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Sunshine Millions at Santa Anita Park on January 26
Florida-bred Diamond Stripes has been established as a 7/2 favorite to thwart 12-1 California-bred McCann’s Mojave’s attempt to become the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic’s first two-time champion on Saturday when the 6th running of the Sunshine Millions interstate competition’s premier event is conducted at Santa Anita Park.
In addition to the Sunshine Millions Classic, Santa Anita hosts the $500,000 San Miguel Indian Bingo & Casino Filly & Mare Turf featuring spectacular Nashoba’s Key, the even-money favorite, as well as the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint and $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash.
The 1 1/8 mile Sunshine Millions Classic appears to be so wide open that seven of the 12 entrants, 11 of whom were graded stakes winners last year, have been listed on the morning line at odds of 8-1 or less.
Favored Diamond Stripes, winner of last year’s Meadowland Cups (gr. II), is a 5-year-old gray gelding trained by Richard Dutrow who has captured 5 of 10 career starts for Four Roses Thoroughbreds while earning $795,645. He drew the rail with jockey Cornelio Velasquez being his rider. Ironically, the son of Notebook has never previously raced in either Florida or California.
Second choice at 5-1 is another Florida-bred, Padua Stable’s Electrify, a winner of 9 of 20 overall including his last pair, concluded by the Fred W. Hooper Handicap (gr. II) at Calder Racecourse on Dec. 15. Edward Plesa trains the homebred who has earned $621,890.
The field includes three millionaires, Buzzards Bay, Go Between and McCann’s Mojave with the defending champion being the most accomplished. The 8-year-old California-bred son of Memo, McCann’s Mojave, pulled a shocker a year ago when taking the Sunshine Millions Classic at odds of 33-1 for owner-breeder Mike Willman, the director of publicity at Santa Anita Park.
McCann’s Mojave, trained by Steve Specht with Frank Alvarado his regular rider, has been victorious but once since the 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic. He took Golden Gate’s All-American (gr. III) on Nov. 17. He tops the field with $1,361,555 in earnings from a career record of 11-2-0 in 30 races.
The complete field for the Sunshine Millions Classic, with jockeys, weights and odds in post position order:
Diamond Stripes ridden by jockey Cornelio Velasquez carries 122 lbs. and odds of 7/2
Bilo ridden by jockey Tyler Baze, 122 lbs., 8-1
Buzzards Bay ridden by jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., 122 lbs., 8-1
Bold Chieftain ridden by jockey David Flores, 122 lbs., 10-1
Celtic Dreamin ridden by jockey Alex Solis, 120 lbs., 8-1
Now Victory ridden by jockey Mike Smith, 122 lbs., 15-1
Seminole Native ridden by jockey Michael Baze, 122 lbs., 12-1
Electrify ridden by jockey Eddie Castro, 122 lbs., 5-1
Go Between ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez, 122 lbs., 8-1
McCann’s Mojave ridden by jockey Frank Alvarado, 122 lbs., 12-1
Going Ballistic ridden by jockey Joseph Talamo, 120 lbs., 15-1
Gottcha Gold ridden by jockey Chuck Lopez, 122 lbs., 8-1
Also eligible in the Sunshine Millions Classic are:
Joy’s Comet, Tyler Baze, 122, 30-1
Better Than Bonds, Jeremy Rose, 122, 30-1.
Nasoba’s Key earned her overwhelming favoritism in the 1 1/8 mile Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf by dramatically winning her first seven starts last year, including a pair of Grade I and Grade II stakes races, before finishing a troubled fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last October at Monmouth Park.
The 5-year-old Silver Hawk mare, owned and bred in California by Warren Williamson, has been working brilliantly for her return under the direction of trainer Carla Gaines. Nashoba’s Key will be accompanied by 18-year-old jockey Joe Talamo while breaking form post number 6 in the field of eight. With pre-race earnings of $972,090, Nashoba’s Key is expected shoot past the million-mark on Saturday.
