Willow Case delivered the first major upset of Gulfstream Park’s juvenile season on Thursday, surging past odds-on favorite Drama to win the 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies. Owned by Amanda Hernandez and trained by Ramon Minguet, the daughter of multimillionaire Neolithic was dismissed at 14-1 following a fourth-place finish in her debut last month but showed marked improvement under jockey Edgar Perez. Racing over a fast main track, Willow Case ($31.80) clocked 54.21 seconds to win by a neck, with 39-1 longshot Instapurchase finishing a distant third, 14 ½ lengths behind.
Drama, a well-regarded Arindel homebred who had finished second to Mythical in her debut on April 17, broke sharply and led through opening fractions of 22.69 and 47.57 seconds. Willow Case tracked closely in second before launching a sustained bid in the stretch to wear down the fading favorite. “I broke and was laying second,” Perez said via an interpreter. “I was right behind the favorite and coming to the wire, the horse stopped and I went right by.” The victory marked the first juvenile win for Willow Case’s dam, Pillow Case, who now has three winners from five foals. Neolithic, who was placed in Grade 1, 2, and 3 events during his career and earned nearly $2.3 million, has now sired 40 juvenile winners from 224 starters, representing an 18 percent strike rate.
Willow Case could next be seen in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies on May 10, a five-furlong turf sprint at Gulfstream that awards an automatic berth and a $25,000 travel stipend to one of six juvenile stakes during the Royal Ascot 2025 meeting in England. “I think she’ll handle the grass, too,” Perez added, hinting at her next possible target. Gulfstream will also stage the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile for colts on the same day, with both races expected to attract top 2-year-old talent looking to launch their careers on an international stage.
Meanwhile, wagering interest continues to build as the Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is estimated to reach $275,000 for Friday’s nine-race program at Gulfstream. The 20-cent wager has gone unsolved for nine consecutive race days following the April 13 mandatory payout of $6,047.50. The carryover jackpot is only triggered when a single unique ticket hits all six winners; otherwise, 70 percent of the pool is distributed among tickets with the most winners, and 30 percent rolls over.
Friday’s sequence begins in Race 4 with a 5 ½-furlong claiming race on Tapeta, where Breezer (5-2) enters off a third-place finish on April 12. Race 5 features a maiden special weight for Florida-bred fillies and mares going five furlongs, with consistent performer City Minute (5-2) the likely favorite. Race 6, a starter optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for 3-year-old fillies, features La Cantera, Mom’s Martini, and We Sea You. In Race 8, Neshume aims for a third straight win in a Tapeta sprint after being claimed for $17,500, while Air Force Cruising looks to rebound after a runner-up finish on April 5.
The finale, Race 9, is a maiden special weight on turf for fillies and mares, with Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher entering debutante Thank You Mam and lightly raced Tapit filly Our Prosperity. The lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite is Open Lane, who was beaten less than two lengths in her March 8 debut at Tampa Bay Downs. A mandatory Rainbow 6 payout is scheduled for Sunday, with projections suggesting the pool could swell to $3 million if not hit before then.
While Gulfstream prepares for its Royal Palm showcase and Rainbow 6 climax, several of its recent runners are prominently featured on the prestigious Kentucky Oaks (G1) card at Churchill Downs. Gulfstream Oaks (G2) runner-up Anna’s Promise, Feb. 5 maiden winner Early On, and Davona Dale (G2) runner-up La Cara all appear in the Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies. The Edgewood Stakes (G2) brings together Pegasus World Cup (G1) runner-up and Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Locked, alongside Florida Derby (G1) record-setter Fierceness and stakes winners Vixen, Nitrogen, and Lush Lips. The Eight Belles (G2) includes Gulfstream-based fillies such as Eclatant, Unchained Elaine, and Whatintheliteral. In the Unbridled Sidney (G3), Epona’s Hope makes her debut for trainer John Servis, looking to extend her win streak to four. Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna looms large in the La Troienne (G1), where she faces Dorth Vader, winner of the 2023 Davona Dale and a recent runner-up in a Gulfstream allowance.
Churchill’s Kentucky Oaks Day card features 13 races, with first post at 11 a.m., and will be available for live viewing and wagering at Gulfstream Park.
