Video: Rainbow 6 Insights from MJC Host-Analyst Naomi Tukker

BALTIMORE – Maryland’s state record carryover jackpot in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 continued to climb to new heights after going unsolved Friday, growing to $1,140,043.97 for Saturday’s 10-race program at historic Pimlico Race Course.

First race post time is 12:40 p.m.

Bean Pole was the lone horse live for a $1.209 million jackpot payout heading into Friday’s eighth-race finale but finished sixth behind popular winner Golden G ($2.80). A total of $144,367 was bet into the popular multi-race wager, which began with a carryover of $1,093,866.44 from the previous live program June 13 which featured five stakes worth $475,000 in purses.

Multiple tickets with all six winners Friday were each worth $11,544.40.

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.

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Saturday’s Rainbow 6 spans Races 5-10 and opens with a starter-optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs on the turf that drew an overflow field of 13 where H R H Jellybean is the 3-1 program favorite in the main body of the race. The first alternate is Hartel (2-1), making his second start for trainer Jeff Runco after having been based in California with Peter Miller.

Maiden fillies and mares age 3, 4 and 5 will sprint 5 ½ furlongs on the main track in Race 6 led by Egg Nog, third in three consecutive starts including a neck loss last time out going six furlongs May 31 at Pimlico. Race 7 is a five-furlong turf allowance for Maryland-bred/sired horses featuring three horses scratched when the $75,000 Ben’s Cat was moved to the main track June 13 – Joseph, Railmaster and Matta, the 8-5 morning line favorite.

Sizzling Hot adds blinkers after being unplaced in two races to start his career as he looks to graduate in Race 8, a maiden claimer for females 3, 4 and 5 going six furlongs. Also entered is No Chance Given, rated at 5-2 and making her second start off the claim for meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez.

Saturday’s feature comes in Race 9, a second-level optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds and up scheduled at 1 1/16 miles on the grass where 10 were entered, including Hanalei’s Houdini and McElmore Avenue for main track only. The main contenders are Gunnison, whose four career wins have come at the distance; stakes-tested Papal Law, pacesetter for the April 24 Henry S. Clark before finishing off the board; and Broker’s Reward, first or second in four of his last six starts.

The Rainbow 6 wraps up in Race 10, a six-furlong claimer for 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, or 3-year-olds. Favored at 9-5 from the rail is 5-year-old gelding Cooke Brothers, the runner-up in three straight starts and four of his last five, not beaten more than 2 ¼ lengths in that span.

Notes: Jockey Angel Cruz posted a hat trick Friday aboard Toe Curlin’ Kiss ($12) in Race 1, El Rojo ($12.80) in Race 6 and Golden G ($2.80) in Race 8 … 18-year-old journeyman Charlie Marquez added to his Preakness Meet-leading totals with two wins, aboard Ladneedsahandler ($4.60) in Race 2 and Fool Yourself ($8.20) in Race 5. He now has 28 wins, six more than J.D. Acosta … Both Fool Yourself and Golden G are trained by meet leader Claudio Gonzalez … Toe Curlin’ Kiss was the first winner in 18 career starts and 11th this year for trainer Jose J. Magana.