Sunshine Millions – Gulfstream Edition
Sunshine Millions – Santa Anita Edition
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Dubai Racing Opens
Road to the Dubai World Cup
Dubai’s Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, the venue of the world’s richest horse race, will host the season’s road to the Dubai World Cup. The racing season, known as the Dubai International Racing Carnival, culminates with the Dubai World Cup on March 27, with $10 million in prize money on offer.
The 1.6-km grandstand and racecourse cost 10-billion dirham ($2.72 billion) to build. It is expected to put some shine back on Dubai amid its rough ride through the global credit crunch, which brought its runaway construction sector to a screeching halt. The facility, part of the huge equestrian-themed Meydan City project, is designed to host more than 60,000 spectators.
“We will not only focus on the history of racing but also the traditions of the desert and the local environment. We have been looking at how to make Meydan an all-year round attraction,” Tayer was quoted as saying in daily newspaper the National.
Sunshine Millions – Gulfstream Edition
East Coast – West Coast Rivalry Continues
The eighth running of the Sunshine Millions will be held this Saturday and Gulfstream Park will host three races for Florida and California bred horses, worth $800,000 in purses. The California edition of the Sunshine Millions is worth $1,000,000 in purses.
Though the Sunshine Millions was created to pit California-breds against Florida-breds, only one horse of the 27 entered (Tie Rod in the Millions Turf) in the three Gulfstream stakes was bred in California. By contrast, there are 17 Florida breds among the 32 entrants in the three Santa Anita stakes.
The three Florida edition races conditions are as follows:
SUNSHINE MILLIONS TURF – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) – $300,000 – Four-Year-Olds and Up
SUNSHINE MILLIONS DISTAFF – 1 1/16 Miles – $300,000 – F &M, Four Years Old and Up
SUNSHINE MILLIONS SPRINT – 6 Furlongs – $200,000 – Four-Year-Olds and Upward
SUNSHINE MILLIONS TURF OVERVIEW
With the Usual Q.T. deciding to stay put in California and run in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, still makes the Sunshine Turf a one horse race. The Usual Q.T. has been a buzz-saw of late, winning six in a row on turf. And this field would be hard pressed to beat him, however one horse does stand out in the Sunshine Turf field of eleven.
Multiple Grade III winner Soldier’s Dancer was installed as the overwhelming 8-to-5 morning-line favorite for the Turf, and is looking for a repeat victory in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf, a race he won last year at Santa Anita. No other horse in the field was pegged at odds of less than 4-to-1.
The six-year-old gelding, who also has three graded stakes wins to his credit, sports a stellar record of 12-8-4 from 32 starts and a bankroll of more than $1.5 million.
Soldier’s Dancer shipped out of South Florida to win the Sunshine Millions Turf at Santa Anita a year ago, rallying from last of 13 to score a dramatic half-length victory over Presious Passion. Regular rider Manoel Cruz will be aboard for trainer Dave Vivian.
Trainer Marty Wolfson has a pair entered in the Turf in Grade 3 winner Jet Propulsion and multiple stakes winner Pickapocket, who are the second and third betting choices at 4-to-1 and 6-to-1, respectively, on the morning line.
Wolfson will send out Julien Leparoux to ride Jet Propulsion and Kent Desormeaux picking up the mount on Pickapocket.
Jet Propulsion, a 7-year-old, makes his first start after being claimed for $50,000 out of a winning race at Calder, using his early speed to go wire-to-wire. He will be a threat again if left alone to dictate the pace again.
Pickapocket, a 6-year-old gelding by Mecke, was run down late to finish second to Soldier’s Dancer in the Bonnie Heath Turf when beaten only a half-length.
Also a threat will be 4-year-old Duke of Mischief with Eibar Coa in the saddle for trainer David Fawkes. He comes in after winning the off the turf Ft. Lauderdale Stakes over Kiss the Kid and Mambo Meister. Duke of Mischief is a chestnut colt and scored his biggest victory in the Iowa Derby last year after showing respectable turf form last winter.
Sunshine Millions – Santa Anita Edition
East Coast – West Coast Rivalry Continues
The eighth running of the Sunshine Millions will be held this Saturday and Santa Anita will host the headline event in the annual bi-coastal battle between California- and Florida-breds that began in 2003, The Sunshine Classic. The three California edition races conditions are as follows;
SUNSHINE MILLIONS CLASSIC – 1 1/8 Miles – $500,000 – Four-Year-Olds and Up
SUNSHINE MILLIONS F/M TURF – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) – $300,000 F &M, Four Years Old and Up
SUNSHINE MILLIONS F/M SPRINT – 6 Furlongs – $200,000 F&M, Four Years Old and Up
SUNSHINE MILLIONS CLASSIC OVERVIEW
The Sunshine Millions Classic will be the most prominent of the six Sunshine Millions and offers a unique plot twist. Leading the eleven horses to the post will be The Usual Q. T. who has won six races in a row…all on turf…however the Classic will be run on dirt, actually the Pro-Ride Synthetic surface.
