Track Times Today - With Bernie Dickman - Racing, Breeding, Pari-Mutuels

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Big Boy Jak ($11.60) wins 7th race . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - Fifteen years after leaving his native Venezuela as the country’s winningest trainer, Antonio Sano reached a milestone Sunday at Gulfstream Park when he saddled his 1,000th winner in North America.

A day after Sano celebrated his 62nd birthday, Big Boy Jak ($11.60), a 3-year-old gelding, provided the popular trainer with the milestone when he led throughout to win the seventh race.
“I am so happy. I am proud to be here in the United States. It’s my home now,” said Sano, surrounded by friends and family in Gulfstream’s winner’s circle. “I won over 3,000 races in Venezuela and now 1,000 races here. I am very thankful for every opportunity in 14 years to win 1,000. I have to thank all my owners, my team, my family, my son, everybody that have shown support for me. I hope to win another 1,000.”

A third-generation horsemen - a champion conditioner in Venezuela with a stable upward of 150 horses - Sano was kidnapped twice in his native country – once for 36 days – before coming to the U.S. After winning his first race in April of 2010, Sano has found success at all levels of the sport. He is the winningest Venezuelan trainer in the U.S., surpassing Manny Azpurua in September of 2023.

Sano’s first major success was Gunnevera, a $16,000 yearling who would win the 2017 Fountain of Youth (G2) and finish second in the Travers (G1) as a 3-year-old and run third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) as a 4-year-old and retire with $5.5 million in earnings.

Simplification would reward Sano with his second victory in the Fountain of Youth in 2022 and run fourth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Il Miracolo won the 2023 Gr. III Smarty Jones and Gr. III Ghostzapper and was third in the 2023 Gr. I Pennsylvania Derby.

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Bernies Blog

Rainbow 6 Payoff: $36,102

Monday, January 6, 2025

Eclipse Award finalists announced . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - A mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool yielded multiple payoffs of $36,102 Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

It was the first mandatory Rainbow 6 payout of the 2024-2025 Championship Meet, which began Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. The multi-race wager had been solved twice, for life-changing payoffs of $489,592 Dec. 15 and $244,071 Dec. 21.

The Rainbow 6 had gone unsolved for nine days. A total of $2,511,879 was bet into the pool Sunday on top of a $337,274 carryover from Saturday’s 11-race program.

Cat Eyes ($33) captured Sunday’s Race 10 finale to complete the winning 1-7-10-2-6-4 combination. Other winners in the sequence were Sol d’Oro ($9) in Race 5, Tiz Romantic ($9.80) in Race 6, Big Boy Jak ($11.60) in Race 7, Brees ($19.60) in Race 8 and War Signal ($4.40) in Race 9.

The Rainbow 6 begins anew spanning Races 4-9 when the Championship Meet resumes Wednesday. First race post time is 12:20 p.m.

Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 sequence includes a maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the all-weather Tapeta course featuring a pair of first-time starters from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, Amande and Cantora, as well as Mischief in Motion, a $525,000 debut runner by Into Mischief trainer for trainer Mike Trombetta.

Race 8 is an optional claiming allowance going five furlongs on the Tapeta that drew eight 3-year-old fillies including last-out maiden winner Mattinata; Laurice, unraced since finishing fifth in the six-furlong Matron (G3) last fall at Aqueduct; and Rohan Crichton-trained stablemates Sweet Sash and Bad Gal Party, both with wins over the Gulfstream Tapeta.

Gulfstream Well-Represented Among Eclipse Award Finalists

Led by Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Soul of an Angel, Gulfstream Park was well represented among the 2024 Eclipse Award finalists announced Sunday. Soul of an Angel won Gulfstream’s Princess Rooney (G3) last summer to earn an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup, where she rallied from the clouds for a 19-1 upset. Her trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., has won 11 consecutive meet titles at Gulfstream including each of the last three Championship Meets.

Other finalists in the female sprinter category are Society and Ways and Means, a 2023 maiden winner at Gulfstream.

National Treasure is one of three finalists in the older dirt male category. National Treasure won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) last January as a preview for his victory in the Met Mile (G1). He was ridden by Flavien Prat, expected to earn his first Eclipse as top jockey off a record-setting season with 82 stakes wins, 56 graded.

The 3-year-old male category has both Fierceness and Dornoch among the finalists. Fierceness won the Florida Derby (G1) in his second sophomore start and went on to win the Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers (G1) and run second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Dornoch captured the Fountain of Youth (G2) in his season debut before winning the Belmont (G1) and Haskell (G1).

Joining Prat as jockey finalists are Gulfstream regulars Irad Ortiz Jr. and Tyler Gaffalione. Ortiz won his fifth Championship Meet title and seven graded-stakes at the 2023-2024 stand and has won five prior Eclipse Awards. Gaffalione, the champion apprentice of 2015, is a native of nearby Davie. That ranked sixth with 51 wins, four graded, and $2.9 million in purse earnings last winter.

The Eclipse Award winners will be announced Jan. 23 from Palm Beach.

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Bernies Blog

Gulfstream's Rainbow 6 Could Reach $3 Million on Sunday

Friday, January 3, 2025

Today's pool could reach $400,000 . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - There will be a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. If there is no unique winner of the wager through tomorrow, the estimated pool of Sunday’s mandatory payout is $3 million.

