G1-Placed Dry Powder Romps in Gulfstream Return

Irad Ortiz Jr. Sustains Hip Discomfort Only in Spill
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $250,000
Rainbow 6 Mandatory Payout Slated for Sunday

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gold Square LLC’s Dry Powder made an impressive return to Gulfstream Park while winning the Thursday feature by 6 ¾ very comfortable lengths.

Dry Powder broke her maiden on debut at Gulfstream last year before going on to finish second by a neck in the Cotillion (G1) after prepping in the Cathryn Sophia Stakes with a 4 ½-length victory at Parx.

The 4-year-old daughter of Gun Runner concluded her 3-year-old campaign with an off-the-board finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar. She finished third in the Barbara Fritchie at Laurel Park in her 2026 debut.

“There’s a sense of relief there. We felt that she was a little short going into the Barbara Fritchie, but you don’t want to run third like that beaten six lengths. It was obviously a good race. The filly that ran second came back and won by five last weekend,” trainer Chad Summers said. “It’s a little back quick for this filly but we felt that she came out of that race really, really well. The first breeze that she had after that last effort was really spot-on. We felt like this was a spot to get her confidence back on. After running in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff you want to get back to where you are, get back to your winning ways.”

In Thursday’s Race 9, a one-turn mile allowance for older fillies and mares, Dry Powder relaxed well off the pace along the backstretch before making a three-wide sweep to the lead on the turn into the homestretch and drawing off while under no pressure from Dylan Davis. Davis was subbing for Irad Ortiz Jr., who took off the mount aboard Al Gold’s filly following a spill in which he sustained hip discomfort earlier on Thursday’s card.

“Dylan felt like he had plenty of horse the whole way. We just didn’t want to get into a speed duel,” Summers said. “Al’s watched all her races and everything and he was like, ‘I think we’ve got the best horse if we can just stay out of our own way.’ I thought Dylan did that. She stumbled a little bit, but it was OK, it kind of put us in the spot where we needed to be. Dylan felt like he had plenty of horse and got a little something out of the gallop-out, so she got a little more fitness.”

Dry Powder ran the mile in 1:37.95. Velvet Vortex, who set the early pace, finished second, 2 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Midtown Lights.

Summers-trained Napoleon Solo, who finished fifth in the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth (G2) in his 2026 debut, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40 Friday at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. Gold Square LLC’s son of Liam’s Map won his two races as a 2-year-old, including the Champagne (G1).

“He’s good. He breezed this morning, I got him in a minute and two-fifths. It’s the first of a three-workout schedule. We’ll kind of stick to the plan,” Summers said. “We like to breeze a little bit before that Saturday schedule just in case it rains or something like that, it gives you a little bit of leeway. Got through step one, two more to go, and then we’ll figure out where to go.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. Sustains Hip Discomfort Only in Spill

Leading rider Irad Ortiz Jr. was taken by ambulance to Aventura Hospital after being unseated by his mount at the start of Race 5 Thursday at Gulfstream Park. Track officials later said Ortiz talked to family members and told them he sustained no injuries other than some hip discomfort.

First-tune starter A Moment a Love broke from his innermost post position at the start of the five-furlong turf race and immediately took a left-hand turn and broke through the inside rail, unseating Ortiz in the process. Outriders caught a riderless A Moment a Love, who appeared to escape serious injury.

Ortiz, a record six-time Championship Meet titlist, is leading the standings for the 2025-2026 meet with 81 victories, 23 wins more than Tyler Gaffalione in second.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $250,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated to grow to $250,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Thursday for the fifth racing day following a $462,562.64 jackpot hit.

The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10, kicked off by a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up on turf that drew a full field of 10 and an also-eligible.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse will unveil Crystal Pearl, who was purchased for $1.1 million at the 2023 Keeneland September sale. The 4-year-old son of Curlin has breezed forwardly on the turf at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, and more recently the Tapeta course at Gulfstream in preparation for his debut. Jockey Edgard Zayas has the call.

Philip Antonacci-trained Limited Edition, the 2-1 morning-line favorite, will hold an experience edge over Crystal Pearl. The 4-year-old Not This Time gelding, who has gone to post nine times without success, is coming off a pair of strong in-the-money finishes since being transferred to Antonacci’s barn. Chad Brown-trained Gold Sovereign, a disappointment on Tapeta last time out following a pair of in-the-money finishes on turf at Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs, may well benefit from a return to grass.

A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be held Sunday.

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. On mandatory payout days, the entire pool is disbursed to the bettor or bettors holding tickets with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

Who’s Hot: Pietro Moran, the 2025 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice, won his first two races since recently moving his tack to Gulfstream, scoring aboard Murabeh ($15.60) in Race 2 and Caracas ($7.20) in Race 10. Edwin Gonzalez doubled aboard Fashionable Kitty ($17.40) in Race 6 and Pure Eloquence ($15.20) in Race 8.