Gulfstream Today 1.10.16

December 10, 2019

Grade 1 Winner Mongolian Saturday Schools in Gulfstream Paddock Sunday Sunshine Millions Week Opens Wednesday with Rainbow 6 Carryover of $38,542

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Mongolian Saturday, upset winner of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at odds of 15-1, schooled in the paddock during the fourth race Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Sporting his recent equipment change, a royal blue hood with earmuffs, the 6-year-old Any Given Saturday gelding was saddled and stood in the stall before being given a turn in the walking ring under the watchful eye of Gulfstream-based trainer Enebish Ganbat.

Mongolian Saturday has been wearing the equipment in recent mornings on the track, but has yet to breeze since his fifth-place finish in the Hong Kong Sprint (G1) Dec. 13 at Sha Tin. He missed a scheduled work last week with body soreness related to the trip.

“He was so crazy in Hong Kong that we decided to put the earmuffs on,” Ganbat said. “I saw in Hong Kong, the Japanese [horsemen] were using them and winning races, so maybe it will work for me, too. I think it will help him a little bit. Usually he gets crazy when he knows he’s going to race.”

Mongolian Saturday had the best finish of any import in the Hong Kong Sprint where he warmed up and went to post unaccompanied by a pony, which Ganbat felt hampered his performance.

“There was one young man and he said, ‘I cannot lead your crazy horse.’ He went without the pony and [it was like] he breezed before the race and that’s why he couldn’t get enough speed. Now I understand how American pony men do a really good job,” Ganbat said. “He came back from Hong Kong OK. It was a tough race. Hong Kong has the best sprinters, and even when they go to Dubai they win the sprint races.”

Ganbat is looking at taking Mongolian Saturday to Dubai for the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1), run at 1,000 meters or about five furlongs on turf March 26. He may use the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Feb. 6 as a prep.

“We’ll look at the stake here,” Ganbat said. “I like to wait until later because Dubai is the 26th and we want to check with the vets and see if his legs and everything are good.”

Sunshine Millions Week Opens Wednesday with Rainbow 6 Carryover

There will be a 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover of $38,542.43 heading into Wednesday’s 10-race card which opens Sunshine Millions Week at Gulfstream.

The 14th annual Sunshine Millions, featuring six stakes races for Florida-breds worth $1.05 million led by the $250,000 Classic, will be held Saturday Jan. 16. That evening, Gulfstream’s Sport of Kings Theater will host the 45th annual Eclipse Awards dinner and ceremony for the fourth consecutive year.

Post time for the first of 12 races on Saturday is 12:05 p.m. Wednesday’s 11-race card begins at 12:35 p.m.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $38,542.43