The Rainbow 6 was left unsolved by a single ticket holder on Thursday afternoon at Gulfstream Park meaning there is a chance for a huge pool tomorrow if similar occurs later today in Hallandale Beach. Heading into Friday’s 10-race slate, the carryover amount sits at over $267k and regardless of result it must go on Pegasus Day during the extremely challenging All-Stakes sequence. Full fields, high-quality racing, and big pools are just what horseplayers covet. Let’s take advantage!
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 8: Fred W. Hooper (G3)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Life and Times
Backups: 6 Knightsbridge; 5 Tour Player
Forecast: Lots of players will probably take the “easy” way out to kick things off by using the two favorites #1 Life and Times and #6 Knightsbridge. If you are creative elsewhere that is a fine approach if you believe they are stand outs, but overall taking a stand is the right play long term. I will take mine with lightly-raced #1 Life and Times. The Justify gelding has been awesome through 2 starts, but does have to overcome an inside draw with plenty of early zip to his outside. I am hopeful he breaks well and Jose Lezcano is able to relax him in the pocket. If so, he should be tough to beat in the lane. Knightsbridge’s resume speaks for itself, but the price horse that intrigues is #5 Tour Player. It took a while for the son of American Pharoah to figure things out, but he has found his home in these elongated dirt sprints. He could get the perfect off the pace trip under Javier Castellano.
Race 9: William L. McKnight (G3)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Zverev
Backups: 11 Divin Propos 3 Ohana Honor;2 Act a Fool
Forecast: Trainer Mike Maker has won the McKnight a record five times and has a big chance once again this year with #1 Zverev. The Oscar Performance gelding underperformed for the Cherie DeVaux barn, but has taken a step forward since Maker claimed him for $40k at Saratoga this summer. That should be no surprise since the former Lukas assistant is known for these types of improvements with horses he purchases well into their career and gets the most out of in these “marathon” type turf races. The 5YO has rattled off three consecutive wins, draws the rail, and gets Irad Ortiz Jr. I like his chances.
Race 10: Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2)
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 10 And One More Time; 2 Heredia; 4 Breath Away; 5 Classic Q; 11 In Our Time; 8 Proctor Street; 12 Movin’ On Up
Backups: None
Forecast: I found this year’s Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf to be as challenging as it gets where I am expecting the pace to a bit more moderate than it may appear on paper. The Ortiz brothers riding the two fastest runners means it is unlikely to be a cutthroat battle in the early stages. This could make things difficult for off the pace runners, including lukewarm 9-2-ML favorite #7 Whiskey Decision. I will leave her off and use a couple of speeds that otherwise I would toss. I landed on #10 And One More Time in the end. The daughter of Omaha Beach is lightly-raced and draws to the outside, but should be able to tuck in just off the two speeds if it plays to how it appears on paper. If she can avoid early ground loss, she has upset potential in just her sixth career start.
Race 11: Inside Information (G2)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 1 Indy Bay; 11 Grand Job
Backups: 8 Sterling Silver; 3 Jody’s Pride; 6 Beyond Belief
Forecast: I am not overly creative in this 7-furlong dash for fillies and mares over the main track where once again I think being forward could prove advantageous. #11 Grand Job is the likely pacesetter, but is hard to trust. The Justify mare battled early along the inside and tired late at Churchill Downs in a high-level allowance event when we saw her last, but has run some big races since arriving in the States. She is definitely capable of taking them gate-to-wire with her best. If not, #1 Indy Bay should be in the best position to take advantage. The Take Charge Indy filly has been given time since being eased in the Cotillion (G1) in late September. The cutback and inside post should lead to a coveted pocket trip under Irad Ortiz.
Race 12: Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1)
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 2 Program Trading
Backups: 12 Fort Washington; 4 One Stripe; 3 Beach Gold; 9 Chasing the Crown
Forecast: Trainer Chad Brown won this race a year ago with Spirit of St Louis and has a big chance once again with 5-2-ML favorite #2 Program Trading. The 6YO has been given time since running into a ton of trouble in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). The son of Lope De Vega was not going to win that afternoon, but certainly was ready to perform a lot better than the running line suggests. Prior to that he put in a pair of strong runner-up efforts and should get a dream run along the inside under regular rider Flavien Prat. Brown had Spirit of St Louis ready for his best in this race in 2025 and appears to have this Klaravich Stables ridgling prepared for similar at 4:54 PM local time on Saturday.
Race 13: Pegasus World Cup (G1)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 7 Tappan Street; 1 Disco Time
Backups: 4 Banishing
Forecast: Trainer Brad Cox won this race in 2021 with Knicks Go and holds a strong hand five years later with #1 Disco Time and #7 Tappan Street. Disco Time comes into the race off a pair of dominant efforts against lesser and is likely to take a lot of public support given his 5 for 5-record, but do not underestimate 2025 Florida Derby (G1) winner #7 Tappan Street just because his return race was on the slow side. There is no way he was close to cranked and the fact it was at one-turn also likely played into the workmanlike performance. If they go quick early, Luis Saez should be in the perfect spot to take advantage on the far turn. I will use most of my budget leaning on the Cox duo, but have come around to #4 Banishing as the week has gone along. He has kept great company, gets a highly capable rider, and is likely to get overlooked on the tote board.
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