Napoleon Solo Breezes Thursday, Next Race Undecided

Curlin Florida Derby (G1) Draw Simulcast Live Saturday
Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $100,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – With his next start still undecided, Gold Square’s Grade 1 winner Napoleon Solo worked Thursday for the second time following his season-opening fifth-place finish in last month’s Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2).

Working in company with unraced 3-year-old filly Lights Out Leni, Napoleon Solo and jockey Dylan Davis breezed five furlongs from the gate in 59.65 seconds over a fast main track at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“He worked well,” Gold Square’s Al Gold said between races Thursday. “We’re looking forward to his next race. We don’t know yet where it’s going to be.”

Napoleon Solo broke awkwardly in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth Feb. 28, his first try around two turns, and raced in the top flight for six furlongs before tiring in his first start since winning Aqueduct’s one-mile Champagne (G1) 148 days earlier.

In his only other start, the gray or roan son of Liam’s Map came from off the pace to romp by 5 ¼ lengths sprinting six furlongs in his unveiling last summer at Saratoga.

Napoleon Solo is among 28 nominees to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa going 1 1/8 miles March 28, along with Commandment and Chief Wallabee, the top two finishers in the Fountain of Youth; Nearly, who ran his win streak to three races in Gulfstream’s Jan. 31 Holy Bull (G2); and The Puma, winner of the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), all of whom are pointing to a return at Gulfstream.

Also under consideration for Napoleon Solo is the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (G2) April 4 at Aqueduct where Bravaro, fourth in the Fountain of Youth for Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., is expected to run.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn Saturday for Gulfstream’s Florida Derby Day program. The Florida Derby draw will be simulcast live between Races 3 and 4.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Estimated at $100,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated to grow to $100,000 for Friday’s 10-race card at Gulfstream Park.

First race post time is 12:50 p.m.

Friday’s sequence spans Races 5-10 and opens with a maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. The 2-1 program favorite is Triple Crown-nominated Make My Day, a 3-year-old son of Hall of Famer Gun Runner trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher that ran third in debut Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Race 6 is a six-furlong allowance for Florida-bred fillies 3 and up where Love Like Lucy will be favored to get her second win in six starts. The daughter of Win Win Win ran in all three legs of the Florida Sire Stakes series last fall, running third to Group 2-placed Lennilu in the Desert Vixen and second behind Grade 3 winner Mythical in the Susan’s Girl.

After going unsolved for seven consecutive racing days, the Rainbow 6 produced multiple mandatory payouts of $3,359.02 Sunday.

In the Rainbow 6, the jackpot pool is paid out only 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.

Who’s Hot: Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano rode back-to-back winners Thursday, Walking in Memphis ($7.60) in Race 5 and Hidden Agenda ($7.20) in Race 6 … Both Hidden Agenda and Stubold ($21.20) in Race 3 are trained by Ronald Coy … Jockey Edgard Zayas also doubled on Happy Ride ($18.80) in Race 7 and Burning Bridges ($6) in Race 8, as did Edwin Gonzalez aboard Stubold and Sarasota Honey ($8) in Race 9 … Walking in Memphis and Burning Bridges are each trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse.