New Farm's homebred Rainbow Heir went out a winner in the $175,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Jan. 27, when he closed into a heated early pace to prevail by two lengths.
The five-furlong turf dash for older horses at Gulfstream Park was the final race for Rainbow Heir, who wrapped up his career with his 14th victory and third stakes win in his last four starts. He will stand at Ocala Stud this year.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rated the 8-year-old son of Wildcat Heir off a duel between Successful Native and 5-2 favorite Pay Any Price. After a half-mile in :43.84, the pacesetters tired in the stretch, where Rainbow Heir surged to the lead on his way to a clear victory over 10 rivals.
"They were going pretty quick," said winning trainer Jason Servis . "I was a little worried where we were placed early on—that maybe he wasn't going to fire. He's getting up there in years, but he's heading up to Ocala. This is his last race. I think he's a Breeder's Cup horse. I don't want him to go."
Rainbow Heir ran five furlongs on a firm turf in :55.47 and returned $8.60, $4.80, and $3.60. Oak Bluffs, a 35-1 longshot worth $20.40 and $10.80, closed with a rush to finish second, a neck ahead of Richard's Boy ($3.80).
"My horse has speed, he broke out well, and put me in a good position," Ortiz said. "I was following the Richard's Boy, and I was patient and just waited. Before I turned for home, I knew I had some horse. ... When I asked him, he was there for me and we just flew by."
Rainbow Heir, bred in New Jersey out of the Prospectors Gamble mare Rainbow Pride, concluded his carer with a 14-4-3 record from 31 starts and earnings of $804,395.
Video: Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. (BT)
Also on the Saturday card, Stormy Victoria and Celestine gave trainer Christophe Clement a 1-2 finish in the $125,000 South Beach Stakes.
The 7 1/2-furlong turf race for older fillies and mares marked the season debut of grade 1 winner Celestine, who was sent off favored at 2-1 for her first start since a third in the Sept. 23 Noble Damsel Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park. But Stormy Victoria came flying with a determined five-wide run to stymie her stablemate and claim her first stakes score.
Knocked back at the start under jockey Joel Rosario, Tango Uniform Racing and The Elkstone Group's 6-year-old Stormy River mare saved ground along the inside, behind early fractions of :23.39 and :46.91 set by Conquest Hardcandy, before she was shifted out for her prolonged run. Celestine rallied from sixth and claimed a short lead late, but could not hold off her stablemate, who charged ahead by three-quarters of a length to finish in 1:29.03.
Stormy Victoria returned $8.60, $3.80, and $3, while Celestine paid $4.20 and $3.20. I'm Betty G nabbed show honors two lengths back, and was worth $6.
The win pushed Stormy Victoria's record to 6-4-3 from 22 starts, with earnings of $431,215. She was bred in France by Haras d'Etreham out of the Anabaa mare Dakota Go, and sold to BSW Bloodstock for $123,354 through Mauricio Delcher Sanchez's consignment to the 2015 Arqana Saint Cloud "Arc de Triomphe" sale.
