$3 million? Santa Anita must pay Rainbow 6 jackpot Sunday

Horses trained by six trainers were the morning-line favorites for Sunday’s 20-cent, single-ticket Rainbow 6 at Santa Anita. With a carryover of $391,631 from Saturday, track executives predicted the jackpot would pass $3 million.

A pair of Grade 3 races for older horses, the San Marcos going 1 1/4 miles on the turf and the Palos Verdes covering six furlongs on the main track, were built into the Rainbow 6, which covers the last two-thirds of Sunday’s card. The first leg was posted to start at 5:04 p.m. EST.

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Loyal to a Fault, sired by Nyquist, trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Mario Gutiérrez, was the shortest-priced morning-line choice in the Rainbow 6. She was made the 6-5 favorite drawing the rail in race 4. That first leg is a flat six-furlong maiden race for seven state-bred, 3-year-old fillies. Getting Lasix for the first time, Loyal Fault makes a class drop from her two most recent starts, both last-place finishes in two-turn stakes on dirt and turf.

Violent Runner, whose four-race winning streak was broken on New Year’s Eve, comes back as the 8-5 favorite for trainer John Sadler in race 5. The second leg is a $40,000 claiming race for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track. The 5-year-old Violence mare tried stakes company for the first time Dec. 31 in the six-furlong Las Flores (G3) and finished sixth. Dropping in class and getting back on Lasix for this race, Violent Runner will have her regular jockey Emily Ellingwood breaking from post 3 in a field of six.

Dicey Mo Chara, who won the San Gabriel (G2) on opening day Dec. 26, tries for his third triumph in the last 10 races when he starts from post 7 as the 3-1 favorite against nine rivals in the San Marcos. The 5-year-old gelding sired in England by the Ireland stallion Adaay and trained by Leonard Powell will be paired with Juan Hernández, Santa Anita’s leading rider this winter who has won 12 of his last 26 starts. The San Gabriel was carded as race 6, the third leg, and it will start near the bottom of the downhill turf course.

Howbeit, who won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) in October, was written into the program as the 2-1 favorite among the six horses entered in race 7, the Palos Verdes, which is the fourth leg of the Rainbow 6. That most recent win was followed by a troubled fourth last out Nov. 20 in an allowance sprint at Del Mar for trainer Mark Glatt. Mike Smith keeps the ride on from post 3 on the 6-year-old Secret Circle horse.

Augusta Melody, an allowance winner who is only 3-for-16, was made the 7-2 favorite among the 11 horses plus one also-eligible in the fifth leg. Race 7 for non-winners of one other than low-level races will go about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course. After two allowance losses on the dirt, the 6-year-old Speightstown gelding trained by Tim Yakteen is being returned to the turf. That was where Augusta Melody last won, scoring at a flat six furlongs last March at Santa Anita. Frankie Dettori, who will ride from post 3, takes over for regular rider Abel Cedillo.

Exaulted, who went 1-for-11 on the dirt, was a winner last month when he was switched to the turf for the first time by trainer Peter Eurton. The 6-year-old was established as the 7-2 favorite in a field of 12 for Sunday’s finale. The flat turf mile is for older non-winners of two other than lower-level races. It covers the same ground that Exaulted had in that Jan. 2 win. This $80,000 race represents a step up in class for the Twirling Candy horse who will be ridden by Hernández from post 3.

After a 50 percent threat of morning showers at the Arcadia, Calif., track, the National Weather Service forecast a clearing sky with the high near 64 degrees and a south-southeast wind of 5-10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Using HRN Pro Reports

Using HRN Pro Reports, the Pace Report sheds some light on the Santa Anita card.  Several of the Pick 6 races have very little pace, especially Race 4, which rates a Pace Report score of 4, where most races are typically in the 30-65 range. Races 8 and 9 also score very low at 24 and 22 respectively, which means you want to give additional consideration to horses near the pace.  

Race 5 however, scores a pace rating of 89, which has potential for a fast pace, even in a small field of 6.  Here is the full Pace Report for Santa Anita below: