A pair of Grade 1 winners took it on the chin Saturday in the two Sunshine
Amazombie, dismissed as the 11-1 fifth choice in a field of eight, returned
“I probably could’ve stayed down (on the rail) and followed Cost of Freedom,
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Bred by Gregg Anderson, Amazombie was making his stakes debut in the Sunshine
Millions. He had previously won five times in overnight company, most recently
in a six-furlong allowance/optional claimer on the Hollywood Park turf December
5. His record now stands at 15-6-3-2, $308,708.
Produced by the winning Wilshe Amaze (In Excess [Ire]), a half-sister to
multiple stakes winner Flom’s Prospector (Native Prospector), Amazombie is a
half-brother to an unnamed juvenile filly by Golden Gear. This is the family of
multiple stakes winner and Grade 2-placed Al the Doctor (Valiant Dancer).
The first race of the Sunshine Millions series, the $200,000
Filly
and Mare Sprint at Gulfstream Park, was won by Steven Michael Bell’s AEGEAN
(Northern Afleet), who held off a belated inside challenge from Jessica Is Back
(Put It Back) to win by a nose under Jeffrey Sanchez. Never more than two
lengths off the leaders while tracking four wide down the backside, the 9-1
chance moved into contention around the far turn, took a slim lead in the
stretch and fought gamely to last in a time of 1:09 3/5 over the fast main
track. She returned $20.20, $9.40 and $6.
“The plan was to let the speed go and take a hold of her and sit about a length
off the pace,” Sanchez said. “She waited a little bit on the other horses in the
stretch, but when I hit her with the whip left-handed she really took off.”
Jessica is Back, last season’s Princess Rooney H. (G1) winner, was sent off
at 13-1 following a disappointing effort in the Sugar Swirl S. (G3) two weeks
ago. She responded better this time, saving ground throughout and narrowly
missing with a final lunge. She had three parts of a length up on the
lightly-raced Feel That Fire (Lightnin N Thunder), a 6-1 chance who edged 62-1
shot Musical Romance (Concorde’s Tune) for third. Feel That Fire had traded
leads with Wildcat Heiress (Wildcat Heir) through splits of :22 1/5 and :45, but
couldn’t quite hold on in an encouraging stakes debut.
Following Musical Romance were 6-5 favorite Amen Hallelujah (Montbrook), who
was making her first start since running second in the Acorn S. (G1) last June,
North Rodeo (Stephen Got Even), Belle of the Hall (Graeme Hall), Broken Dreams
(Broken Vow), Wildcat Heiress and My Irish Girl (Closing Argument). Sweetlalabye
(Sweetsouthernsaint) was scratched.
Aegean captured her first two starts, including the Kentucky Juvenile S. (G3)
against males, but following an unsuccessful trip to Royal Ascot in England it
would be more than a year before she entered the winner’s circle again. Her form
began to take a turn for the better last fall when she finished third in the
Flashy Lady S. at Remington Park, which was then followed by a 7-1 upset score
in the Dream Supreme S. at Churchill Downs, the site of her Grade 3 win the year
before. She preceded this with a fifth in the Lightning City S. at Tampa Bay
Downs on the turf. Her record now stands at 13-5-0-2, $329,532.
“She was very good in her first two races. It took a long, long time to get her
back on her best game after the trip to England, but she started to get going
good last fall winning the race at Churchill Downs on Breeders’ Cup weekend,”
trainer Wesley Ward said. “The goal this year will be the (Breeders’ Cup) Filly & Mare Sprint
(G1)
at Churchill. I want to space her races out pretty good from here, so I don’t
have anything picked out just yet.”
Bred by Vegso Racing Stable in Florida, Aegean was a $70,000 yearling
purchase at OBS August. She is the first foal from the Aptitude mare Apt to
Star, who has reared a juvenile filly named Park Star (Good Reward) and a
yearling full sister to Aegean. Aegean’s second dam is stakes victress Sweeping
(End Sweep), and she comes from the family of Grade 3 winners Sky Terrace
(Skywalker), I Rejoice (Lord Gaylord), Millencolin (Dehere) and I’m a Thriller
(Tri Jet).