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Godolphin’s Knightsbridge Dazzles in His Return at Gulfstream Park
3/28/2024
Pegasus Runners Senor Buscador, Crupi Set for $12M Dubai World Cup
Watch & Wager on Dubai Program Beginning at 8 A.M.
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Estimated at $775,000
Mandatory Rainbow 6 Payout Slated for Sunday
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Godolphin’s Knightsbridge ($2.20) made a dazzling return Thursday at Gulfstream Park, scoring a nine-length victory in his first start since capturing his debut by 10 ½ lengths Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.
“He’s been off a while. His first race was good. This race was good,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “He had a couple of setbacks trying to get ready. Maybe we would have preferred to be ready a month ago or sooner, but this is the way it worked out. Fortunately, we were able to get the race here. I’m grateful that the race filled and we were able to get the race in him.”
While the undefeated 3-year-old son of Nyquist got started too late to make the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1), he could turn up next in the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs on the undercard of the first leg of the Triple Crown.
“When he broke his maiden, I said, ‘Well I think I’d like to run him in the Pat Day Mile next on Derby Day’…. that’s what I was looking at before the race,” said Mott, noting that a decision would be made following discussions with the Godolphin team.
Knightsbridge broke alertly from his outside post position to lead the way along the backstretch, pressed to his inside by Turn Up the Trees into the far turn. After setting solid fractions of 23.40 and 45.40 seconds for the first half-mile of the one-turn optional claiming allowance in Race 6, he was joined by Sea Streak, who pulled up alongside the pacesetter as Turn Up the Trees backed off. After straightening into the stretch, Knightsbridge asserted his class and drew off under a motionless Junior Alvarado.
Knightsbridge ran a mile over fast main track in 1:37.75 under Alvarado, who delayed his trip to Dubai for his riding engagement aboard Senor Buscador in Saturday’s $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in order to ride the talented Mott trainee. Sea Streak, the 4-1 second choice in a five-horse field, held second under Jose Ortiz, 13 lengths clear of Speed Control.
The Mott trainee is Triple Crown-nominated.
“We had a little of this and a little of that – just the stuff you go through when you come to Florida. Who knows? Maybe, it’s all for the better,” Mott said. “We nominated for the Triple Crown, but I didn’t feel like we had enough momentum to think about it.”
Pegasus Runners Senor Buscador, Crupi Set for $12M Dubai World Cup
While the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa headlines Saturday’s world-class program at Gulfstream Park, fans will be able to watch and wager on the Dubai World Cup card from Meydan Racecourse beginning early Saturday morning.
The Silks simulcast center will open at 8 a.m. Gulfstream will simulcast Races 2 through 9 at Meydan, concluding with the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1).
Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) runner-up Senor Buscador, who went on to win the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1), will face 11 others, including Crupi, third in the Pegasus; Japan’s defending champ Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake; and Clapton, winner of Gulfstream’s Ghostzapper (G3) and the Lukas Classic (G2) at Churchill Downs. Clapton was bred by Florida’s Arindel.
Sibelius, winner of Gulfstream’s Mr. Prospector (G3) for a second straight year in December, will attempt to defend his title in the $2 million Golden Shaheen (Race 6).
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Pool Estimated at $775,000
Friday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 pool is expected to grow to an estimated $775,000 at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Thursday for the 17th racing day following a March 3 mandatory payout.
The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, featuring a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for older horses on turf in Race 8. Multiple Grade 2 winner Filo Di Arianna is scheduled to make his 2024 debut as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a highly competitive field of eight. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 8-year-old son of Drosselmeyer will return from an eight-month layoff as a first-time gelding.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is 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.
A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool is scheduled for Sunday, the final day of the 2023-2024 Championship Meet.
Who’s Hot: Leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. doubled aboard Pimenova ($4.60) in Race 1 and Travel Happy ($3.60) in Race 4. Jockey Joe Bravo also won twice, with Drum Roll ($8.60) in Race 5 and Seaver ($16.60) in Race 8.