Five G Makes Impressive Return in Friday Feature

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $750,000
Jackson Hole Tops Pletcher’s Friday Triple Crown Breezers

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gatsas Stables’ Grade 2-winning homebred Five G made a triumphant return to South Florida and remained perfect at Gulfstream Park with a popular and decisive score Friday to kick off her 4-year-old season.

Ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez for trainer George Weaver, Five G ($4.40) won for the third time in as many tries at Gulfstream, having captured the Cash Run and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) last winter.

“Obviously, we’re delighted she won. She won stylishly,” trainer George Weaver said. “It looked like she won easily. Johnny said she won easily.”

Five G, by multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Vekoma, had raced only once since the Oaks, finishing ninth off a 275-day break between starts in the Dec. 28 La Brea (G1) at Santa Anita following a cross-country van ride.

“We took a shot in the La Brea out in California off the layoff. She just wasn’t into it that day,” Weaver said. “I don’t know if it was the layoff or they went too quick out front. She did climb a little bit and got some kickback.”

Sent off the 6-5 favorite in a field of seven in the optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares going a one-turn mile on the main track, Five G broke alertly from Post 4 and quickly assumed the lead with moderate pressure to her outside by last year’s Gulfstream Park Oaks runner-up, Anna’s Promise. The top two continued to take their rivals into the far turn with Cassiar – third in the Oaks – moving up between horses into third following a half-mile in 46.74 seconds.

Once straightened for home, Five G continued to gain separation from her rivals while racing unchallenged down the center of the stretch and closed with aplomb to earn her fourth win from seven career starts. It was her first time outside of stakes company since a November 2024 maiden triumph at Aqueduct.

Cassiar got up for second over Anna’s Promise followed by Fede, Luvumorgan, multiple Grade 2 winner Sugar Fish and Contrary. The winning time was 1:37.52 over a fast main track.

“She’s one of our stable stars,” Weaver said. “We’ve been looking forward to her 4-year-old year. We felt like this was a good spot to get back on track.”

Weaver hinted the 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 11 at Oaklawn Park could be up next for Five G, who ran second in the Honeybee (G3) between her Gulfstream stakes wins last year.

“We might look at a race like the Apple Blossom,” he said. “She went to Oaklawn last year. She’ll let us know where to go.”

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $750,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool is expected to grow to an estimated $750,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Friday for the 11th consecutive racing day following a mandatory payout.

Another mandatory payout will be held Sunday, when the jackpot pool is estimated to reach $5 million if unsolved Saturday.

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12, featuring Grande’s return to action in Race 7, a one-turn optional claiming allowance for older horses, and the $175,000 Royal Delta (G3), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for older fillies and mares, in Race 11.

Repole Stable’ s Grande has gone unraced since being scratched from last year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) with a cracked heel the day before the first jewel of the Triple Crown. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old son of Curlin kicked off his career with back-to-back victories during the 2024-2025 Championship Meet at Gulfstream and qualified for the Derby with a runner-up finish in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Grande, rated second at 2-1 on the morning line, will face seven rivals, including Bobby Dibona-trained Back Em Up, the 8-5 morning-line favorite who finished second behind highly regarded Knightsbridge in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) last time out.

Trainer Brian Lynch will seek his meet-leading ninth stakes win with Shred the Gnar in the Royal Delta. The 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief will make a bid for her fourth straight win and back-to-back graded stakes wins. The 6-5 morning-line favorite, who’ll be ridden by Mario Gutierrez, captured the one-turn mile Chilukki (G3) at Churchill Downs Nov.15. Brad Cox-trained Alpine Princess, rated second at 5-2, make her 2026 debut after closing out her 2025 campaign with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Falls City (G3) at Churchill.

In the Rainbow 6, the jackpot pool is only 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.

Jackson Hole Tops Pletcher’s Friday Triple Crown Breezers

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher came away impressed after working a trio of his Triple Crown prospects Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs for upcoming stakes engagements.

WinStar Farm, CHC, Inc. and First Go Racing’s Jackson Hole, undefeated in two starts and pointed toward his season and stakes debut in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 28, went five furlongs in 1:01.22. It was his 12th work since coming to South Florida in November.

“I was very happy,” Pletcher said. “I thought he was in hand throughout, finished up nicely and had a good gallop out. It seems like he’s continuing to improve every week, so we’re happy with his progress.”

Centennial Farms’ Nearly turned in a sharp half-mile move of 48.63 seconds ranking third-fastest of 23 horses. It was Nearly’s first work since dominating his stakes debut in Gulfstream’s Jan. 31 Holy Bull (G3), his third straight victory. Next up on his dance card is the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 28.

“He’s in really good form. We didn’t want to go quite in 48-and-change, but he did it by himself, effortlessly and in control throughout, and looked really good,” Pletcher said. “I was kind of on the fence whether to work him this week or next week, but he’s just been feeling so good we felt like we needed to let him stretch his legs a little bit. He seemed to take it all in stride, so we’re zeroed on the Florida Derby.”

Also on the work tab was WinStar Farm, First Go Racing and CHC, Inc.’s Class President, most recently runner-up in the seven-furlong Swale on the Holy Bull undercard. The Uncle Mo colt went four furlongs in 48.84 seconds and is possible for the Rebel (G2) March 1 at Oaklawn Park.

“We were pretty happy with him, too,” Pletcher said. “I thought he came out of the Swale in pretty good order and we’re looking forward to getting him stretched back out. We’ll see how things shape up, but we’re strongly considering the Rebel.”

Pletcher said 3-year-old fillies She Be Smooth and Imperatrice are possible for the $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) Feb. 28. Calumet Farm homebred She Be Smooth, a debut winner Jan. 23 at Gulfstream, and Woodland Way’s Imperatrice, runner-up in Gulfstream’s Jan. 31 Forward Gal (G3), each went four furlongs in 50.10 seconds.

“Right now, we’re still giving it some consideration,” Pletcher said. “We haven’t firmly committed but we’re strongly considering She Be Smooth off her maiden win. We’ll probably take a shot in there with her and Imperatrice, we’re also thinking about it with her.”

Who’s Hot: Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano doubled aboard Princess Irene ($3.80) in Race 2 and Heir to the Roar ($6.40) in Race 8. Hall of Famer John Velazquez also rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard Rebel With a Cause ($6) in Race 1 and Five G ($4.40) in the featured Race 9.