Horses to single in Gulfstream's mandatory-payout $701,438 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover

If you’re still processing the epic Saturday stakes action at Gulfstream Park, then take a deep breath and bounce back quickly, because there’s a $701,438 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover scheduled for mandatory payout on Sunday at Gulfstream.

The sequence for the 20-cent wager begins in Race 6 (post time 3:36 p.m. ET), and it’s a tough slate of races. Not counting also-eligibles (of which there are seven), the Pick 6 contains 62 entries, averaging 10.3 per race.

Planning to play along? We’ve analyzed the sequence and identified a pair of possible singles to build tickets around:

Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (seven furlongs): #4 Gate Runner (3-1)

Singling a first-time starter is admittedly risky business, but we’ll take that chance with Gate Runner in this seven-furlong dirt dash for three-year-olds.

Gate Runner hails from the barn of Todd Pletcher, who has gone 7-for-24 (29%) saddling debut runners over the Gulfstream dirt this meet. Gate Runner sold for $560,000 as a yearling and has put together a solid work tab in preparation for Sunday’s heat, including a bullet five furlongs at Palm Beach Downs in 1:00 3/5.

Gate Runner is a son of champion Arrogate, who is siring a respectable 18% winners from first-time starters. Hot jockey Irad Ortiz (a 32% winner teaming up with Pletcher over the last two months) is named to ride. Clearly, there’s a lot to like about Gate Runner.

I can see some appeal to supporting an experienced runner like #5 Logico (7-2), who has hit the board in five of his six starts while knocking heads with some tough rivals. Deeper Rainbow Pick 6 tickets might want to include Logico alongside Gate Runner. But Logico’s tendency to settle for minor awards suggests this race is ripe for a newcomer like Gate Runner to steal the show.

Race 10: $20,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (six furlongs): #1 Absolute Grit (9-5)

Only eight horses will face the starter in this allowance sprint for Florida-breds, and Absolute Grit looms as a deserving favorite. The son of Kantharos has won three of his last four dirt starts with sharp Brisnet Speed ratings in the 93-96 range.

Absolute Grit is 2-for-2 since being claimed by hot trainer Rohan Crichton, a 24% winner at Gulfstream this meet. Absolute Grit kicked off 2022 with a pace-tracking victory in a $25,000 starter allowance, taking command in the final furlong to win the six-furlong sprint by 3 3/4 lengths. Then Absolute Grit wired a similar race over 5 1/2 furlongs, drawing clear down the homestretch to score by three lengths.

Absolute Grit has enough speed to work out an ideal trip from the rail, and jockey Irad Ortiz (5-for-6 teaming up with Crichton over the last two months) retains the mount. All signs suggest Absolute Grit is a viable single.

Good luck!