Sunshine Millions Classic Preview

by Patricia Woo | Jan 19 2009

This year, Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., will host the 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic on Saturday, Jan. 24. And even without multiple graded stakes winner Smooth Air and last year’s champion Go Between, the event will bring together a top-flight field – and much of that strength is coming from the Florida-based barns. Florida-bred Delightful Kiss, Macho Again and Dry Martini are among the nominees for the million-dollar race.

With the death of last year’s Sunshine Millions Classic winner Go Between  on Jan. 12 at the Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown, Fla., due to heart complications, as well as the decision of trainer Benny Stutts Jr. to have his charge Smooth Air skip the race, horse betting fans have been searching for a new race favorite. Look no further than $100,000 Gr. 3 Hal’s Hope Handicap winner Delightful Kiss, who put together a thrilling last-to-first performance at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 3. Trainer Pete Anderson is confident about his 5-year-old gelding’s chances – as long as he is able to stay in contention. "He runs best in the latter part of the races, so as long we’re in there, we’ll have a shot." Hobeau Farm’s Delightful Kiss has won a handful of races with his signature style – running off the pace before surging strongly – and a repeat performance of the Hal’s Hope Handicap is just what Anderson will be looking for. Regular rider Calvin Borel will likely get the call.

Macho Again’s toughest obstacle may not be the race itself – but clearing quarantine. Winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes, a $500,000 Gr. 2 race at Saratoga in July 2008, Macho Again finished the year with a disappointing sixth place finish in the Woodchopper Stakes at Fair Grounds Racecourse, a race that was meant as a prep for the Sunshine Millions Classic. But after trainer Dallas Stewart’s barn at Fair Grounds was suspected of harbouring the equine herpes virus, Macho Again may be forced to miss the race. Test results for the 2008 Preakness Stakes runner-up are expected back shortly.

Hoping to bounce back from a third-place finish in the $100,000 Gr. 3 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct in December is another Florida-bred, Dry Martini, who was outrun in the early stages of that race before managing to hang on for the show position. Trained by Billy Turner, Jr., the 6-year-old has showed flashes of brilliance, such as in the sloppy $100,000 Stuyvesant Handicap in November when he rallied from last to first.

Also among the nominated are Hey Byrn, Atoned and Palladio.

As part of Sunshine Millions Day, an eight-race extravaganza held annually at two race tracks (Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park), the Sunshine Millions Classic is the feature event of the series. Last year’s winner Go Between was the first Florida-bred champion in three years and he won in a time of 1:45.64. California-breds had prevailed in the three previous years: McCann’s Mojave in 2007, Lava Man in 2006 and Musique Toujours in 2005. Who will be the 2009 Sunshine Millions Classic champion?

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