Trainer James Cassidy opted to stay home with the California-bred son of Unusual Heat., stating that The Usual Q.T. didn’t travel well. The Usual Q.T.’s earnings to $516,670 from his overall record of 6-4-0 in 11 races. Jockey Victor Espinoza will ride.
Among those standing in the way of a seventh straight win for the 4-year-old gelding are 7-year-old millionaire Bold Chieftain, a winner of 14 of 33 starts including the California Cup Classic twice. Bold Chieftain could be making “the last big dance,” trainer Bill Morey Jr., says, after a career that has included 11 stakes victories and earnings of $1,131,411 over the past 3 1/2 years. Russell Baze, North America’s all-time leader in races won, will be aboard the California-bred son of Chief Seattle for the 24th time.
Among the shippers, 8-year-old Florida-bred Palladio will have Mike Smith in the saddle, whose nine lifetime wins include five graded stakes for earnings of $960,812 might look the best. Coming off a win in the Autumn Stakes at Woodbine Race Course in Toronto, Palladio will be making his Santa Anita. He is well familiar with synthetic surfaces. He owns a 4-1-4 record in 15 starts over Woodbine’s Polytrack footing. Palladio has accumulated an overall record of 9-1-5 in 35 starts.
Florida-bred Bad Action, an eight-time winner in 22 starts, will have Jockey John Velazquez in the irons. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the four-year-old gelding won the Pegasus Stakes at the Meadowlands before running second in Aqueduct’s Discovery Handicap. Bad Action has earned $320,215 for Sanford H. Robbins and partners.
Among these Classic recruits…Compari seems the most intriguing. The four-year-old gelding Compari has raced but five times, winning the last four including Hollywood Park’s $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes against state breds at 1 1/8 miles over a synthetic surface. Garrett Gomez, the nation’s leading rider in earnings the last four years, will handle the winner of $272,640.
Around the Track
Info for the Race Handicapper
Santa Anita
Pretty Unusual rolled past multiple Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie and pacesetter Freedom Star inside the eighth pole and held off a belated bid from champion Stardom Bound to win the Grade II $150,000 El Encino Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths this past Sunday.
Jockey Chantal Sutherland guided the four-year-old Unusual Heat filly through an opening in early stretch and she accelerated willingly. Pretty Unusual spurted past Freedom Star to seize command and had plenty of stamina in reserve to remain clear of 2008 champion two-year-old filly Stardom Bound.
Fair Grounds
Because of slow business, the Fair Grounds will be cutting overnight purses by 9 percent starting Sunday and also will be cutting the purses for 12 stakes races.
Through December, the Fair Grounds average daily on-track handle was down 31.7 percent from the same period last season, and average daily handle from all sources was down 30.9 percent, according to figures supplied by the Louisiana State Racing Commission.
Purses for two Grade II New Orleans Handicap and Grade III Mervin Muniz Memorial Handicap were cut from $500,000 to $400,000. Purses for the Grade III Fair Grounds Handicap, Grade III Mineshaft Handicap, Bayou Handicap and Duncan F. Kenner Stakes were cut from $125,000 to $100,000. Purses for the Pan Zareta Stakes, Colonel Power Stakes, Bienville Stakes, Crescent City Oaks, Crescent City Derby and Grindstone Stakes were cut from $75,000 to $60,000.
Eight of the Fair Grounds 10 graded stakes, including all four of our Grade II events, have yet to be run, and our two biggest wagering days – Louisiana Derby Preview Day and Louisiana Derby Day – are in February and March.
Oaklawn Park
Trainer Steve Margolis had a perfect opening weekend at Oaklawn. He went 2 for 2 with his starters that invaded from Fair Grounds, winning both races in photos, including the $50,000 American Beauty.
This week, Margolis could run as many as three horses at Oaklawn, led by Country Day, who is being pointed for the $50,000 King Cotton on Saturday.
Country Day should vie for favoritism in the King Cotton after winning a second-level allowance at Fair Grounds with a Beyer Figure of 106. He is one of five horses Margolis nominated to the six-furlong stakes, and he was the choice to go as of Monday.
“Country Day, off the number and the timing, looks like the one to take over there,” he said.
