Incredibolt, Bravaro Targeting Jan. 31 Holy Bull (G3)

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $425,000
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Rides Four Straight Winners Thursday

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Grade 3 winner Incredibolt, undefeated New York-bred stakes winner Bravaro and Nearly, on a two-race win streak, are each targeting the $275,000 Holy Bull (G3) Jan. 31 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull for 3-year-olds is the next step on Gulfstream’s road to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 28, preceded by the one-mile Mucho Macho Man Jan. 3 and followed by the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), also at 1 1/16 miles.

Pin Oak Stud’s Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, has won back-to-back races starting with a two-length maiden triumph Sept. 28 going one mile in his second start. Last out he went last-to-first to capture the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) Oct. 26.

Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie Brennan, Shining Stables, BAG Racing Stables and Paul Braverman’s Bravaro is two-for-two, both at Aqueduct against New York-breds. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee graduated by a length sprinting six furlongs then won the one-mile Sleepy Hollow Oct. 26 by 2 ½ lengths. Joseph won the 2022 Holy Bull with White Abarrio.

Centennial Farms’ Nearly was an eye-catching 9 ¼-length maiden winner sprinting six furlongs against Florida-breds Nov. 22 at Gulfstream, where he returned to beat winners in an open seven-furlong allowance by five lengths Jan. 2. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Holy Bull twice, with Algorithms in 2012 and Audible in 2018.

Also under consideration for the Holy Bull are last-out maiden winners Cannoneer, Game for It, Global Aviator and Project Ace, as well as Mucho Macho Man runner-up Roger That Dana and Thunder Chuck, second in Gulfstream’s Nov. 22 Juvenile Sprint and third in the Mucho Macho Man.

The 37th running of the Holy Bull is one of five stakes for 3-year-olds, two graded, worth $975,000 in purses on the program. Sophomore fillies move closer to the $275,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 28 in the $175,000 Forward Gal (G3) sprinting seven furlongs.

Leading the Forward Gal nominees are Arindel homebred Mythical, a winner of five of six starts including stakes victories in the Tremont and Adirondack (G3) in New York and Gulfstream’s FSS Susan’s Girl and My Dear Girl against Florida-breds; and Mike Repole’s Zany, undefeated in two starts including the Dec. 6 Demoiselle (G2).

Also on the Holy Bull undercard are the $175,000 Sweetest Chant for fillies and $175,000 Kitten’s Joy, each scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the grass, and $175,000 Swale sprinting seven furlongs on the main track.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $425,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated to reach $425,000 for Friday’s 10-race program at Gulfstream Park.

First race post time is 12:20 p.m.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence spans Races 5-10, led off by a claiming event for older fillies and mares going one mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta course. American Popstar drops and returns to the synthetic where she graduated Nov. 28 in her second start. Last out she was third in a one-mile allowance on the grass Dec. 26.

Race 8 is a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds going a one-turn mile on the main track. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Shadwell’s Elgheed, a $1.2 million first-time starter by Tapit, from outermost Post 9, as well as debuting Calumet Farm homebred She Be Smooth. Brad Cox trainee Prom Queen, by Quality Road, is also set for her unveiling.

The feature comes in Race 9, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares carded on the grass but to be run on the Tapeta. Seven of the 12 horses entered have wins on the synthetic including Denver’s Alley, who is 5-for-11 on the surface, and Clay Solider, third or better in 12 of 23 tries. The 4-1 program favorite is Dominant Diva, a two-time winner from four starts, all on the dirt.

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 is scheduled for Pegasus World Cup Day Saturday, when the jackpot pool is estimated to reach $4 million if not hit Friday. On mandatory payout days, the entire pool is disbursed to the bettor or bettors with the most winners in the six-race sequence.

Since the 2025-2026 Championship Meet opened Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, the Rainbow 6 has been solved three times including previous mandatory payouts of $13,268.58 Nov. 29 and $2,390.64 Dec. 21. It was last hit for a life-changing $416,348.44 Jan. 8.

Who’s Hot: Championship Meet leading jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rode four straight winners Thursday – Running On Time ($3.20) in Race 6, Chloe’s Toy ($5.20) in Race 7, Mish ($6.40) in Race 8 and Lynn’s Milky Way ($6) in Race 9.