Apprentice Jockey Quiles Rides First U.S. Winner
Hamilton Father & Son Combine to Win Five Races
Watch and Wager on Florida Derby, Dubai World Cup at Laurel
LAUREL, MD – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved Saturday at Laurel Park, pushing the jackpot carryover to $134,181.56 for Sunday’s eight-race program.
First race post time is 1:10 p.m.
A total of $53,694.59 was bet into the popular multi-race wager Saturday, adding to a carryover of $117,000.06 from Friday’s program. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $5,154.44.
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.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 3-8 and includes a $40,000 maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs in Race 5.
There will also be a carryover of $7,401.49 in the $1 Super Hi-5 for Sunday’s opener.
Apprentice Jockey Quiles Rides First U.S. Winner
BB Horses’ Lady by Choice took the lead after a half-mile and pulled away to a 10 ¾-length romp in Saturday’s seventh race to give 10-pound apprentice Antonio Quiles his first winner in the United States.
Lady by Choice ($16.40) ran one mile in 1:37.50 over a fast main track to win first time off the claim for winter-spring meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez in the $32,000 claiming event for 3-year-old fillies.
“I feel very good. I am happy, happy, happy,” Quiles said. “She’s a good horse.”
Quiles, a 21-year-old native of Puerto Rico, rode two races at Camarero in his home country before coming to the U.S. He made his stateside debut Feb. 16 at Laurel and rode in four previous races finishing second with Fifties Music March 18 and third aboard Kazzie Cottonwood on Friday.
Hamilton Father and Son Combine to Win Five Races
The father and son combination of jockeys Steve ‘Cowboy’ Hamilton and apprentice Wes Hamilton combined to win five of Saturday’s nine races, including four in a row.
Wes Hamilton, 19, who rides with a seven-pound weight allowance, continued his recent hot hand with three victories. He was first with Majestic Pic ($7.20) in the third race, Shecor ($5.80) in the fifth and Injaazaat ($4) in the eighth.
The younger Hamilton, second in the current winter-spring meet standings behind Jorge Vargas Jr., had four winners on the stakes-filled St. Patrick’s Day program to give him eight in the past four racing days.
“I’d like to thank all the connections that have been putting me and my dad on horses,” he said. “We’re both winning and we’re making a good little comeback. Hopefully we can keep it up.
“Every day, if I do something wrong in a race he’ll tell me and correct me,” he added. “You’ve just got to stay open-minded and listen because you can learn something from everybody.”
Steve Hamilton posted a riding double, winning aboard My Chesa Charm ($5.40) in the fourth race and Goodonehoney ($18.80) in the sixth.
Watch and Wager on Florida Derby, Dubai World Cup at Laurel
In addition to Laurel’s live race program, fans will be able to watch and wager on both the Florida Derby Day and Dubai World Cup cards Saturday, March 31.
The $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds, one of the country’s top Triple Crown preps, anchors a spectacular 14-race program from Gulfstream Park that includes seven stakes, five graded, worth $2.3 million in purses and a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6.
Advance wagering on Saturday’s entire Florida Derby Day card will be available Friday, March 30.
Also on March 31, Laurel will offer wagering on the Dubai World Cup program from Meydan Racecourse starting with the $1 million Dubai Gold Cup (G2), which has a post time of 8:50 a.m.
The Dubai Gold Cup is Race 3 on a nine-race World Cup program that concludes with the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in Race 9.
Laurel will open its doors will at 8:30 a.m. on March 31. Live first race post time is 1:10 p.m.
Notes: Trainer Damon Dilodovico sent out a pair of winners Saturday, In Him With Him ($7) in the second race and Glory Hound ($21.60) in the ninth.