HALLANDALE BEACH - Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who grew up in nearby Davie, capped off a five-win day with a victory aboard White Abarrio in the Gr. I Curlin Florida Derby.

    Along with the Derby, Gaffalione won the Gr. III Orchid with Family Way ($5.60), the Sand Springs with Crystal Cliffs ($8.20), the Sir Shackleton with Weyburn ($10.60) and Race 8 with debut winner Wish You Well ($5.20).

    “I don’t even know what to say right now,” Gaffalione said. “I feel like I’m on cloud nine. I’m just thankful and I feel blessed. This is all my childhood dreams come true. To win the Florida Derby, growing up down here, it’s just so amazing.”

Mandatory Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Expected to Soar

    Curlin Florida Derby weekend and the 2021-2022 Championship Meet will wrap up in grand style at Gulfstream today with a mandatory payout of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool.

    The multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for the 13th day, leaving a huge jackpot carryover of $701,438, and an expected pool today of $6 million.

     The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 6-11, kicked off by a $12,500 claiming race for non-winners of two races lifetime that drew a full field 12. Many bettors will opt to ‘spread’ in the Race 6 opener. Race 7, a seven-furlong maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds, attracted several royally bred first-time starters. Todd Pletcher is scheduled to saddle Gate Runner, a son of Arrogate, and Days of Your, a son of Street Sense. Bill Mott will send out Broken Spur, a son of American Pharoah, while Shug McGaughey will be represented by Breakwater, a son of Flatter.

     In Race 8, a mile-and-70-yard race on Tapeta for $12,500 claiming fillies that have not won two races, George Weaver-trained Conundrum Queen is rated as the 5-2 favorite on the strength of a maiden score on turf. Kathleen O’Connell-trained Elusive Uncaptured broke her maiden last time out on Tapeta at today’s distance. Jose D’Angelo-trained Siren’s Lucky Song and Antonio Sano-trained Adele Kat are coming off promising efforts last time out.

    Mark Casse-trained Great Uncle, a Florida-bred son of Uncle Mo and 2012 Gulfstream Oaks runner-up and Mother Goose winner Zo Impressive, is scheduled to make his debut in Race 9, a 7 ½-furlong maiden optional claimer on turf. Pletcher-trained Vocalize drops in for a $50,000 tag after a pair of even efforts in maiden special weight company.

    Rohan Crichton-trained Absolute Grit, an impressive starter allowance winner in his last two starts against open company, heads a field of eight state-breds in Race 10, a six-furlong starter allowance.

    The sequence will finish off in Race 11 with a mile $16,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-old fillies on turf. Saffie Joseph Jr. will try to wrap up his breakthrough meet with a victory by Knowhentofoldem, who lost his debut on Tapeta by a neck.


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