Grade 1 winner MIDAS EYES (Touch Gold) is one of the top draws for the
The complete Classic field, from the rail with riders and weights, is COZY
The $500,000
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House of Fortune will lead the post parade under a 120-pound impost that
includes Gary Stevens. Next comes Alphabet Kisses, Victor Espinoza, 120; DREAM
OF SUMMER (Siberian Summer), Mike Smith, 122; MINI SKIRT (Wild Again), Kent Desormeaux, 120; Yearly Report, Jerry Bailey, 120; REDOUBLED MISS (Adhocracy),
Tyler Baze, 122; SCARLETT MEMORIES (Diligence), Martin Pedroza, 120; FRIEL’S FOR
REAL (Sword Dance [Ire]), Abel Castellano, 122; SWEET LIPS (Kris S.), Rene
Douglas, 120; and Fencelineneighbor, Luis Jauregui, 122.
MOSCOW BURNING (Moscow Ballet), who finished second in last year’s $500,000
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf, is the one to beat in this year’s edition
at Gulfstream. The Jim Cassidy-trained mare captured the Sheepshead Bay H. (G2),
turned in a good fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and just
missed in her most recent start against males, finishing only three parts of a
length back in fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1), last season. She’ll square
off against 11 rivals in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile event, which was oversubscribed
by one.
The Filly & Mare Turf contestants, in post order with jockeys and imposts,
are MIDWIFE (Family Calling), Russell Baze, 120; MARWOOD (Marlin), Santos, 122;
Moscow Burning, Valdivia, 122; VOUS (Wild Rush), Joe Bravo, 120; SHALINI (Urgent
Request [Ire]), Valenzuela, 122; IOWA’S IMAGE (Halo’s Image), Manoel Cruz, 122;
SCROFA (Unusual Heat), Velazquez, 120; FORMAL MISS (Formal Dinner), Chavez, 122;
VALENTINE DANCER (In Excess [Ire]), Court, 122; CHANGING WORLD (Spinning World), Prado, 122; R OBSESSION (Notebook), Velasquez, 120; and TUCKED AWAY (Unusual
Heat), Kieren Fallon, 122. On the also-eligible list is RUSSIAN SWEETIEPIE
(Absent Russian), Velasquez, 122.
Santa Anita will host the $500,000
Turf and an overflow of 14 are on the
entry list for the nine-furlong affair. STAR OVER THE BAY (Cozzene), winner of
the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship (G1) last year at Santa Anita,
looks formidable, but he faces a couple of stiff challengers in Grade 2 hero
SILVER TREE (Hennessy) and Citation H. (G1) runner-up A TO THE Z (Benchmark).
SKYWALKER RED (Skywalker), who carries 122 pounds, drew the innermost post
with Desormeaux and will be followed in the post parade by RUNNING FREE (Soft
Gold [Brz]), Smith, 120; SUPER STRUT (Lil Tyler), Garrett Gomez, 122; A to the
Z, Espinoza, 122; ICY ATLANTIC (Stormy Atlantic), Douglas, 120; BOB’S PROUD
MOMENT (Proud and True), David Flores, 120; UNION PLACE (Out of Place), Javier
Castellano, 122; G P FLEET (Northern Afleet), Jose Martinez Jr., 122; Silver
Tree, Bailey, 122; CHEIRON (Maria’s Mon), Mark Guidry, 122; CONTINENTAL RED
(Flying Continental), Stevens, 122; and Star over the Bay, Tyler Baze, 122. The
also-eligibles are SEA HARBOR (Slewpy), Goncalino Almeida, 122; and STORMY ROMAN
(Future Storm), Guidry, 122.
SHAKE YOU DOWN (Montbrook), who easily captured last year’s $300,000
Sunshine
Millions Sprint at Gulfstream, is back to defend his title against 12 rivals at
Santa Anita. Top challengers include Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) third-place
finisher MY COUSIN MATT (Matty G) and AREYOUTALKINTOME (Smokester), who comes
off a nice score in the El Conejo H. (G3) over the main track. Also at Santa
Anita is the $250,000
Oaks for three-year-old fillies going six furlongs. MEMORETTE (Memo [Chi]) and COASTAL STRIKE (Smart Strike), who both captured
stakes in their last outing, are among the leading candidates in the 12-horse
field.
Three-year-old sprinters will contest the $250,000
Sunshine Millions Dash,
which attracted 10 entrants at Gulfstream. The South Florida track also offers
the $300,000
Filly & Mare Sprint, which features the smallest field of the day
but definitely holds some appeal with the likes of three-time Grade 2 queen BEAR
FAN (Pine Bluff) and defending heroine MOOJI MOO (Jeblar) among the six
entrants.