Harvey Wallbanger Wins Holy Bull; Rainbow 6 Carryover Passes $1.1 Million

Harvey Wallbanger, at 29-1, rallied from last place after a half mile and won Saturday’s $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park.

Harvey Wallbanger beat the late-running Everlast, a 129-1 shot, by a length in the 1 1/16 mile dirt race for 3-year-olds.

Previously unbeaten Maximus Mischief, the 4-5 favorite, finished third by another neck.  He was followed by Epic Dreamer, at12-1, and Mihos, at 2-1, in the nine-horse field.

Harvey Wallbanger, in his stakes debut, won in 1:43.69 on the track listed as Fast.

Brian Hernandez Jr. rode Harvey Wallbanger for trainer Ken McPeek and an ownership group headed by Harold Lerner.

The Holy Bull was a first-round points scoring race for spots in the 1 ¼ mile Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) that will be on May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Harvey Wallbanger earned ten points. The second through fourth place finishers earned four, two and one points respectively.

Payoffs for $2 bets were: $2,203.40 for the exacta; $12,234 for the trifecta; and $101,248.60 for the superfecta.

*On Sunday, Gulfstream will have a Rainbow 6 carryover of $1,161,266.06

First post is 12:00 p.m. for a 12-race card.

The Rainbow 6 is on races seven through 12, with the sequence scheduled to start at 3:04 p.m.

  The carryover has grown because Gulfstream has gone 19 straight race days without the jackpot payoff requirement of just one ticket  with the winners of all six Rainbow 6 races.

On Saturday there were 13 tickets with all six winners. Each was paid $21,285.96 on the 20-cent only bet.

Bettors added $494,283 to the Rainbow 6.

Of that Gulfstream took out its standard 20 percent, divided 56 percent  among winning tickets and added 24 percent to the carryover.
--Jim Freer

Holy Bull Preview

Saturday’s $350,000 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 2) is the first points-scoring stop at Gulfstream Park on this year’s road to the Kentucky Derby (Grade 1).

Recent stakes winners Maximus Mischief and Mihos head the field for the Holy Bull, at 1 1/16 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds.

First post is 12:00 p.m. for Saturday’s 12-race card.

The Holy Bull is the 11^th race, with scheduled post of 5:13 p.m.

The race has nine entrants, following the morning scratch of Going for Gold.

Maximus Mischief is unbeaten in three starts. In his most recent race he led at every call and won the Remsen Stakes  (Grade 2) on Dec. 1 at 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Mihos comes into the Holy Bull off a victory in the Mucho Macho Man, at one mile at Gulfstream on Jan. 5. He came from off the pace and beat early leader Trophy Chaser by a neck. Trophy Chaser is not in the Holy Bull.

But the Holy Bull field has Garter and Tie, a late  runner who finished third by 2 ½ lengths to Mihos in the Mucho Macho Man.

Federal Case, trained by Todd Pletcher, and Come on Gerry, trained by Dale Romans, also will be attractive to some bettors.

Both are making their stakes debuts, coming off impressive wins at Gulfstream. Both have early speed and could challenge Maximus  Mischief for the lead.

Jose Ortiz will ride Maximus Mischief for trainer Robert (Chip) Reid.

Ortiz rode Mihos in the Mucho Macho  Man.  In the Holy Bull, John Velazquez will ride Migos for trainer James Jerkens.

Others in the field are Epic Dreamer,  Everlast, Harvey Wallbanger and Gladiator King.

The winner of the Holy Bull will receive ten qualifying points  for one of the 20 spots in the 1 ¼ mile Kentucky Derby, to  be run May 4 at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Ky.

The second through fourth place finishers om the Holy Bull will earn four, two and one Kentucky Derby points, respectively.

On March 2 Gulfstream will have the 1 1/16 mile Fountain of Youth (Grade 2). That race will award 50. 20. 10 and 5 Kentucky Derby points for first to fourth place.

The 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby (Grade 1) will be run at Gulfstream on March 30. Its Kentucky Derby points are 100, 40, 20 and 10.

Maximus Mischief has ten points from his  Remsen win.  He is the only Holy Bull runner with any Kentucky Derby points.

History indicates that at least 30 points will be needed to make the Kentucky Derby field.

--Jim Freer

Gulfstream Fast and Firm for Holy Bull; Rainbow 6 Carryover is $1,042,638

Conditions are listed as Fast and Firm for Saturday’s 12-race card at Gulfstream Park.

First post is 12:00 p.m.

The Weather Channel forecast is for a chance of rain ranging from zero to 15 percent during racing hours.

The feature race is the $350,000 Holy Bull (Grade 2) at 1 1/16 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds.  It is the 11^th race with scheduled post of 5:13 p.m.

The ninth race is the $100,000 Forward Gal (Grade 3) at seven furlongs on dirt for 3-year-old fillies.

The 10^th race is the $150,000 Swale (Grade 3) at seven furlongs on dirt for 3-year-olds.

Saturday's carryover on the Rainbow 6 is $1,042,638.

The Rainbow 6, a 20-cent only bet, is on races seven to 12 with the sequence scheduled to start at 3:04 p.m.

We will have coverage this afternoon and night on this blog.
--Jim Freer

BAUER'S BETS: Fast & Firm at Tampa

Today's play is in Race 8, Post time is 4:20 PM. A good group of Maiden Fillies go a mile on the turf. Some of these well-bred debutantes may be future stars in the making.

(5) MAKE ME DREAM Makes her debut for Cristophe Clement, she is bred up and down for the grass and has logged a good series of works at Payson Park. Leading jock Samy Camacho will ride.

THE BET $10 to win on (5) MAKE ME DREAM and a $2 exacta box with (6) EMMA LAZARUS and (4) QUEEN OF COUNTRY 4,5,6.                    TOTAL BET $22    GOOD LUCK!!

PREVIOUS RESULTS Our choice won, but missed the exacta. Collected $17 on the win bet, lost $15 total. The bankroll is plus $170.90.