Grand Ave Girl Seeks Rebound in Sunday’s Monroe
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $150,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A Kentucky Derby (G1) watch party will be held Saturday at Gulfstream Park, which will once again be very well represented in the field of the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

The doors of Silks simulcast facility will open at 10 a.m. for simulcast wagering on the Kentucky Derby program that will get under way at 10:30 a.m. at Churchill Downs.

A live 12-race program at Gulfstream Park, which will include the $75,000 English Channel and the $75,000 Honey Rider, will get under way at 12:20 p.m.

Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained White Abarrio, who captured the Holy Bull (G3) and the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) during the Championship Meet, will headline a strong Gulfstream contingent in the Kentucky Derby. Antonio Sano-trained Simplification, the Fountain of Youth (G2) winner and third-place finisher in the Florida Derby; as well as Todd Pletcher-trained Charge It, runner-up in the Florida Derby, and Mo Donegal, who finished third in the Holy Bull before going on to win the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Kenny McPeek-trained Tiz the Bomb, and Brian Lynch-trained Classic Causeway, who also competed in Gulfstream stakes on the Road to the Triple Crown, are also entered in Saturday’s Derby.

Fifteen Florida Derby winners have gone on to capture the Kentucky Derby. Horses that ran in Gulfstream’s signature stakes for 3-year-olds have captured 58 Triple Crown events, including 24 runnings of the Kentucky Derby.

Gulfstream will offer patrons a chance to spin-to-win vouchers from $10-$250 between 2-6 p.m. in the Breezeway. Fans only need to sign up for an XB Rewards card. There will also be a special Derby buffet in beautiful Ten Palms. Reservations are recommended by calling 954.457.6201. Ten Palms will also offer a Mint Julep in a Derby souvenir cup for $15.

Grand Ave Girl Seeks Rebound in Sunday’s Monroe

e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Grand Ave Girl will seek to rebound from a recent disappointment Sunday at Gulfstream Park, where the 4-year-old daughter of Runhappy returns in the $75,000 Monroe, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares.

The David Fawkes trainee, who had blossomed since switched from dirt to Tapeta and turf last fall, set a quick early pace before weakening to fourth in the Sand Springs, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares on the April 2 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) undercard.

Grand Ave Girl, who could manage only one distant third-place finish on dirt in her first three career starts, graduated by 7 ½ lengths in her Tapeta debut Nov. 7 at Gulfstream. She went on to post a 1-1-1 record in three subsequent starts on the all-weather surface before winning her turf debut with a front-running performance March 20.

“As soon as she hit the grass and Tapeta – the Tapeta first – she really turned around,” Fawkes said.

Returning 13 days later in the Sand Springs, Grand Ave Girl set the pace into the stretch before finishing 4 ¾ lengths behind winner Crystal Cliffs.

“It was a good race. It was just too quick back. I never should have run her back that quick,” Fawkes said.

Emisael Jaramillo has the return call aboard the Kentucky-bred filly, who has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares.

Robert Bone and Gumpster Stable LLC’s Lucky Peridot, rated second at 7-2 in the morning line, is 2-for-2 at Gulfstream this year since coming off a 4 ½-month layoff. The daughter of Itsmyluckyday, who had previously campaigned in Southern California, captured a $35,000 claiming race before winning first off the claim for trainer Jose D’Angelo in an optional claiming allowance.

Romero Maragh has the return mount aboard the Florida-bred filly.

Arindel’s Key Biscayne and trainer Steve Dwoskin and Starship Stable’s Starship Nterprise, who finished first and second in last year’s Monroe, will both return in this year’s running.

Key Biscayne is winless in seven starts since she defeated the late-closing Starship Nterprise by a neck last year. The Juan Alvarado-trained 5-year-old daughter of Brethren finished third, 1 ¼ lengths behind runner-up Sugar Fix, and 3 ½ lengths behind victorious Lovely Luvy in the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf in her best performance this year.

Starship Nterprise was soundly defeated by Grand Ave Girl while finishing sixth two starts back but is coming off a solid third-place showing last time out.

Pinnacle Racing Stable LLC’s Flying Black, Robert Evans’ Ballymore Star, Cheyenne Stable LLC’s Dance Warrior, and Robert Amendola’s Una Luna round out the field.

The $60,000 Golden Beach, a 5 ½-furlong handicap on turf for fillies and mares will be a supporting feature on Sunday’s program.

David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa’s Miss Auramet will seek her 12th career victory while also trying to turn the tables on ProRacing Stable LLC’s Headline Hunter, who pressed the pace before going on to win the Captiva Island by 2 ¼ lengths.

D’Angelo-trained Headline Hunter will seek a rebound in the Golden Beach after finishing 12th in the Giant’s Causeway at Keeneland following her Captiva Island win.

Miss Auramet has been assigned highweight of 125 pounds, three more than Headline Hunter.

Gather as You Go, Palomita, Chacalosa, Poseidon’s Passion, Mudslide Wicked, Running Memories and Tracy Ann’s Legacy round out the field.

Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $150,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $150,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for six racing days since one lucky bettor hit for a $182,098 payoff April 28.

The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12, including the $75,000 Honey Ryder, a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf, in Race 11.

Patrick Biancone-trained Diamond Wow, a Grade 2 stakes-placed daughter of Lookin At Lucky, is the 4-1 morning-line favorite in a field of 11 fillies. Out of the half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winner Diamond Oops, Diamond Wow finished second in last fall’s Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland.

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.