Gun Song Ready for Season Debut in Thursday Feature

G2 Winner Faces Champion Just F Y I in Stakes-Quality Event
Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $325,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – R. Lee Lewis’ Gun Song came closer than any filly did in 2024 to beating Thorpedo Anna, coming within a neck in last fall’s Cotillion (G1) at odds of 44-1. While the reigning Horse of the Year won’t be around for Gun Song’s return to the races Thursday at Gulfstream Park, the stakes-quality optional claiming allowance is no soft spot.

Gun Song, unraced in 139 days since finishing second by a head as the favorite in Aqueduct’s Mother Goose (G2), is the 7-5 program favorite in the one-mile main track spot for older fillies and mares that also drew Just F Y I, the juvenile filly champion of 2023 that has not run since last June. Grade 1 winner Power Squeeze is also entered but will scratch, according to trainer Jorge Delgado.

“It’s definitely a tough spot,” trainer Mark Hennig said, “probably not the spot any of us were looking for. But it’s a chance to get things going again.”

Gun Song, a $400,000 daughter of 2017 Horse of the Year and 2024 Hall of Famer Gun Runner, had three wins and four seconds from nine starts last year, also finishing behind Thorpedo Anna in the Acorn (G1). She won a one-mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream, the Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico and Cathryn Sophia at Parx in her Cotillion prep.

Following the Mother Goose, Gun Song was given a break and resurfaced on the work tab Jan. 8 with an easy three-furlong move at Gulfstream. She has breezed eight times over the main track for her 4-year-old debut, most recently going a half-mile in 48 seconds March 6, third-fastest of 25 horses.

“Definitely pleased with the way she’s come along. She’s made good progress,” Hennig said. “We’ve been having trouble finding a race on the calendar that really fit well, timing-wise, and this was the best one on the calendar at the distance.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, up for seven of her nine races last year including the Black-Eyed Susan and Cotillion, returns to ride from Post 3.

“No doubt we’re excited to get her back going,” Hennig said. “Johnny breezed her [Feb. 27] and he was really pleased with her. She’s already a big filly, but I feel like she’s grown and filled out some more since we gave her that break.”

After going undefeated during her championship season, including Grade 1 victories in the Frizette and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, George Krikorian homebred Just F Y I was winless in three starts last year. She was second in the Ashland (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), the latter to Thorpedo Anna, and sixth in the Acorn at Saratoga – two spots ahead of Gun Song.

By 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, Just F Y I has breezed nine times at Payson Park for her comeback. Junior Alvarado, her only race rider, has the return call from Post 5 as the 8-5 second choice.

“She’s done well,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “We’ve got some decent works in her but she’s been away a long time, so we just need to get her started.”

Also entered are Literate, sixth last time out in the two-turn Wayward Lass Jan. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs; stakes-placed Abundancia, eighth in the Wayward Lass; and Grade 3-placed Riding Pretty, a two-time New Jersey-bred stakes winner.

Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $325,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6, unsolved over six racing days since a mandatory payout March 2, will have an estimated jackpot pool of $325,000 when the Championship Meet resumes Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

Post time for the first of nine races is 12:50 p.m.

Thursday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 4-9 and is highlighted by a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares going one mile on the main track in Race 6, which drew 2023 champion 2-year-old filly Just F Y I and Grade 2 winner Gun Song, second to Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna in the Cotillion (G1) for their comebacks.

The sequence kicks off with a maiden special weight for Florida-bred 3-year-old fillies sprinting five furlongs on the all-weather Tapeta course featuring five first-time starters and 2-1 program favorite Love Actually, placed in each of her two races.

Race 8 is an open allowance for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the Tapeta led by Triple Crown-nominated Enterdadragon, second in the one-mile Colonel Liam March 1 on the Gulfstream turf. French-bred Nazareth makes his U.S. debut in his second career start and first since a debut victory last fall at Vichy.

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.

A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6, the fifth of the Championship Meet since Jan. 5, has been scheduled for Sunday.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Luis Saez rode back-to-back winners Wednesday, Salted Caramel ($4.40) in Race 6 and King d’Oro ($4.40) in Race 7 … Hall of Famer Javier Castellano also doubled aboard Cdakhat ($4.20) in Race 2 and Unbounded Movement ($10) in Race 9 … King d’Oro and Vincey Girl ($12.80) in Race 8 are both trained by Jose D’Angelo.