Sunday’s sequence will begin with Race 5, a $94,000 maiden special weight event for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the turf. Post time is approximately 2:14 ET for the Rainbow 6. The dozen entered include Just Silvia (trainer Todd Pletcher), Sol d’Oro (Christophe Clement), Tellus Mater (Graham Motion), In the Wild (Shug McGaughey), Crystalaire (George Weaver), Sweet Surrender (Bill Mott), Close Up (Cherie DeVaux), and Cocktail Kisses and Goal, both from the barn of Mark Casse.

The sequence concludes with Race 10, another $94,000 turf event for maiden fillies and mares at a mile. Just So Pretty was beaten a head and two lengths in maiden special weight events on the turf at Saratoga and Aqueduct. El Zain is a $700,000 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro making her debut.

Sunday’s first race post is 12:20. The Rainbow 6 will have an estimated pool of $400,000 for today’s nine-race program.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Miguel Vasquez won twice Thursday with Mywifeknowsitall ($6.60) in Race 2 and Win With Faith ($23.20) in Race 5 … Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher notched back-to-back wins with El Megeeth ($8.60) in Race 7 and Autumn Evening ($8) in Race 8.

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Bernies Blog

FTHA Announces Award Winners

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

At Gulfstream's Ten Palms . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Assocation (FTHA) held its 5th annual awards and membership dinner on Dec. 21 at Gulfstream Park’s Ten Palms Restaurant. This event gives FTHA the opportunity to recognize excellence in the thoroughbred racing industry and at Gulfstream Park.

“This year our winners consist of outstanding Florida- and Kentucky-bred horses who performed exceptionally in 2024,” said FTHA Executive Director Herb Oster. “Congratulations to their talented trainers, owners, and breeders.”

The 2024 FTHA Annual Award Winners:

2YO COLT / GELDING
Rated by Merit FL (Battalion Runner / Banner Waving, by Speightstown)
Trainer: Michael Yates
Owner: St. Elias Stable
Breeder: St. Elias Stable

CO-2YO FILLY
Win N Your In FL (Win Win Win / Hello Rosie, by Yes It’s True)
Trainer: Carlos A. David
Owners: Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston
Breeder: Marion G. Montanari

CO-2 YO FILLY

R Morning Brew FL (Curlin’s Honor / Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured) Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph Jr.

Owner: Averill Racing

Breeder: Dori Morgan Hyatt

CO-3YO COLT / GELDING
Real Macho KY (Mucho Macho Man / Hedonism, by Curlin)
Trainer: Rohan Crichton
Owner: Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Rohan Crichton, Daniel L. Walters and Dennis G. Smith

Breeder: Poe Racing Stable

CO-3YO COLT / GELDING
Grand Mo the First KY (Uncle Mo / Lilies So Fair, by Giant’s Causeway)
Trainer: Victor Barboza, Jr.
Owner: Granpollo Stable
Breeder: John D. Gunther

3YO FILLY

De Regreso KY (Audible / Texas Gem, by Tiznow)
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Owner: Cairoli Racing Stable and Magic Stables, Inc.
Breeder: Baron Thoroughbreds

OLDER HORSE or GELDING
Comedy Town FL (Speightstown / Unbridled Humor, by Distorted Humor)
Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
Owner: Ten Twenty Racing and Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
Breeder: Live Oak Stud

OLDER FILLY or MARE
Soul of an Angel KY (Atreides / Factor One, by The Factor)
Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
Owner: C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable, and Ken T. Reimer
Breeder: Westbrook Stables

TURF HORSE or GELDING
Win for the Money KY (Mohaymen / Mayakoba, by War Chant)
Trainer: Mark E. Casse
Owner: Live Oak Plantation
Breeder: Kenneth L. Ramsey and Sarah K. Ramsey

TURF FILLY or MARE
Charlie’s Wish FL (First Dude / Superior Sarah, by Werblin)
Trainer: David Fawkes
Owner: Royalight Racing
Breeder: Three Gin Guys Stable

OLDER TAPETA HORSE or GELDING
K.C. Chief FL (Noble Bird / Ashley River, by Deputy Wild Cat)
Trainer: Jose Francisco D’Angelo
Owner: Leon King Stables Corp. and David Bernsen, LLC
Breeder: J D Farms

OLDER TAPETA FILLY or MARE
Batucada KY (Union Rags / Lady Pamela, by Tapit)
Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
Owner: Morgan L. Joseph and Carrie Brogden
Breeder: Wygod Equine

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Bernies Blog

Gulfstream Adds Changes to Betting Menu

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Early and late pick 5s affected . . .

HALLANDALE BEACH - Gulfstream Park announced it will add changes to its betting menu involving the Early and Late Pick 5 beginning tomorrow. The Early and Late Pick five will remain a .50c base wager with a 15% takeout.

  The Early Pick 5 will no longer offer a consolation payoff when there are winning tickets. The Early Pick 5 will remain a mandatory daily payout of 100 percent of the pool to the greatest number of winners.

  For those wagering on the Late Pick 5, there will no longer be a consolation payout under any circumstances as the minor pool has been eliminated. If no one selects all five winners in the Late Pick 5, 100 percent of the pool will carry over to the following day.

  The Tropical Turf Pick 3 will continue to be available Friday through Sunday with a $3 base minimum and a player-friendly 15-percent takeout. The wager has proven popular with players, especially during the 23-24 Championship Meet where it averaged payouts of approximately $1,200 and garnered an average pool size of $70,000.

  Gulfstream is also using projected odds each day on its simulcast signal throughout each race and wagering cycle. Using BETMIX handicapping software, the projected final odds will offer players a better sense of the final odds.

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Bernies Blog