HALLANDALE BEACH - Luis Saez, a two-time Championship Meet titlist who began his U.S. career in South Florida, rode the winners of six races on today’s 11-race program at Gulfstream Park.

    The 28-year-old native of Panama rode the winners of five of the nine Claiming Crown stakes, including $150,000 Jewel victor Jesus’ Team. Saez won seven races in a day twice during the 2017-18 Championship Meet.

    Saez began his big day with a win aboard Fighting Force ($5.80) in Race 3, a mile maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds on turf. After a victory aboard Jesus’ Team ($2.80) to kick off the Claiming Crown portion of the card, Saez returned to the winner’s circle with Jakarta ($3.60), winner of the $90,000 Distaff Dash; Queens Embrace ($6.60), who captured the $95,000 Tiara; Fiya ($3), who romped to victory in the $90,000 Canterbury; and Frost or Frippery ($8), who closed out the action with a narrow score in the $75,000 Iron Horse.

    Saez won back-to-back Championship Meet titles in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 before finishing second behind Irad Ortiz Jr. the past two seasons.

Record $14.6 Million Total Handle on Claiming Crown Program   

    Total handle for the Claiming Crown program was $14.6 million, breaking the previous Claiming Crown mark of $13.9 million set last year. Total handle on the Claiming Crown program has increased each year since Gulfstream began playing host to the event in 2012.                  

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $325,000

    The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $325,000 Sunday. The multi-race wager went unsolved for the fourth day today, when the six-race sequence included six Claiming Crown stakes. Multiple tickets with six winners were each worth $2,737.

    Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10, including back-to-back optional claiming allowances in Races 7 and 8.

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