Margolis, who has been hot all meet at Fair Grounds, will be looking for his second sprint stakes win in a week in the King Cotton. Last Saturday, he sent out Cash Refund to take the $73,000 Gaudin Memorial at Fair Grounds
Larry Sterling Jr. is scheduled to ride Country Day in the King Cotton. Other early probable’s for the race include Hamazing Destiny, who won a Churchill allowance with a Beyer Figure of 107 in his last start and Grand Sensation, who last raced in August and was fifth in the $100,000 Teddy Drone at Monmouth Park.
Texas Style Racing
Sam Houston Hosts $200k – Grade III Race
This Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park, race fans will see the Grade 3, $200,000 Connally Breeders’ Cup Turf the richest race of the meet. Leading the pack in the 1 1/8-mile turf race will be Pool Play.
Pool Play is the 119-pound starting highweight following a season in which he won the Grade 3 Durham Cup at Woodbine. He will break from post 11 under jockey Patrick Husbands.
Trainer Mark Casse said with the right performance, Pool Play would be pointed for the Santa Anita Handicap on the Pro-Ride synthetic surface on March 6th. The horse won the Durham Cup on a synthetic surface, but also is placed on turf, where he has earned some strong Beyer Speed Figures.
The Connally will go as the ninth race, with a post of 10:28 p.m. Central. The forecast for Saturday is mostly cloudy skies. Also on the card is the $50,000 Jersey Lilly.
A Future Derby Winner in Here
Top Three Year-Old Horses
Last week we looked at the Wynn’s future Kentucky Derby odds…Today we will look at online handicapper, John Piesen’s Derby outlook. Piesen offers handicapping picks for sale through his website. Below is his latest article…
The Road to the Triple Crown kicked off last Saturday with the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and the LeComte Stakes at Fair Grounds, and, in each case, the favorite finished a respectable second.
Jackson Bend, wide throughout, was second in the Holy Bull to Winslow Homer, who split horses midstretch and won as much the best — despite getting cold-watered in the trades by trainer Tony Dutrow.
Jackson Bend had had only three published works for the Holy Bull, and likely will improve off that effort. Would be no surprise if we see a rider change next time.
Winslow Homer is an Unbridled’s Song colt owned by Rick Porter, and was ridden by Ramon Dominguez. It was only a year ago that Old Fashioned, an Unbridled’s Song colt owned by Rick Porter and ridden by Ramon Dominguez, was going to be the Kentucky Derby favorite until he sustained a career-ending injury while running second in the Arkansas Derby.
You’ll recall that in the prior two years, Porter (with the retired Larry Jones calling the shots) was second in the KD with Hard Spun and the ill-fated Eight Belles.
So once again the millions that Porter is spending at the sales — mostly for offspring of Unbridled’s Song — are paying off…Porter has a second legit Derby prospect in Count Fleet winner Laus Deo.
Aikenite and Piscitelli, both exiting terrific performances in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, failed to fire in the Holy Bull, although Aikenite can be excused due to a bump-and-run start.
Is this the start of another BC Juvenile jinx?
In the LeComte, jockey Torres sent the favored Maximum Ruler to the top from the one-hole, and MR gamely held of all challengers until yielding late to Ron the Greek, a Florida-bred who circled the field from post 11 to win going away.
When Pyro won this race a few years back with a similar move, he was immediately hailed as the boy wonder of the 3-year-old division. As it turned out, Pyro did not factor in the Triple Crown, but did develop into a multiple graded stakes-winner going short.
It will be interesting to see if Ron the Greek develops into a Derby horse, or becomes, like Pyro, a one-run sprinter. Certainly, like Pyro (Asmussen), he’s in good hands (Tom Amoss).
Speaking of Asmussen, it’s worth noting that the Asmussen-trained Letsgetitonmon, a gray son of Maria’s Mon, closed fastest of all for third in the LeComte.
In any event, Ron the Greek jump-started the Road to the Triple Crown. The exacta box in the LeComte, topped by the Greek at $17.60, came back $75.80.
Earlier on the Fair Grounds program, Friesan Fire, floating Porter’s red and white colors, looked like his old self wiring the Louisiana Handicap, and General Quarters came flying for second.
For both horses, it was by far their best performances since finishing up the track behind Mine That Bird in the ’09 Kentucky Derby, and, for what it’s worth, they ran two seconds faster than the 3-year-olds in the LeComte.
Larry Jones won’t admit it, but he has to have second thoughts about his premature retirement. After all, in the last 90 days, three horses whom he would be training have distinguished themselves while competing for new trainers:
Kodiak Kowboy won the Cigar Mile (and Eclipse sprinter); and Winslow Homer and Friesan Fire sure came up big last Saturday.
Meantime, Larry is at Oaklawn Park galloping horses for wife Cindy, and showing no regrets at his career move. In fact, Cindy had her first OP winner last Saturday in the good-looking 3-year-old Backwater Blues.
