Enterprising a Rainbow 6 key?

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Mike Maker said he expects his phone to be “blowing up” Saturday with friends soliciting his opinion of Enterprising’s chances in the 11th race at Gulfstream Park.

The calls will be coming not just because Enterprising figures to be the odds-on favorite in the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer Stakes but because he looks like a potential single in the final leg of the Rainbow 6, which has a mandatory payout Saturday. The final pool could end up in the vicinity of $4 million if no one hits it Thursday or Friday.

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 is not totally inscrutable. Players were mercifully spared the agony of having the first two events on the program included in the sequence – both wideopen turf races with fields of 11 and 12 horses. Curiously, the other stakes on the card, the $100,000 Ginger Punch, which drew eight starters, also was excluded from the Rainbow 6.

There is a 2-year-old maiden special weight dash with seven first-time starters that is certain to prove irksome to many. Fortunately, it has been carded as the opening leg, which means any significant tote action will be available for all to see before the final ticket has been punched.

The following is a race-by-race synopsis of the Rainbow 6 sequence, races 6-11.

Race 6

There are no standouts from a breeding standpoint among the seven first-time starters and nothing from the potent Todd Pletcher barn to simplify matters either. That means likely favorite GO ASTRAY is a must-use coming off a second-place finish behind the Pletcher-trained odds-on winner Stainless three weeks ago. HOLY DIVER also ran well in her debut after breaking poorly and putting in a big middle move behind the runaway winner. CRAZY FOR SOFIA has the best workout résumé of the new faces and is certain to get bet, although she seems better bred for turf than dirt. SUNSHINE SMILES is a half-sister to multiple juvenile winner Jessie-the-marine but must break from the rail.

Race 7

This is a well-matched field of mid-level turf claimers, with the trip likely to determine the outcome. SCHETTINO has never beaten open claiming company but comes off a big try under similar conditions and is well posted on the fence. GOLDEN POINT, a hanging sort of late, also has never defeated open claiming company, but he will be getting blinkers following a claim. The veteran LAY IT DOWN and VEDELAGO, who must avoid a potentially suicidal pace duel with Forall the Marbles, also are logical contenders.

Race 8

DARDO launched his career with a huge effort in defeat, breaking slowly, then falling farther back after losing his action on the turn, then rallying to finish second. He does have a pretty funky way of going and looks suspicious wheeling back for this tag, but he is the one to beat if able to break more cleanly from the rail. It is probably good advice to use several others here as insurance. GRAN SECRETO quickly plummeted through the field in his only start but turned in a near-bullet work with blinkers on subsequent to that outing and will be a price. MONGOLIAN DANCER had little chance after breaking from an impossible post while trying turf for his new connections five weeks ago. HAYBUB looks interesting off some solid works at Palm Meadows for 21 percent trainer John Vinson.

Race 9

Another tough one on grass, with DREAM SHOT,

OVER LIMIT, and ALBERT CHARLES all contenders. So, too, are CZARMO, fourth in a key race on grass here May 3, and GREAT SKELLIG, although both must work out trips from bad posts at this distance. The “all” button could be a real asset for those who can afford it.

Race 10

This race reunites the first five finishers from a similar claiming dash May 20, and once again, the trip will be the deciding factor. CAPITAL CITY is logical, although it’s rare to see any horse win three in a row at this level. CRAZY FRANK C ran big behind Capital City despite a slow start in their previous encounter, as did PHISH FAN, who steadied along near the inside when third May 20 before rebounding to defeat the same kind off the claim two weeks later. This looks like yet another race that could require a big spread to stay live to the nightcap.

Race 11

Maker seemed pretty confident that ENTERPRISING will assert his class edge in the finale.

“He’s had three hard races in a row, so I figured I’d give him an easy one,” said Maker. “There are never any gimmes, but he’s where he needs to be.”

Maker also sends out TWO STEP TIME, who he said is “doing really well” coming off a second-place finish behind Saturday opponent KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE. Keep the dreamalive has won four in a row, loves this course, and was as game as can be in overcoming a race-long pace duel to withstand Two Step Time.