Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.McCann’s Mojave & Nashoba’s Key Among 136 Pre-Entries at Sunshine Millions
Posted on Friday, January 18th, 2008
The 6th annual Sunshine Millions, the 8-race event that pits Florida-bred horses against California-breds with $3.6 million in purse money, will be run at both Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park on January 26, and a total of 136 horses were pre-entered. Entries will be taken and post positions drawn this Sunday.
“We are extremely pleased with the large number of pre-entered horses,” said Santa Anita Racing Secretary Rick Hammerle. “We have 72 horses pre-entered to run here at Santa Anita and 64 have pre-entered to run at Gulfstream. We’re confident we’re going to have full fields in eight races”
The $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic, for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, will highlight the 4-race Sunshine Millions program at Santa Anita Park. Millionaire McCann’s Mojave, an 8-year-old California-bred son of Memo, will defend his Sunshine Millions Classic title and will again be ridden by Frank Alvarado and is trained by Steve Specht. “Alvarado worked him and he went super,” said Steve Specht after McCann’s Mojave worked a mile at Golden Gate Fields. “He went off easy, I had him in 50 and change the first half and he came home the last quarter mile in 23 and three. He’s ready.”
A total of 26 horses were pre-entered for the Sunshine Millions Classic, which will be limited to 12 horses. By virtue of their graded stakes earnings for 2007, the top six Florida-breds are Buzzard’s Bay, Diamond Stripes, Electrify, Go Between, Going Ballistic and Gotcha Gold. Other prominent Florida-breds who were pre-entered but are not guaranteed starting positions are Iamawildandcrazyguy, Summer Book and Sweetnorthernsaint.
In addition to McCann’s Mojave, other California-breds who are expected to start are Bilo, a grade I stakes winner who, at the age of 8, has never routed and will make his first start for trainer Mike Mitchell, Bold Chieftain, Celtic Dreamin, Freesgood, and Now Victory, who defeated McCann’s Mojave at 1 1/16 miles in the December 26 Forty Niner Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. Now Victory, who was ridden in his last start by Russell Baze, will be handled by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
The filly Nashoba’s Key, who also was pre-entered in the Sunshine Millions Classic, will likely run instead in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf which attracted 12 pre-entries, according to her trainer Carla Gaines. “We’re going to look at both races, but most likely she’s going to run on the grass. She’s undefeated on the grass here and it’s a $500,000 race, so it’s probably the obvious spot at this stage.” The Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf will be run at 1 1/8 miles and is for 4-year-olds and up.
A dozen distaffers were pre-entered and among those who figure to face Nashoba’s Key are Quite a Bride, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly by Stormy Atlantic, and the Florida-bred Placid Lake, who is trained locally by Vladimir Cerin.
The $300,000 Sushine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint will also be run at Santa Anita and it attracted 19 pre-entries. Last year’s winner, the Don Chatlos conditioned Shaggy Mane, will defend her title at six furlongs. Dearest Trickski, a Florida-bred who has risen from the claiming ranks to win the La Brea Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita on December 29, is likely to run for trainer John Sadler. The Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint is for 4-year-olds and up.
Santa Anita Park will also host the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash at 6 furlongs. Georgie Boy, a California-bred gelding by Tribal Rule, has been idle since winning the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) and is expected to run for trainer Kathy Walsh. A total of 15 horses were pre-entered in the Sunshine Millions Dash, which is for 3-year-olds.
The four Sunshine Millions races to be run concurrently from Gulfstream Park are the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff for 4-year-old fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs and the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
"McCann’s Mojave & Nashoba’s Key Among 136 Pre-Entries at Sunshine Millions" was posted on Friday, January 18th, 2008 at 8:22 pm and is filed under Gulfstream Park, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Jockeys, Santa Anita Track, Stakes Races, Trainers, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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