetastic ($3) ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.78 over a fast main track for her first win since an optional claiming allowance at the same distance last fall at Parx. Her other wins have come in New Jersey and New York, including the 2014 Prioress (G2) at Saratoga.

“She’s a more relaxed filly down here in Florida,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “I was a little concerned after she didn’t win last time out to say maybe she’s a Northern horse or something like that. Today kind of validated that she’s a nice horse. I know she’s a nice horse, but that she can carry it from track to track.”

Forced to check in the early going of her last start, the Dec. 26 Sugar Swirl where wound up second by two lengths, Stonetastic sprang from the gate under regular rider Paco Lopez and coasted through a quarter-mile of 22.13 seconds with More Than a Party and Dogwood Trail to her outside. She began to edge away after a half in 44.64 and was well in command turning for home, sprinting clear down the stretch with no urging from Lopez.

“That’s what I was expecting last time,” Breen said. “Paco today was talking about taking back and I said, ‘Paco, let’s just put them away.’ He might have had that thought in the back of his mind last time, especially when she got checked and everything else. I said, ‘I don’t need any questioning. Just go.’”

Breen said Stonetastic will run back in the $200,000 Inside Information (G2) going seven furlongs at Gulfstream March 19.

“From here we go on to the Inside Information. Unless I’m wrong, we’re just going to go to the front and play catch us if you can,” he said. “It’s not her first quarter that’s fast, it’s her second quarter. She was close barely in front by a half length after the first quarter; it’s that second quarter where she has that nice acceleration where she can put horses away.”

Hall of Famer Prado Makes Return to Gulfstream Sunday
Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado rode at Gulfstream Park on Sunday for the first time since being injured in a mid-December spill. Prado, who made his return to competitive riding out of town Feb. 10, was unplaced with each of his two mounts, Megatoni in the fifth race and Quality Indeed in the ninth.

“I feel great. It’s great to be back in action,” Prado said. “There’s nothing better than riding horses and being in the game again.”

Prado, 48, suffered six broken ribs and a laceration on his chin when his mount, Legs Like Betty, bolted and dumped the rider into the outside rail shortly after the start of Gulfstream’s seventh race Dec. 13. Prado ranked in the top 10 at last winter’s Championship Meet as well as Gulfstream’s spring and summer stands.

“Unfortunately it’s part of the business. You never know what tomorrow can bring. You just have to make the best out of it and overcome the obstacles in our life, and try to keep going again,” he said. “I know it’s not going to be easy because it’s a very tough meet and a lot of good riders here. We’ll give it our best. I still have a lot of passion and love for the game. I want to do what I love the most, ride horses.”

Who’s Hot: Championship Meet-leading jockey Javier Castellano rode three straight winners Sunday, aboard Yellow Chips ($4) in the fourth, Degrees of Freedom ($7) in the fifth and Miss Matzoball ($7.60) in the seventh. Miguel Vasquez posted a riding double on longshots Angel of Love ($58.20) in the first race and Private Journal ($100) in the third.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $1,046,372.44

Super Hi-5 Carryover: $3,679.51 (first race)

Source: Gulfstream Park