Cajun Breeze, Brethren Well-Represented in Saturday's Sire Stakes

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - The Royal Palm Meet at Gulfstream Park heats up this week with the lucrative FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes getting underway Saturday, as well as a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool scheduled for Sunday.

The annual Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sire by accredited stallions standing in Florida will be kicked off by the $100,000 Desert Vixen Division for fillies and the $100,000 Dr. Fager. Both races will be contested at six furlongs. The series will continue Sept. 3 with the $200,000 Affirmed and the $200,000 Susan’s Girl for fillies at seven furlongs and on Oct. 1 with the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Four daughters of Cajun Breeze are expected to run in the Desert Vixen, three trained by Michael Yates – Shadybrook Farm’s Girl Bye and Go Lil Lady and Stonehedge Farm’s Cajun Tease. Girl Bye finished third in the Astoria at Belmont Park on June 9 after debuting at Gulfstream with a 6 ½-length victory. Stonehedge’s Val’s Gal, the other daughter of Cajun Breeze, will be saddled by Ralph Nicks.

Yates will also attempt to win back-to-back runnings of the Dr. Fager with a son of Cajun Breeze with homebred Cajun Hope, a recent maiden winner. He saddled Cajun’s Magic for a victory in last year’s Dr. Fager.

This Run’s for You, a dazzling 11-length debut winner last week, is an exciting prospect for Stonehedge and trainer Kathleen O’Connell for the Dr. Fager.

Arindel will be represented by two homebred sons of Brethren who were most impressive winning their debuts – Knox and Turbo. Arindel won the last two legs of last year’s series with Octane.

Saturday’s action will include the first Taste of the Track, featuring Burgers and Brews in Ten Palms overlooking the track.

Saturday’s program will be followed by a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 jackpot pool. Through Sunday, the multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 11 racing days since a lucky bettor hit the jackpot for a $118,521 payoff on Friday, July 8.

The Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $350,000 for live racing which resumes on Friday with a nine-race Happy Hour program that gets underway at 2:55 p.m.