Chantal Sutherland was pleased with Demurely's impressive debut victory at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Friday and even more pleased that she could share her winning ride aboard the juvenile filly with the many fans who cheered her on from the grandstand apron.
On the first day in more than a year that fans were provided free access to the grandstand apron and the walking ring area under a change in COVID-19 protocols, Sutherland continued a most successful Spring/Summer Meet aboard the daughter of Uncaptured, who rallied from off the pace to defeat 6-5 favorite Noble Dreamer going away by 2 ½ lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight race.
“Oh, my God, it's so much more fun with the fans here. I love the fans,” said Sutherland, who stopped on her way from the winner's circle to the jockey's room to take a picture with a fan. “It's so nice they want to take a picture with you. It's so nice to see people again. It's wonderful.”
Demurely ($20.80) may have surprised a lot of bettors, but the homebred filly was well regarded by Roger Laurin, who bred, owns and trains the Florida-bred filly.
“I rode a filly for him that ran second last week. She was a little green. He told me this filly was nicer. I said 'What?'” Sutherland said. “She was really nice; she's so smooth. It's almost like she's not hitting the ground.”
Demurely is eligible for the lucrative FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series later in the Spring/Summer Meet, as is Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Noble Dreamer, a son of Noble Bird who was also making his debut Friday.
Saturday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $500,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $500,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the sixth consecutive racing day Friday, when multiple tickets with all six wines were each worth $22,628.34. The sequence kicked off with winner Uncle Armando returning $102 in the fourth race.
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.
Saturday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12, highlighted by the $75,000 Musical Romance in Race 11. The 1 1/16-mile turf stakes drew a field 10 Florida-bred fillies and mares, including multiple graded stakes-placed Sound Machine and Heiressall, who won stakes at Gulfstream and Tampa the last two times she ran on a fast track.
The post ‘It’s Wonderful’ As Fans Return To Gulfstream Apron; Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Has $500,000 Guarantee appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.