Rosario Rides Five Winners at Gulfstream Park

Jockey Joel Rosario, who began the Championship Meet with two wins from 31 starts through the first 18 days, rode five winners on Saturday’s program including two of the afternoon’s five stakes.

Rosario, who turns 31 Jan. 14, opened the card with a victory aboard Hold Harmless ($20.40). He won back-to-back races in the seventh and eighth, capturing the $100,000 Dania Beach (G3) with Life Imitates Art and Two Step Time ($37.20) in a one-mile starter optional claimer.

A native of the Dominican Republic who also had a five-win day in September at Belmont Park, Rosario ended the day by sweeping the late daily double. He won the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man aboard favored Awesome Speed ($3.20) and rallied up the rail to score with Bar None ($7.60) in the finale.

“My agent told me we had a good chance today, but I can’t believe we were going to win five,” Rosario said. “I’m really happy and we’ll just go forward from this. It’s a great way to start the new year. It helps to motivate me to keep working hard and go from there.”

Rainbow 6 Carryover Reaches $119,943 for Sunday; Super Hi-5 Carryover at $5,414.94

Without a single, unique winner of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 on Saturday, there will be a carryover of $119,943.27 heading into Sunday’s 11-race program.

The innovative multi-race wager spans races 6-11. Post time for first race is 12:05 p.m.

There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $5,414.94 in the first race, a 7 ½-furlong optional claimer on turf four 4-year-olds and up which serves as the day’s feature.

Making her second career start and first on the grass, Stuart Janney III’s Hold Harmless rallied up the rail to take Saturday’s opener, a 1 3/16-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies.

Given a ground-saving trip by Joel Rosario, the gray daughter of Grade 1 winner Blame settled behind horses in mid-pack from post 13 before finding room on the inside to squeeze through late for a half-length victory over Gioia Stella.

Sent off at 9-1, Hold Harmless ($20.40) hit the wire in 1:43.97 over a firm turf. Tapit Together, a 2-1 favorite out of Grade 1 winner Tapit by champion mare Forever Together, was fourth.

Bob Baker and Bill Mack’s Giant Run took the lead at the start and turned back a late bid from 7-5 favorite Inspector Lynley to win the sixth race, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds on the grass.

It was the fifth start and second at Gulfstream for Giant Run ($9), who faded to fifth off a pressured pace in an 8 ½-furlong off-the-turf maiden event Dec. 5. Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Tom Albertrani, the Giant’s Causeway colt won in 1:42.56.

Inspector Lynley, beaten a neck in her previous start, rallied for second ahead of 50-1 long shot Cloontia, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Wicked Strong.