Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $600,000
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano Notches 3-Win Day

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A South Florida mainstay while training Mahmoud Fustok’s Buckram Oak Stable during the 1990s and 2000s, Mohammed Moubarak is in the process of starting over in Gulfstream Park.

Moubarak, who enjoyed multiple graded-stakes success in South Florida, is currently training three horses at Gulfstream Park while looking to grow his stable in the coming months. On Jan. 27, the Lebanese-born trainer saddled his first starter (third-place finisher Dimenna) at Gulfstream since May 2007. On Thursday, he saddled Mr. Mac Quhae for a second-place finish in Race 5, a maiden race for $35,000 claimers.”

“We’ve just been here a couple months. We’re hoping to expand slowly with some 2-year-olds from the sales,” Moubarak said. “It feels good to be back. I’ve missed the people here very much. I’ve missed the racing.”

Among Moubarak most pleasant memories at Gulfstream were a 2002 Appleton (G2) victory with Pisces and a 2000 Canadian Turf (G3) score with Shamrock City.

The most painful memory was the sudden death of Fustok, who was killed by a motorist while jogging along A1A in 2006.

Moubarak had trained in England for the past few years before calling it quits there last July.

“When I left England in 1992, I left them arguing about the same thing – about the prize money. I went back 30 years later, and I found them arguing the same way,” he said.

Moubarak is looking for a more pleasant and profitable experience at Gulfstream with an immediate goal of attracting new owners.

Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $600,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool will be guaranteed for $600,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park after going unsolved for the eighth straight racing day since a mandatory payout on Pegasus World Cup Day Jan. 29.

The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9. In Race 6, first-time starter Cantankerous Cat brings a win-early pedigree into the six-furlong maiden special weight event for 3-year-old Florida-breds. The Mike Dini-trained son of Neolithic is out of a Tale of the Cat mare who has produced a pair of first-out winners. Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Klugman likely will garner support off a solid second in his recent debut.

In Race 7, Laura Cazares-trained Trevess, a winner of two of three starts on Tapeta, looms as a popular ‘single’ in a 5 ½-furlong optional starter allowance on the all-weather surface. In Race 8, a six-furlong optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares, Alecka Star returns to action 16 months after soaring to a 14 ½-length debut victory over a pair of next-out winners at Gulfstream.

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.

Who’s Hot: Hall of Famer Javier Castellano tripled on Friday’s card, scoring aboard Loyal Louie ($8.80) in Race 1, Sarawat ($6.20) in Race 5, and Champagne Ivy ($5.40) in Race 6.

Tyler Gaffalione notched back-to-back scores aboard Candy’s Dream ($8.20) in Race 2 and Lido Key ($3.60) in Race 3. Irad Ortiz Jr. doubled aboard Peace of Ekati ($6.60) in Race 4 and You’re Killing Me ($3.40) in Race 8.

Trainer Martin Drexler saddled two winners Peace of Ekati and Bronx ($4.20) in Race 6.