East Hall has been first or second in five of his last six starts (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Only six were entered in Saturday's $250,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park, the highlight event on the Florida Sunshine Million card, but two of those runners will be renewing a rivalry that began on New Year's Day 2014 in the Gulfstream Park Derby.

Wildcat Red just missed by a head in that contest, and 2 1/4 lengths behind the bay colt in third was East Hall. The duo met off and on throughout the rest of the year, with Wildcat Red finishing in front on each occasion except for the last.

East Hall finally got the better of his opponent in the Millions Classic Preview on November 8, his final start as a three-year-old and his third win from four starts. Those other two wins were nice scores in the Ohio Derby and Grade 2 Indiana Derby for trainer Bill Kaplan.

East Hall was given a couple months off over the winter and returned to training at Gulfstream in late December, posting three swift works including a :59 4/5 clocking for five furlongs on January 10.

"I think there is room for improvement," Kaplan said in regards to his Graeme Hall trainee. "He really wants classic distances. We haven't run him farther than a mile and an eighth, and he's the type of horse that wants a mile and a quarter. He can run all day long. He’s got a wonderful cardio-vascular system and his demeanor helps him. He wants to go long, and I think he'll be best at classic distances."

Wildcat Red has proven his love for Gulfstream in the past, including a 10 1/4-length stakes romp (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography)

"I think the track is a factor here that helps him. His speed helps him on this track. The surface is best for him. It's better for him that he doesn't have to ship to race," Garoffalo said. "That's an advantage when you race on your home track and you have a horse that likes the track.

"He has the spirit of a fighter. He likes to be out front fighting with another horse. It makes him better, more aggressive. From now on, my instructions are going to be, 'Go to the lead. Don't worry about the fractions.'

"Personally, it's a gift to have a horse like that, especially for a guy like me who can't invest too much money in buying horses," Garoffalo added. "It's very rewarding because we have to pick a horse in our budget."

Transparent is one of the remaining four Classic entrants, and will try to upset the expected match-up between East Hall and Wildcat Red. The Bernardini five-year-old competed just three times last year, with two coming in the fall following a trip to Dubai which resulted in a fourth-placing against listed rivals. Transparent was unable to factor in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap in his 2014 finale, but could rebound here under jockey Javier Castellano.

Dame Dorothy is cross-entered to both the Distaff and Filly & Mare Turf (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Thirteen fillies and mares, including one New York-bred and two Pennsylvania-breds, were entered to go seven furlongs in the $150,000 Distaff.

Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap scorer Dame Dorothy will try to get back on the winning track after suffering her first career loss when third in the Grade 3 Comely Stakes on November 29. Also in with a chance are Swinger's Party and Flutterby, the respective top two in the Millions Distaff Preview; Grade 3 heroine Devil's Cave, Grade 1-placed and second in the Distaff a year ago; and Grade 1-placed stakes diva My Pal Chrisy, runner-up in the Florida Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint in 2014.

Ten, including two New York-breds, will line up in the $100,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Turf at 1 1/16 miles on Gulfstream's green. Bad Debt has captured the Millions Turf Preview for the past two years but was fourth in the 2013 Turf and third by a half-length last year.

"I hope this is his year," trainer Michael Trombetta said of his eight-year-old charge. "Hopefully, he's a good fit in the race. He comes into the race in good order. In the little bit of racing we've been able to get out of him this fall, he's run well for us."