Drayden Van Dyke Finds Gulfstream’s Winner’s Circle on First Mount
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $475,000
De Regreso Seeks Third Win in a Row in Martha Washington

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet will be well represented in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Mindframe very much had the look of a Triple Crown caliber colt when the son of Constitution dazzled on debut at Gulfstream Park March 30, scoring a 13 ¾-length victory after running seven furlongs in 1:21.72. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt didn’t have the time or the qualifying points to make the May 4 Kentucky Derby (G1) field, but he succeeded in backing up his debut romp with an impressive optional claiming allowance win on the undercard of the first leg of the Triple Crown at Churchill Downs. Saturday, he will make his third career start in the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Despite his inexperience, Mindframe is rated second at 7-2 on the morning line for the 10-horse field, in which Sierra Leone has been rated at 9-5 for his quest to turn the tables on Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.

Bill Mott-trained Resilience, who graduated in style by 4 ¼ lengths at Gulfstream on New Year’s Day before going on to win the Wood Memorial (G2), will seek to improve on a sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, in which he made an eye-catching sweep into the stretch before tiring. Pletcher-trained Antiquarian, who came up just short of graduating on debut Jan. 13 at Gulfstream, enters the Belmont Stakes coming off a victory in the Peter Pan (G3).

Danny Gargan-trained Dornoch, who will seek a return to form in the Belmont Stakes, entered the Championship Meet with considerably more experience than Mindframe, Resilience and Antiquarian, having captured the Remsen (G2) by a nose over Sierra Leone last fall. Dornoch won the March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2), before going on to finish fourth in the Blue Grass (G1) and 10th in the Kentucky Derby.

On the Belmont Stakes undercard, Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure is the most notable Championship Meet competitor, having captured the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 27. National Treasure is rated second at 8-5 on the morning line for the Met Mile (G1) behind Gulfstream alumnus White Abarrio, the 6-5 morning-line favorite who won the 2022 Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

Drayden Van Dyke Finds Gulfstream’s Winner’s Circle on First Mount

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke found the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Friday on his first mount since switching his tack from Santa Anita.

The 29-year-old jockey bided his time aboard first-time starter Southern Palace ($8.20) in Race 3, a mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight race for 3-year-old fillies on Tapeta, before making a sustained outside run to get up for the win by a neck.

Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. initiated Van Dyke’s decision to make a change by contacting his agent Ryan Cosato with an offer to help the 2014 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jumpstart his career at Gulfstream.

“He told me this morning how he likes the Tapeta to be ridden, and I tried to do that and I had the horse to work with. Once I get adjusted to the weather, I’ll be in much better shape,” Van Dykes said with a chuckle on a hot, humid afternoon. “To start off like this, I’m pleased.”

Van Dyke, the 2014 Eclipse brings an extensive resume, including 67 graded-stakes victories. He rode Stormy Liberal to victory in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). He also notched Grade 1 wins in the 2017 Malibu (G1) and 2018 Triple Bend (G1) aboard City of Light, who went on to win the 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream with Hall of Famer Javier Castellano aboard. In 2020, he rode Improbable for victories in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) and Awesome Again (G1).

He took a self-imposed break from racing for three months last fall before returning to action in January at Santa Anita, where he produced two wins and 13 runner-up finishes from 57 mounts before making the decision to head east to Gulfstream.

“I’m testing the water and, so far, the water’s really good,” Van Dyke said. “Nothing is set in stone, but I had to try something new. I have to thank Saffie for an amazing opportunity.”

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $475,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is expected to grow to an estimated $475,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 6-11, featuring the $95,000 Martha Washington in the final leg of the popular multi-race wager. Antonio Sano-trained De Regreso has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies assembled for the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes. De Regreso will seek her third straight victory while coming off a decisive score in the May 4 Honey Ryder.

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.

Earlier on Saturday’s program, a field of eight 3-year-olds is scheduled to go to post in the $95,000 Not Surprising, a 1 1/16-mile stakes on turf, in Race 4. In a Jam, trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, will race without blinkers after losing a photo finish in the May 4 English Channel.