Con Compania delivered a commanding performance Saturday in the $70,000 Mr. Jordan Handicap at Gulfstream Park, taking the lead early and never looking back. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo, riding the 5-year-old gelding, reflected on the win: “To win races you have to make quick decisions, and I made a decision at the beginning of this race.”
When no other horse pressed for the front, Jaramillo seized the opportunity. “I went to the lead, and it paid off,” he said. Covering the mile in 1:36.02, Con Compania held off a late charge from Lightning Tones to win by a length, while Classic of Course secured third place.
Trained by Amador Sanchez, Con Compania had previously raced primarily in sprints, with a 2-1-2 record from six U.S. starts. Sanchez had long hoped to test his horse over longer distances. “I was telling the owners I wanted to run him further, and today the decision awarded us,” he said.
Through fractions of :24.41 and :46.75, Con Compania set a brisk pace, fending off Classic of Course around the turn and finishing with ample energy to hold off challengers. The gelding returned $12.20 to bettors.
The Mr. Jordan Handicap honors the graded stakes-winning son of Kantharos, trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., who earned nearly $900,000 in a career highlighted by ten victories.
Jaramillo also enjoyed success in other races on Saturday, piloting Skellig Michael ($3.60) in Race 5, Pure Class ($6.20) in Race 7, and Mythical ($2.80) in Race 8, the $200,000 Susan’s Girl Stakes.
Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Builds for Sunday
Saturday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the second consecutive racing day, following a mandatory payout at Gulfstream Park. The jackpot pool is now estimated to reach $100,000 on Sunday. The six-race sequence will cover Races 6-11, including three turf events (Races 7, 9, and 11), which will also feature in the $3 Tropical Turf Pick 3.
Race 7, a five-furlong maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up, features a field of nine. Mike Repole’s Hot Lead, the 9-5 morning-line favorite who finished fifth after a slow start in his June 20 Aqueduct debut for Todd Pletcher, returns for trainer Jose D’Angelo. Itza Law, a Tiz the Law colt, will make his debut for D’Angelo, while Maximus Cat, trained by Gerald Bennett, debuts on turf after placing second in three recent starts on other surfaces.
Race 9, a 1 1/16-mile contest for $17,500 claimers non-winners of two lifetime, presents a balanced field of 11. The sequence concludes with a mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up. Hall of Famer Mark Casse sends out Souper Document, a 3-year-old Constitution colt moving to turf after finishing second on debut, along with Our Souper Hero, who returns after a five-month layoff with two seconds in three starts.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is awarded only when a single unique ticket hits all six winners. If no unique ticket exists, 70% of the pool goes to tickets with the most winners, while 30% carries over. On mandatory payout days, the entire pool is distributed to the bettors with the highest number of winners.
Read more horse racing news at RaceBuzz.
