Go Back
Charlie’s Wish Earns Stakes Credentials in Azalea
7/22/2023
Promising Second I D Remains Undefeated with Gutsy Win
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $225,000
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Royalight Racing LLC’s Charlie’s Wish, who came up just short of earning stakes credentials in the Game Face while finishing second behind Flakes last time out, rallied to take the lead in the Gulfstream Park stretch Saturday and kept on going this time to impressively capture the $75,000 Azalea.
In addition to earning her first stakes victory with a 4 ¾-length decision over Flakes in the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds, the David Fawkes-trained daughter of First Dude collected a $25,000 FTBOA bonus available to a Florida-bred winner.
Charlie’s Wish ($6) settled off the pace set by her Fawkes-trained stablemate Trust Me, the 6-5 favorite, and pressed by Flakes and Kikilove along the backstretch and around the far turn. As Edgard Zayas challenged Trust Me aboard Flakes entering the stretch, Charlie’s Wish loomed suddenly to their outside with a wide sweep under Leonel Reyes. Flakes kicked away from the tiring Trust Me, but was not match for Charlie’s Wish, who drew off with authority.
“She’s just getting better and better. The older she gets, the better she gets,” Fawkes said.
Charlie’s Wish, whose only off-the-board finish in her eight prior starts came around two turns, ran seven furlongs in 1:24.01. Flakes finished second, 4 ¼ lengths clear of Trust Me.
In the race before the Azalea, Gentry Farms’ Second I D remained undefeated with a gutsy 2 ¼-length victory in a 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained son of Maclean’s Music, who graduated with ease while winning his June 9 debut by 7 ¾ lengths, had to dig deep to prevail over runner-up Slim Slow Slower. Bet down to 2-3 favoritism, Second I D set the pace along the backstretch and around the far turn before Slim Slow Slider made a sweeping move on the turn into the homestretch to hold a lead in upper stretch. However, Second I D was quick to respond to jockey Edgard Zayas’ urging to kick in with a strong late run.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $225,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool will be guaranteed at $225.000 for Sunday’s program at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for the ninth racing day following a mandatory payout.
The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 4-9, kicked off by 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares on Tapeta featuring last-out stakes winner Tamarindo. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained daughter of Into Mischief is coming of a victory over Florida-bred females in the Ginger Punch. Tamarindo is rated second at 3-1 behind Smart Spending the 5-2 morning-line favorite trained by red-hot Victor Barboza Jr.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.