GOLDENCENTS, a two-time Breeders’ Cup winner, is a proud poppa as his first crop of foals arrive this spring/winter. Here is DOUBLOON, a colt born at Bernard and Karen McCormack’s Maple Shade Farm. Momma is Sweet Ransom, a graded stakes placed daughter of Red Ransom. Apparently this little guy whinnied before he was totally out into the world! BERNARD MCCORMACK PHOTO
Through the blahs of the grey, winter months – although it has been a fairly decent winter here in Ontario -looking forward to weekend racing around the globe keeps us going. The competition is amazing and the racing super. It’s Kentucky Derby hopeful time and it is World Cup in Dubai lead up time.
Tampa Bay Downs has a stakes-laden card today and the return of champion TEPIN, the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner in the Endeavour Stakes is one of the highlights. LEXIE LOU has been entered also as she tries to get her comeback underway from the year-long layoff. Lexie could be scratched to await another stakes race.
What about the RAINBOW 6 at Gulfstream? Those of use who love to handicap horse races find the very difficult bet almost irresistible with that jackpot getting bigger every day. There needs to be just one winning ticket for the whole ball of wax to be won but 6 of 6 has paid well – if you can pick 6 winners. The bet is offered for 20 cents here, that’s the good news. Playing it everyday is fun, but getting expensive!
RAINBOW PICK 6 – POT OF GOLD CONTINUES TO GROW
Ontario-based trainer RICKY GRIFFITH has had a solid winter in Florida and it was bombs away on Friday at 51-1 LOCKED AWAY won his grass debut in his 2nd career race. He is a son of Crown of Thorns. GULFSTREAM PHOTO
There was no unique winner of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 on Friday, leaving a jackpot carryover of $852,100.75 for Saturday’s 12-race program. First race post time is 12:35 p.m.
Since last being hit for $76,799.38 by one lucky bettor on Jan. 13, the popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 22 consecutive programs. The largest payout of the current Championship Meet was $262,634.84 on Jan. 7.
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.
There were multiple tickets sold with all six winners on Friday, each worth $56,362.74.
In addition to the Rainbow 6, which spans races 7-12, Gulfstream Park is offering guaranteed pools of $350,000 in the 50-cent Late Pick 4 and $200,000 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 on Saturday.
The Late Pick 4 will cover races 9-12 and the Late Pick 5 spans races 8-12. Saturday’s feature event is the $200,000 Royal Delta (G2) for fillies and mares 4 and up, which is carded as Race 4.
JAKE: TAMPA BAY STAKES PICKS
It’s too cold to go outside and hunt for mice so JAKE is back after studying the DAILY RACING FORM and offered up some selections for TAMPA BAY DOWNS today. Should be a fun day curled up and watching racing..but maybe we can go for a car ride later? I drive?
RACE 5 – SAM F. DAVIS – 2:15 P.M. – This prep for the Tampa Bay Derby has had better fields (how good would SHAKHIMAT have looked in this race?)
Trainer TODD PLETCHER is 2-colts strong in here and Jake’s pick is DESTIN, an improving Giant’s Causeway fellow coming on from good effort at Fair Grounds.
RACE 8 – ENDEAVOUR S. (GRADE 3) 3:45 – So this race is the end of an early Pick 4 and certainly TEPIN, who figures to be 1-5 or 1-9 will be a single for most. The race is a mismatch, really, as long as TEPIN comes back somewhere close to how she left the stage last October when she won the Breeders’ Cup.
Should she scratch and let LEXIE LOU go for the Casse team, then the race is much different: in that case, the possible lone speed (again, if Tepin is scratched) is LOVELY LOYREE, she gets a class check but is a nice longshot play.
RACE 9 – SUNCOAST STAKES – GODOLPHIN has a firm hold on this race, a big field with some learning fillies. DREAMUP has been freshened and pointed to this race it seems off big maiden score in modest time. SMART SHOPPING has tough post but could be any kind for trainer Brendan Walsh.
RACE 10 – TAMPA BAY HANDICAP – 1 1/16 miles on the grass for 4 and up and this is a good field of Grade 3 types including Canadian owned and trained Karibu Gardens for the hot Josie Carroll barn and Canadian-bred new 4-year-old SOLEMN TRIBUTE is also in the field.
But Jake and Jen really like a longshot play in here – SPECIAL ENVOY, an improving 5-year-old owned and bred by the Firestones. PLAY OF THE DAY!
UNCERTAINTY AT NORTHLANDS IN EDMONTON
DAN BARNES – EDMONTON JOURNAL
They’re in the home stretch now at Edmonton Northlands, and there is growing fear that the finish line is in sight for horse racing in the city, and perhaps the province.
Horse Racing Alberta and the provincial government are still said to be discussing an extension of a financial agreement that diverts about $21 million annually in slot machine money to prop up the declining horse-racing industry.
That revenue is vital to the continuation of racing at Northlands Park, but Northlands is in a state of flux; it has a strategic vision for the future, and cannot wait for those talks to reach a conclusion before taking action.
On Wednesday, Northlands president Tim Reid unveiled to employees and volunteers the organization’s business plan for life after the Edmonton Oilers, who are moving to Rogers Place downtown for the 2016-17 NHL season. They will take vital hockey-related revenue out of the Northlands coffers when they go.
Called Vision 2020, the comprehensive business strategy encompasses the entirety of the 64-hectacre Northlands site and includes a contingency plan for shutting down the horse-racing side of the business shortly after the 87th running of the Canadian Derby on Aug. 20
