The 20-cent Rainbow pick six will have a mandatory payout at Santa Anita on Saturday.
Through Sunday, the bet had a carryover of $358,858. Assuming there is not a single-ticket winner on Friday’s program, track officials are projecting a pool of $4 million in new money in the pick six on Saturday.
This is the second time in a month the track will conduct a mandatory payout. On Feb. 20, the pool of new money reached $5,044,060 in pursuit of a carryover of $664,316. The bet paid $6,033 that day.
Epicenter, after winning the Feb. 19 Risen Star Stakes by nearly three lengths over highly regarded Smile Happy and posting a 98 Beyer Speed Figure – among the best in his class – rose toward the top of most Kentucky Derby lists. His closing odds in Pool 4 of the Derby Future Wager, which closed March 13, were 13-1.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr. sent out Holy Bull winner White Abarrio to work here Sunday. White Abarrio went a strong five furlongs in 59.50, going easily throughout, before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.42. White Abarrio will be among the favorites in what is shaping up to be an outstanding renewal of the $1 million Florida Derby on April 2.
White Abarrio is going directly from the Holy Bull to the Florida Derby.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Life Is Good began his final work for his role as the favorite in the $12 million Dubai World Cup early Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs. And while there was no truth to the rumor he was still galloping out later that afternoon, even trainer Todd Pletcher was at a loss for superlatives to describe how well his star has done since his eye-catching victory in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational here earlier this winter.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite having to cancel six cards this winter, the New York Racing Association does not plan to add any racing days over the final two weeks of March. Instead, the NYRA will add races to already scheduled cards.
For example, there will be 10 races on Friday, including three that had been carded for last Saturday. Racing officials hope to run 10 races on Saturday and Sunday as well.
March has typically been a difficult month to fill races at Aqueduct, which is why since 2017 the race week in March has been shortened to three days.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Ben Colebrook thought the $100,000 Correction looked like the ideal spot to bring Club Car back off a four-month layoff only to have Mother Nature intervene. While the Correction, lost when last Saturday’s card was canceled due to weather, has been rescheduled for this Saturday, there is some concern whether the race will go.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred 3-year-old filly Yo Cuz, who has won two stakes since losing her career debut, worked a sharp five furlongs in 59.81 seconds Monday morning over the Belmont Park training track. She is preparing for a start in the $100,000 East View Stakes on March 27.
Though Yo Cuz has won both the Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Stakes and the Maddie May in front-running fashion, on Monday she started her work three lengths behind stablemate Curlin’s Wisdom and finished about three in front, getting her last quarter in 24.00.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Morello, the undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes on March 5, returned to the work tab Monday morning at Belmont Park, cruising an easy half-mile in 52.55 seconds over the training track. Morello is preparing for a start in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 9 at Aqueduct.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A mere three weeks between races has become something of a rarity for a Kentucky Derby prospect, but trainer Kenny McPeek intends to forge ahead with his revised plan anyway.
It wasn’t long after Rattle N Roll finished sixth in his 3-year-old debut, the March 5 Fountain of Youth here at Gulfstream Park, that McPeek said the colt will wheel back in three weeks in the Louisiana Derby on March 26 at Fair Grounds.
Champion filly Echo Zulu will make her 3-year-old debut March 26 in the Fair Grounds Oaks after working to her connections’ satisfaction on Monday at Fair Grounds.
Echo Zulu was officially timed in 1:00.20 for a five-furlong, in-company work. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Echo Zulu galloped out six furlongs in “1:13 and change” and seven furlongs in a little over 1:26.
