Wildcat Red, East Hall ready for rematch in Sunshine Millions Classic

Wildcat Red will return to Gulfstream Park, the site of his last win, when lining up in the Sunshine Millions Classic (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Grade 2 hero Wildcat Red sizzled through a
five-furlong breeze over Gulfstream Park’s fast main track Sunday morning in
preparation for the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic on January 17.

With Carlos Olivero aboard, the four-year-old son of D’wildcat
went five-eighths in :57 2/5, getting the last eighth of a mile in :11, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.

“He worked very good, very impressive,” trainer Jose Garoffalo said. “I was really surprised because he was doing it without a big
effort. He galloped out very strong and came back very happy, bucking and
kicking. He’s ready to run.”

Josie Martino, who lives in Venezuela and owns Wildcat Red
with her husband, Salvatore Delfino, as Honors Stable Corp., was on hand for the
work, the bay colt’s fourth since ending his 2014 campaign running second to East
Hall in the Millions Classic Preview on November 8 at Gulfstream Park
West.

“I was telling my owner that I wish the race was next week because the horse
is doing better than ever, and he absolutely loves this track,” Garoffalo noted.
“He’s a different horse on this track. Next week he’ll
just have a routine breeze. We’re ready for the race.”

East Hall ended 2014 on a high note, scoring his third victory from four starts in the Millions Classic Preview (Leslie Martin/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Wildcat Red is likely to rematch with fellow Florida-bred Grade 2 winner East
Hall in the 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic. That Graeme Hall four-year-old looked good Sunday morning
one day following a five-furlong breeze in a sharp 1:00 2/5 over the fast
Gulfstream main track, the fifth-fastest of 24 horses at the distance on
Saturday.

It was the second work for East Hall since ending his 2014
season with a two-length victory over Wildcat Red in the Millions Classic Preview.

“He worked beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” trainer Bill Kaplan said. “We
just let him cruise around there. I said to just let him do whatever he wanted
to do down the lane, and he went nice.”

Jockey Juan Leyva was aboard for the work, but Kaplan said
Luis Saez will return to ride in the Sunshine Millions. Saez was up for victories in the Classic Preview and
Grade 2 Indiana Derby in East Hall’s past two races.

“There was nothing wrong with him; we just gave him a
little break,” Kaplan remarked on the chestnut gelding’s brief vacation. “He had a hell of a campaign. We took it easy on him
for a month and we’re just starting to bring him back now. He’ll have one more
work next week and then we’ll be ready to go.