Desormeaux Closes Out Gulfstream Visit on Winning Note<br> Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $450,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Frank DeLuca’s Frankie’s Empire ($4) made an impressive return from a two-month freshening Sunday at Gulfstream Park, rallying from last to capture the $75,000 Trinniberg Handicap.

The son of Classic Empire, who hadn’t run since finishing sixth in the March 30 Curlin Florida Derby (G1), overcame a slow start to prevail in the seven-furlong handicap for 3-year-olds by 1 ¾ lengths under Miguel Vasquez.

“He got banged pretty hard leaving the gate, it looked like, and he had to work hard to catch up,” trainer Michael Yates said. “He ran hard. He’s a warrior.”

Frankie’s Empire, who captured the Swale (G3) and finished third in the Fountain of Youth (G2) prior to getting off to a slow start in the Florida Derby, ran seven furlongs in 1:23.61 while carrying highweight of 124 and conceding between four and eight pounds to his six rivals.

Unequivocally set the pace under Leonel Reyes, cutting out fractions of 22.46 and 45.59 (seconds) for a half mile, and showed the way into the stretch before tiring. Frankie’s Empire made a wide sweep into the stretch to assert his class while winning comfortably.

“It was a good test for him to pass, for sure,” said Yates, who declined to look beyond his winning return. “Let’s enjoy this one.”

Big City made a strong run along the rail to finish second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Improptude.

Note: Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux finished off his weekend at Gulfstream Park with a win aboard his only mount on Sunday’s program, scoring career win No. 6172 with Cajun Fool ($5) in Race 3.

The 54-year-old three-time Eclipse Award winner, who is exploring his options should he opt to move on from Southern California, won twice from four mounts at Gulfstream, where he won on one of two mounts Thursday.

Desormeaux was scheduled to return to Southern California following Sunday’s card.

Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $450,000

Thursday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot poll is expected to grow to an estimated $450,000 Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 16 consecutive racing days.

The Rainbow 6 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.