Even-money favorite Aperitivo held off Supporting Actor the length of the stretch to capture Saturday's ninth-race finale at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md. and keep the Maryland state record 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot alive for another day.
Supporting Actor, one of two in a five-horse field live for a life-changing $1.36 million jackpot payout, stalked Aperitivo ($4) from the gate but was unable to get by and lost a head bob at the wire as the carryover swelled to $1,311,881.31 for Sunday's seven-race program.
A total of $109,882 was bet into the popular multi-race wager on top of a carryover of $1,276,727.08 from Friday's card. Now unsolved for 24 consecutive racing days since being hit for a $23,346.70 payout May 7, the Rainbow 6 saw multiple tickets with all six winners each return $7,533.04.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
Introduced in Maryland April 2, 2015 on opening day of Pimlico's spring meet, the Rainbow 6 has far surpassed its previous state record carryover of $345,898.33 spanning 31 racing programs before being solved by one lucky bettor for a life-changing $399,545.94 payout April 15, 2018 at Laurel Park. The winning ticket was purchased through Maine off-track betting.
Sunday's Rainbow 6 sequence kicks off with a 1 1/16-mile starter optional claimer for fillies and mares 3 and up in Race 2 (1:08 p.m. Eastern). Four of the six horses exit a similar spot on the turf May 28 at Pimlico including runner-up Bethabara, favored at 2-1 on the morning line, and fourth-place finisher Double Fireball, rated at 8-1.
Race 4 (2:09 p.m.) is a maiden special weight for horses age 3, 4, and 5 sprinting six furlongs that attracted a field of seven led by 4-year-old Treasure Beach gelding Voltamour. Racing second time off a layoff for trainer Kieron Magee, he is the narrow 5-2 program favorite over second-time starters Dashing Circles (3-1) and Dialing Dixie, the latter claimed after losing by a head in his June 4 debut.
A third-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles in Race 6 (3:12 p.m.) serves as the Sunday feature. Breaking from the rail as the even-money morning line favorite is Harpers First Ride, back in the barn of Maryland's leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez, for whom he won nine of 15 starts including Laurel's Deputed Testamony, Richard W. Small, and Native Dancer in addition to the Pimlico Special (G3) in 2020 before being sold prior to a run in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Winless in three starts for Midwest-based trainer Robertino Diodoro, including running 10th in defense of his Pimlico Special title May 14, Harpers First Ride has breezed three times at Pimlico since that race, most recently going five furlongs in 1:01 June 19. Among his rivals is Gonzalez-trained stablemate Tybalt and stakes winner Hockey Puck.
There will also be a carryover of $10,087.05 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 3-7). Tickets with four of five winners Saturday were worth $60.
Post time for Sunday's first race is 12:40 p.m.
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