Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Climbs to $345,898 for Sunday
Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Climbs to $345,898 for Sunday
Nakamura Makes Late Charge Over Laurel Turf for Maiden Triumph
Multiple Stakes Winner Still Having Fun Tunes Up for Tesio With Saturday Breeze
LAUREL, MD – No single bettor solved the 20-cent Rainbow 6 for the 30th consecutive live program Saturday at Laurel Park, pushing Maryland’s state-record jackpot carryover to $345,898.33 for Sunday’s nine-race card at Laurel Park.
One horse, 18-1 long shot Conquistador Fuego, was live to take home a life-changing $392,819.64 payday heading into the 10th race finale, finishing third in a seven-furlong maiden claimer for 3-year-olds and up won by 3-2 favorite Shoot the Gap ($5).
A total of $97,764 was bet into the popular multi-race wager Saturday, adding to a carryover of $314,617.45 from Friday’s program. Multiple tickets will all six winners each returned $5,213.46.
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, 60 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
No single bettor has taken down Laurel’s Rainbow 6 since it was solved for a $5,896.30 payout on Feb. 4.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 covers Races 4-9 and features three races over Laurel’s world-class turf course highlighted by a $50,000 allowance for 3-year-olds and up going 5 ½ furlongs over the Fort Marcy layout that attracted a field of 11.
There will also be a carryover of $633.27 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s opener. First race post time is 1:10 p.m.
Nakamura Makes Late Charge Over Laurel Turf for Maiden Triumph
Bill Crager and Paul Hondros’ Nakamura, a second-time starter by 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Animal Kingdom, powered down the center of the stretch to reel in front-running Helicat and win Saturday’s featured fifth race.
Ridden by winter-spring meet-leading jockey Jorge Vargas Jr. for trainer Graham Motion, Nakamura ($5.60) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.78 over a firm Fort Marcy Turf Course in the $40,000 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up.
It was the second of three grass races Saturday which marked the seasonal debut over Laurel’s world-class turf course.
“The turf course is beautiful. It’s the first time on it this year, but it is very good,” Vargas said. “This horse is still green a little bit. He’s still figuring out some things, but he’s got a future. He’s a good horse.”
Goodluckjohnathan and Helicat dueled on the lead through fractions of :24.99, :49.86 and 1:12.99 and straightened for home together until Helicat edged clear in mid-stretch. Nakamura launched his bid on the outside around the far turn and steadily gained ground down the lane to win by a neck.
In other turf action Saturday, My Own Lane ($29.40) sprung a 13-1 upset in Race 3, a $22,000 lifetime claiming event for 3-year-olds and up, and Brickyard Kitten ($11) took Race 7, an $18,000 waiver claiming race for 3-year-olds and up. Both races came at 1 1/16 miles over the Kelso Turf Course layout.
Multiple Stakes Winner Still Having Fun Tunes Up for Tesio with Saturday Breeze
Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Terp Racing’s multiple stakes winner Still Having Fun went six furlongs in 1:13 over Laurel’s main track Saturday morning in his second and final tune-up for the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes April 21.
Jockey Sheldon Russell was aboard for the breeze, which was three seconds faster than the only other horse at the distance. On April 6, the bay Old Fashioned colt worked five furlongs in 1:01.40.
“Today’s work went great. It was just what I was hoping it would be,” trainer Tim Keefe said. “We wanted to work him around two turns this morning. He worked three-quarters in 13, worked well, and I’m very pleased with him.”
Still Having Fun had his two race win streak snapped in the Private Terms Stakes March 17, which at about 1 1/16 miles was his first attempt around two turns. Prior to that he captured the seven-furlong Frank Whiteley Jr. and one-mile Miracle Wood to open his 3-year-old campaign.
“I’m very pleased with the way he came out of his last race. We’re obviously a little disappointed in the result,” Keefe said. “He had a little bit of a troubled trip but the bottom line is he didn’t run as well as we hoped he would. We kind of regrouped a little bit, changed a few things up with him … and he’s been training fantastic.”
For the third straight year, the 1 1/8-mile Tesio is a ‘Win and You’re In’ race for Triple Crown-nominated horses such as Still Having Fun to the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (G1), the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown, Saturday May 19 at legendary Pimlico Race Course.’
A total of 37 horses including V. I. P. Code, 36-1 upset winner of the Private Terms, multiple stakes winner Whirlin Curlin and 2017 Heft Stakes winner Diamond King were nominated to the Tesio. Entries will be drawn Wednesday, April 18.
“There’s still that underlying question as to whether he wants the two turns in the mile and an eighth but I’ve talked to [the owners] and we all want to give him another chance,” Keefe said. “We want to give him another shot running around two turns and the Tesio is the way to go with him, we think.”
Notes: Winter-spring meet-leading rider Jorge Vargas Jr. had a two-win day Saturday, with Nakamura ($5.60) in the fifth race and Shoot the Gap ($5) in the 10th. Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado captured Saturday’s opener aboard Hydraulic ($5.40), giving him 6,991 career victories. Prado is named in three of nine races Sunday.
