G2 Winner Reef Runner Breezes Saturday for Janus

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $175,000
Gulfstream Horses Make Stakes News Out of Town
Tyler Gaffalione Rides Three Straight Winners Saturday

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Alex and JoAnn Leiblong’s Grade 2-winning homebred Reef Runner, fourth last out in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 1 at Del Mar, is being pointed to the $125,000 Janus Dec. 20 at Gulfstream Park.

A gelded 4-year-old son of Grade 1 winner The Big Beast trained by David Fawkes, Reef Runner breezed five furlongs over Gulfstream’s main track in 1:01.11 Saturday, ranking 13th of 26 horses. It was his second work since returning from a three-race stay in southern California, after going five-eighths in 59.47 seconds on the all-weather Tapeta Nov. 29.

“Dave was kind enough to tape the breeze and send it to me, and it was a healthy-looking breeze,” Lieblong said by phone from Arkansas, where he serves as chairman of the state’s racing commission. “I get tickled at Dave because after the workout this morning he said, ‘Man, that just made my morning.’ So when he says that, he was very pleased with his work.”

With jockey Tyler Gaffalione up, Reef Runner worked in company with 5-year-old multiple stakes winner Charlie’s Wish who was credited with the same time.

“Excellent work. I couldn’t be happier. It was beautiful,” Fawkes said. “He went with Charlie’s Wish, and he just did it so pretty. Charlie’s Wish is a good work horse, and he gave him good company, but we didn’t want anything more than he did.”

Fawkes is eyeing the Janus for 3-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs on the turf on a program of five stakes worth $750,000 in purses headlined by the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) on dirt and Ft. Lauderdale (G3) on turf, respective local preps for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) Jan. 24.

“After today he said the light has come on, for both Dave and the horse,” Lieblong said. “The horse is just doing fantastic.”

Reef Runner has a record of 6-5-5 from 21 lifetime starts with purse earnings of $552,405. He ran third in last year’s Janus behind multiple stakes winners Coppola and millionaire Arzak, beaten less than three lengths.

Winner of the 2024 Bob Umphrey Sprint on Gulfstream’s Tapeta and Aug. 3 Warrior’s Pride overnight handicap over its turf course, Reef Runner was disqualified from first to second for interference in the Aug. 30 Green Flash Handicap (G3) at Del Mar – an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. He bounced back to win the Eddie Read (G3) at Santa Anita to prep for the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s just been a fun little horse,” Lieblong said.

Fawkes said he expects to also run JJ Brevan Stable homebred Asher’s Edge in the Janus. The 4-year-old gelding won the Bob Umphrey Sprint Sept. 20 and was third in the Chasing Artie overnight handicap Nov. 22, both sprinting on Tapeta.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $175,000

The second weekend of the 2025-2026 Championship Meet closes Sunday at Gulfstream Park with a jackpot pool estimated at $175,000 in the popular 20-cent Rainbow 6 wager.

Post time for the first of 11 races is 12:20 p.m.

The Rainbow 6 went unsolved Saturday for the fourth consecutive racing day following multiple mandatory payouts of $13,268.58 Nov. 29.

Sunday’s sequence covers Races 6-11, led by a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on the main track. Kraken, a $325,000 son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, is the 2-1 program favorite returning from more than a year away for trainer Joe Orseno. Noble J, now with trainer David Fawkes, is entered off an even longer layoff since running third in a maiden event 17 months ago.

The feature comes in Race 9, an optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up scheduled for one mile on the turf. After going unraced for seven months and changing trainers to Graham Motion, Bay of Bengal has put together back-to-back wins on the Laurel Park and Aqueduct grass by 8 ½ combined lengths. Ironsides, Quereme Pass and Lachaise also exit wins.

Skellig Michael, a five-length maiden winner at the course and distance Oct. 18 in his most recent start, returns as the 9-5 program favorite in Race 10, a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up. Adios Now looks to return to the winner’s circle after placing in five straight races since mid-June.

The Race 11 finale is a maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies scheduled for one mile on the turf that drew an overflow field of 13 including also-eligible Barakah. Munnings Talks, a $300,000 daughter of Munnings, is entered for her unveiling from outermost Post 12. Squander, a $300,000 Quality Road filly, was a troubled sixth in her lone start Sept. 20 at Aqueduct. Empress New Groove moved to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. after running second in debut, a 1 1/16-mile maiden event Oct. 30 at Keeneland.

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.

There will be a carryover of $46,080.49 in the $1 Super Hi-5 wager in Saturday’s Race 11 finale.

Gulfstream Winners Make Stakes News Out of Town

Repole Stable’s 2-year-old filly Zany, who broke her maiden Nov. 2 at Gulfstream by 6 ½ lengths for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, drew off Saturday at Aqueduct to win the Demoiselle (G2) by 8 ½ lengths, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.55.

Solitude Dude, who broke his maiden Nov. 1 at Gulfstream by 9 ½ lengths for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., drew off to win Tampa Bay Downs’ $125,000 Inaugural Stakes under jockey Edgard Zayas, covering six furlongs in 1:09.07.

Meanwhile, Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano rallied Rideallday along the inside to win the Mouttet Mile (G1) at Caymanas Park in Jamaica. Emisael Jaramillo finished second aboard Legacy Isle, who finished second in the 2023 Mucho Macho Man and fourth in the Holy Bull (G3).

Who’s Hot: Jockey Tyler Gaffalione registered three consecutive wins Saturday on Walley World ($3.80) in Race 7, Uncle John ($11) in Race 8 and Summer Cause ($6.40) in the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap … Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saddled two winners, Peacethrustrength ($16.60) in Race 5 and Walley World … Jockey Edwin Gonzalez also doubled on She’s My Lady Luck ($3) in Race 6 and Fly Erik Fly ($3.80) in Race 11.