Gulfstream: Analyzing the $311,279 Rainbow Pick 6 mandatory payout

Saturday’s stakes-packed Pegasus World Cup card at Gulfstream Park just got even better. A $311,279 carryover in the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 is slated for mandatory payout, and the final pool is projected to exceed $4 million.

Gulfstream Park: Race 8: $311,279 Pick 6 mandatory payout (2:41 p.m. ET)

The sequence gets underway in Race 8, the Fred W. Hooper (G3) for older horses racing one mile on dirt. #1 Life and Times (8-5), unbeaten and unchallenged in two starts against maiden and allowance company for trainer Todd Pletcher, is a logical contender while stepping up in class.

Hanson: Playing the Late Pick 5 on Pegasus World Cup Day

However, we prefer the chances of #6 Knightsbridge (6-5), a Godolphin homebred who has run faster on the Brisnet Speed rating scale. The Bill Mott trainee has shown flashes of serious talent during his career, including when trouncing a one-mile $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream by nine lengths.

Knightsbridge has gone 2-for-2 since returning from a long layoff in November. Last time out, he wired the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream by 4 3/4 lengths, earning a 100 Brisnet Speed rating. We’re optimistic he’ll perform even better while stretching out over one mile, so we recommend singling Knightsbridge to start the Rainbow Pick 6.

The sequence ends with the two biggest events on the card: Race 12, the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) over 1 1/8 miles on grass, and Race 13, the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup (G1) on dirt.

In the Pegasus World Cup Turf, #2 Program Trading (5-2)—a two-time Grade 1 winner over 1 1/8 miles—is a must-use contender. But he’s gone 0-for-3 since returning from a long layoff last August and hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since May 2024. That’s a cause for pause.

As backup, we’ll use Red Smith (G2) winner #10 Cugino (7-2), Arlington Million conqueror #12 Fort Washington (10-1), and also #7 Major Dude (8-1). The latter, victorious in multiple graded stakes, endured a wide trip and traffic trouble when sixth in the 2025 Pegasus World Cup Turf and may fare better if he gets a clean trip this time around.

The Pegasus World Cup is a tricky race to handicap since it’s absolutely packed with pace, which could compromise defending winner #11 White Abarrio (4-1), who risks a wide trip with a short run to the first turn. It could also affect #3 Full Serrano (12-1), the speedy 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner.

MUCCIOLO: Betting with, and against, Disco Time in the Pegasus World Cup

We recommend opposing both White Abarrio and Full Serrano. Instead, use runaway Dwyer S. winner #1 Disco Time (8-5) and last year’s Florida Derby (G1) winner #7 Tappan Street (6-1), two promising four-year-olds who have shown the ability to rate off the pace.

Bonus: Fair Grounds, Race 5: $46,050 Pick 5 carryover (3:45 p.m. ET)

There aren’t any stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, but there is an enticing $46,050 carryover in the 50-cent Late Pick 5.

Need a single to build tickets around? We recommend #6 Prime Power (5-2) in Race 5, a six-furlong maiden special weight. In December 2024, Primer Power debuted over this track and class level and carved out a fast pace before staying on to finish second, beaten only 1 1/4 lengths by future Amsterdam (G2) runner-up Gunmetal.

This promising effort earned Prime Power a 97 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number in Saturday’s field. He’s been freshened since fading to fourth-place in a one-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park last February, and cutting back in distance off a sharp series of workouts should trigger a strong performance.

Good luck!