Four horses to bet (or oppose) in Gulfstream's mandatory $266,567 Rainbow Pick 6 dispersal

The fun just keeps coming at Gulfstream Park! The dust has barely settled from the running of the Pegasus World Cup (G1) on Saturday, yet Gulfstream is already back in the headlines with a $266,567 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover set for mandatory dispersal on Sunday.

This particular Rainbow 6 won’t be easy to hit. The sequence kicks off in Race 6 (post time 2:40 p.m. ET) and contains 72 entries, an average of 12 horses per race. And unlike Saturday’s sequence—comprised exclusively of graded stakes events—the Sunday sequence contains a challenging mixture of maiden, allowance, and claiming races.

But never fear! We’ve gone through the sequence and plucked out a handful of horses you’ll want to focus on. A reliable single, a vulnerable favorite, a value play, a live longshot—we’ve got something for every ticket. Feel free to mix and match our picks and plays as you assemble your wagers.

Most reliable single

Race 8: #3 Richebourg (3-1)

Since the beginning of 2019, top turf trainer Chad Brown has gone 5-for-18 (28%) debuting 3-year-old fillies over the Gulfstream turf course, a statistic that stamps Richebourg as the runner to beat in this one-mile maiden special weight. Sold for $800,000 as a yearling, the daughter of Curlin has put together a lengthy work tab and will be guided on Sunday by ultra-hot jockey Irad Ortiz, a 27% winner at Gulfstream and a 35% winner when teaming up with Brown. Best of all, Richebourg has drawn well in post 3, setting the stage for a perfect ground-saving trip.

Vulnerable favorite

Race 9: #1 Royal Meghan (7-5)

Royal Meghan is the heaviest favorite in the sequence after scoring by six lengths in an allowance race for Florida-breds over this track and distance on Dec. 26. That effort produced a powerful 102 Brisnet Speed rating, but was Royal Meghan’s performance a fluke? She did benefit from securing an uncontested lead, and she’d never previously run a race of that caliber. I’m skeptical whether she can repeat the performance while stepping up against open company and facing a couple of potential pace rivals.

Best value play

Race 9: #4 Bramble Berry (3-1)

If you’re willing to oppose Royal Meghan, then Bramble Berry looms as a nice-priced single. After finishing second against Royal Meghan on Dec. 10, Bramble Berry came right back to win an identical race on Jan. 8 by 5 1/4 lengths. Trainer Kent Sweezey strikes at a 20% rate with last-out winners, and if you toss out Royal Meghan’s outlier performance, Bramble Berry typically posts higher Brisnet Speed ratings than the favorite. If a fast pace unfolds, Bramble Berry can settle into a tracking position before pouncing to victory.

Live longshot

Race 7: #7 Dexter Road (8-1)

Dexter Road never fired when trying turf in a $16,000 claiming race at Gulfstream earlier this month, but the son of Arch had previously cracked the trifecta in six straight dirt starts against $8,000 and $12,500 company, posting a series of competitive Brisnet Speed ratings. Dropping down to the $6,250 level should make Dexter Road dangerous, especially while racing over his preferred one-mile distance—he boasts a solid 16-1-6-5 record over this trip. Dexter Road also figures to show improvement in his second start of the season, considering trainer Tamara Levy strikes at an 18% rate (well above her overall 7% rate) with horses running back for the second time off layoffs.

Good luck!