The Sunshine Millions, a creation of Frank Stronach's Magna Entertainment, is a series of eight races restricted to horses bred in California and Florida, with four races each contested at Magna's premier winter tracks, Santa Anita and Gulfstream. Despite being restricted, these races draw large competitive fields with some very good horses each year. Once again, Florida won this year's series on points by a score of 37-35, however the two states split the victories with four each.
Starting off with the Gulfstream Park races, Alix Nikke Hunt and Mike Willman's's 7-year-old California-bred McCann's Mohave was relentless turning back challenge after challenge through the final half-mile of the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park, holding on to score by 3/4 length at odds of nearly 35-to-1. Greg Besinger's 6-year-old gelding Summer Book was a longshot himself at better than 40-to1 and finished second, 1/2-length before Four Roses Thoroughbreds' Silver Wagon in third as the winner was timed in 1:49.89 for 1 1/8 miles over the fast track. Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos' 4-year-old gelding Sweetnorthernsaint was the 2-to-1 favorite, despite breaking from the outside post 12, but the Preakness Stakes runner-up gave way to finish fifth.
Winning trainer Steve Sprecht said, "I guess it was the change of scenery. I don't know that I've done anything special since getting this horse (in Nov). He's a good horse to train. He's a tough horse in his stall, but on the racetrack he does everything right."
Michael Trombetta, trainer of beaten favorite Sweetnorthernsaint said, "He went into this race doing very good. Ramon (Dominguez) positioned him very well, but he just didn't have it today. All that matters now is that he comes back all right and lives to fight another today."
Hobeau Farm's 4-year-old Florida homebred filly Miss Shop circled rivals on the far turn and drove to a hard-fought 1 1/4 length victory over Betty Currin's California invader Memorette in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf. Jockey Rafael Bejarano rode the winner for Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens as a 5.70-to-1 chance in the 1 1/8 mile turf test for older fillies and mares. Sovereign Stable and Gatsas Stable's Charmsil finished third, 1/2 length behind the runner-up as the winner was timed in 1:46.69 over the 'firm' course. Jacks or Better Farm's Bayou Lassie was the lukewarm favorite at 3-to-1 and finished another 1/2 length in fourth after setting the pace from the start.
Winning jockey Rafael Bejarano said, "I was just so comfortable with this filly because Mr. Jerkens was so confident. He knows what he's doing and I just had to follow his instructions. She broke really good, and I just tried not to use her too much, and put her in a good position. I noticed on the turn a horse outside me moved a little early. I just got in behind her and waited to the quarter pole. When I asked her, she flew." Trainer Allen Jerkens added, "She's just a nice filly. The mare has always had nice foals and this one is the best yet. It's always nice to get lucky. She likes to come from off the pace and that's what happened. The way she came around them, she had to be the best to win today."
IEAH Stable and partners' 4-year-old California-bred filly Shaggy Mane took command early in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint and never looked back under jockey Mark Guidry as she romped home a 7 3/4 lengths winner at odds of nearly 9-to-1. Trained by Don Chatlos, Jr., the daughter of Bertrando was timed six furlongs in 1:09.31 as Hobeau Farm's 2006 Test Stakes (G1) winner Swap Fliparoo rallied for second, a neck before Robert A. Adams' defending champion Hot Storm in the bulky field of 13.
Winning jockey Mark Guidry said, "She took me to the front. That's the way she is. I followed instructions to let her bounce out of there on the lead. She was easy looking (to ride) on paper. The layoff was a double-edged sword. Today it helped. She ran a great and race and it was her day today." Trainer Don Chatlos added, "It was a runaway, just like the (Chicago) Bears in the Super Bowl (he hopes). The owners picked this filly out (private purchase) just for this race. Unfortunately, we had to fill in a race at Hollywood that wasn't her best distance (to get here). We couldn't have her running with a four-month layoff. But the owner said don't worry about anything but the race in Florida."
With a huge stretch charge down the middle of the track, Teresa and David Palmer's 26-to-1 longshot Storm in May ran clear to a 1 1/4 length victory over Pam and Martin Wygod's California invader Idiot Proof in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash. Ridden by Manoel Cruz and trained by Bill Kaplan, 3-year-old Storm in May had made his last five starts going two turns on turf at Calder, but turned back to run the six furlongs on the 'fast' main track Saturday in 1:10.22. Stonerside Stable's California-based Texas Voyager finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up.
Winning jockey Manoel Cruz said, "He broke sharp from the gate. I sat low and with patience, because I knew he would give me one big run in the end. At the 3/8 pole I asked him, and he started moving. The horse was so far back, 10 to 12 lengths behind, but at the 1/4 pole when I put him inside and the other horses started to slow down, I knew I was going to get them." Trainer Bill Kaplan added, "I was very confident when they turned for home. He was rolling. We can go either way with him. We're aiming for the Hallandale Beach back on the grass, but this horse might end up on the Derby trail yet. The Fountain of Youth is not out of the question."