Nashoba’s Key’s stiffest competition is expected to come from Florida-bred Quite a Bride, who has won 9 of 17 for trainer Bill Mott while earning $603,881. Garrett Gomez rides the 5-year-old mare owned by Haras Santa Maria de Ararans Inc. who is 9/5 on Jeff Tuft’s Santa Anita Park morning line.
The complete field for the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, with jockeys, weights and odds:
Somethinaboutlaura under jockey Michael Baze carries 122 lbs. and odds of 8-1
Placid Lake under jockey David Flores, 122 lbs., 20-1
Snow Cone under jockey Eddie Castro, 120 lbs., 8-1
Lady Tropicana under jockey Alex Solis, 122 lbs., 30-1
Gentle Charmer under jockey Kyle Kaenel, 122 lbs., 20-1
Nashoba’s Key under jockey Joseph Talamo, 122 lbs., 1-1
Quite a Bride under jockey Garrett Gomez, 122 lbs., 9/5
Bai and Bai under jockey Victor Espinoza, 122 lbs., 15-1.
Lady Gamer has been accorded 3-1 favoritism in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint at 6 furlongs. Trained by John Sadler for Clark and Janine Hansen, the 5-year-old California-bred daughter of Game Plan has posted a 5-4-1 mark in 12 starts for earnings of $292,115. Garrett Gomez rides the bay who has hit the board in her last seven races.
The complete field for the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint with jockeys, weights and odds in post position order:
More Angels with rider Richard Migliore carries 122 lbs. and odds of 8-1
Sekira with rider Alex Solis, 121 lbs., 20-1
Coli Bear with rider Jeremy Rose, 122 lbs., 10-1
Tiz Elemental with rider Victor Espinoza, 121 lbs., 7/2
Prime Catch with rider David Flores, 121 lbs., 20-1
Cher Ami with rider Ariel Smith, 121 lbs., 8-1
Lady Gamer with rider Garrett Gomez, 122 lbs., 3-1
Dearest Trickski with rider Mike Smith, 121 lbs., 4-1
Shaggy Mane with rider John Velazquez, 122 lbs., 8-1
Dixie Dreamer with rider Castro, 122 lbs., 20-1
Garrett Gomez will be riding the 5/2 favorite, Georgie Boy, in the Sunshine Millions Dash for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs. A California-bred trained by Kathy Walsh for owner-breeder George Schwary, Georgie Boy has been freshened since rallying from 12th and last to take the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) on September 5 with jockey Garrett Gomez at the controls. The gelded son of Tribal Rule shows a 2-2-1 mark in five races for earnings of $286,806.
The complete field for the Sunshine Millions Dash, with jockeys, weights and odds in post position order:
Little Nick with jockey Cornelio Velasquez carries 120 lbs and odds of 8-1
Johns Grooms with jockey Jeremy Rose, 120 lbs., 20-1
Winsome Charm with jockey Tyler Baze, 120 lbs., 9/2
Afleet Ruler with jockey Joseph Talamo, 120 lbs., 6-1
Dee Dee’s Legacy with jockey Michael Baze, 120 lbs., 6-1
Georgie Boy with jockey Garrett Gomez, 120 lbs., 5/2
Bob Black Jack with jockey David Flores, 120 lbs., 3-1
Italian Rules with jockey Joel Rosario, 120 lbs., 30-1
Nevada Worrier with jockey Jon Court, 120 lbs., 20-1
Topper Shopper with jockey Isaias Enriquez, 120 lbs., 30-1
The Sunshine Millions, a series of races that pits California and Florida-bred standouts, includes four companion competitions at Florida’s Gulfstream Park interspersed between California’s Santa Anita races. The Santa Anita Park 11-race card gets underway at 11:45 in the morning with the first Sunshine Millions event, the Filly & Mare Sprint ticketed for 1:14 in the afternoon.
www.santaanita.com
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