Horses to count on for lucrative carryovers at Gulfstream and Sam Houston

Poor weather is wreaking havoc on racing across the country this week. On Thursday alone we lost full or partial cards at Fair Grounds, Sam Houston, and Turfway Park.

But the show must go on, and Friday is stacked with appealing racing action from coast to coast. Of particular note are two lucrative carryovers up for grabs at Gulfstream Park and Sam Houston Race Park.

Let’s dig in and highlight horses of note from each track:

Gulfstream Park

The Rainbow Pick 6 jackpot has climbed to $955,623 in advance of Saturday’s mandatory dispersal. If you want to try and sweep the whole pool yourself, Friday’s sequence is the last opportunity to construct a unique winning ticket and walk away an instant millionaire.

The Rainbow 6 kicks off in Race 5 (post time 3:11 p.m. ET) with a total of 62 horses entered across the sequence. The smallest field is on tap in Race 8, a one-mile allowance optional claiming race for Florida-bred fillies and mares. #2 Dizzy (7-5) is the morning line favorite after finishing second in back-to-back starts over this track, distance, and class level. But her 21-1-4-9 record is cause for pause; Dizzy has definitely been more inclined to round out the trifecta than fight for victory.

In contrast, #6 Our Fantasy (9-5) has won her last three dirt starts by a minimum of five lengths, including a blowout score in a $12,500 claiming race over one mile at Gulfstream last month. Whereas Dizzy has been facing fellow Florida-breds, Our Fantasy has been beating up on open company while posting sharp Brisnet Speed ratings. I’m inclined to view Our Fantasy as a valuable non-favored single to build our tickets around.

Sam Houston

The 20-cent Houston Hi-5 is a jackpot-style Super High Five, and the carryover has climbed to $41,027 for Friday’s card. The wager will be offered twice, first in Race 5 and again in Race 10, with the carryover rolling over from one race to the next (and from one day to the next) as long as a unique winning ticket isn’t sold.

Race 5 (post time 9:33 p.m. ET) poses a tricky handicapping challenge. A $25,000 maiden claiming race for three-year-old fillies, the race is slated to take place over one mile on the turf course, but there isn’t a single proven turf router in the field. In fact, only two of the 10 entrants have run on grass at all, so you might want to hope the thunderstorm that interrupted Thursday’s card prompts Friday’s grass races to be transferred to the main track,

But whether Race 5 stays on the turf or is transferred to the dirt, #3 Twilight Curfew (4-1) looks like a filly to count on. The daughter of Twirling Candy ran huge in her lone route race to date, crossing the wire first by 1 1/2 lengths in the one-mile Slide Show S. over a muddy track at Remington Park. Although Twilight Curfew was disqualified for causing interference at the start, she certainly ran a winning race and looks tough to beat while squaring off against maiden claiming company. Take note, Twilight Curfew owns the five highest Brisnet Speed ratings in Friday’s field, stamping her as a filly to key on top in the Houston Hi-5.

Good luck!