A horse to watch out of that race is Moojab, a Smarty Jones colt who had a rough trip closing for third at 3-5 over a sloppy track.
Speaking of Oaklawn, Dryfly and Pleasant Storm, the one-two finishers — from trainers Whiting and Petalino, respectively — in the Smarty Jones Stakes, also bear watching on the often-successful OP Road to the Triple Crown.
Both colts will go next in the Southwest, as will Mission Impazible, a promising 3-year-old from the Lukas barn. D. Wayne also is looking for a spot to bring back Hopeful Stakes winner Dublin.
Meantime, the bandwagon is forming for Lentenor, the full brother to ’06 Derby winner Barbaro. Lentenor looked the real deal breaking his maiden on the Gulf turf by 3 1/2 lengths last week for Mike Matz.
It’s a little early to be looking for Derby story lines, but Lentenor may be at the top of the list.
The best 3-year-old at Tampa Bay Downs clearly is Uptowncharleybrown, a Limehouse colt who won his first two starts, including the Pasco Stakes, and is being pointed by trainer Seewald for the Sam F. Davis Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby.
If Charley, who races for a 20-man partnership, wins one or both of those races, we will be looking at one heckuva mob in the winner’s circle.
The one to beat in the Davis may be Middle of the Night from the Albertrani barn.
Meantime, three other Derby prospects kept their edge over the weekend with :59 works at as many venue — top dog Lookin at Lucky at Santa Anita, Buddy’s Saint at Gulfstream, and Eightyfiveinafifty at Aqueduct.
The Beyer boys will be all over Eightyfiveinafifty in the Whirlaway Stakes on Feb. 6 at the Big A. The Contessa-trained colt boasts the highest fig (105) of any 3-year-old to date.
So let’s take a look at the current edition of our Derby Top Ten:
| HORSE | TRAINER | BASED |
| 1. Lookin at Lucky | Baffert | California |
| 2. Winslow Homer | T. Dutrow | Florida |
| 3. Buddy’s Saint | Levine | Florida |
| 4. Noble’s Promise | McPeek | California |
| 5. Jackson Bend | Zito | Florida |
| 6. Eightyfiveinafifty | Contessa | New York |
| 7. Lentenor | Matz | Florida |
| 8. Ron the Greek | Amoss | Louisiana |
| 9. Dryfly | Whiting | Arkansas |
Thoroughbred Stakes Action
Weekend Stakes Action
Gulfstream and Santa Anita Park lead the way this weekend with the 8th running of the Sunshine Millions. Sam Houston has top prospect in play in the Connally Turf. Watch and wager on these stakes races…all on BetAmerica.com.
Saturday – January 30
- Gulfstream Park: Sunshine Millions Distaff, $300,000, 4&up, f/m, 9f.
- Gulfstream Park: Sunshine Millions Turf, $300,000, 4&up, 9f (turf).
- Gulfstream Park: Sunshine Millions Sprint, $200,000, 4&up, 6f.
- Laurel Park: Dancing Count Stakes, $50,000, 3yo, 6f.
- Oaklawn Park: King Cotton Stakes, $50,000, 4&up, 6f.
- Sam Houston: J.B. Connally BC Turf Handicap – G3, $150,000, 3&up, 9f (turf).
- Sam Houston: Jersey Lilly Stakes, $50,000, 4&up, f/m, 8.5f (turf).
- Santa Anita: Sunshine Millions Classic, $500,000, 4&up, 9f.
- Santa Anita: Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf, $300,000, 4&up, f/m, 9f (turf).
- Santa Anita: Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint, $200,000, 4&up, f/m, 6f.
- Sunland Park: SPRC Claiming Stakes, $30,000, 3&up, 5.5f.
- Tampa Bay Downs: Manatee Stakes, $50,000, 4&up, f/m, 7f.
- Turf Paradise: Mesa Handicap, $25,000, 4&up, f/m, 6.5f.
- Turfway Park: WEBN Stakes, $50,000, 3yo, 8f.
Sunday – January 31
- Gulfstream Park: Forward Gal Stakes – G2, $150,000, 3yo f, 7f.
- Santa Anita: Santa Monica Handicap – G1, $250,000, 4&up, f/m, 7f.
Harness Stakes Action
This Weekend’s Stakes Action
BetAmerica.com still has great harness action from the East Coast to the West Coast, from Canada and the U.S. Watch and Wager on these great Harness tracks this week:
- The Meadowlands
- Dover Downs
- Lebanon Raceway
- Northfield Park
- Kawartha Downs
- Pompano Park
- Saratoga Harness
- Yonkers Raceway
- Georgian Downs
- Flamboro Downs
- Balmoral Park
- Maywood Park
- Cal Expo
- Fraser Down
Posted by Jared Alexander
