Cindy's Horse Racing Website Index

2005 Sunshine Millions Results

Date: 01/29/2005

On Saturday, Magna Entertainment Corporation hosted the third annual Sunshine Millions, featuring eight stakes races for horses bred in California and Florida only. Despite the restricted nature of the stakes, the races were very competitive with some longshots lighting up the toteboard while some highly regarded favorites didn't do as well as expected. Like the first two years, the Florida-breds scored the most points to take home bragging rights with 44 points vs. 28 for the Cal-breds, but a California-bred took the main event as Musique Toujours won the $1 million Classic.

In the showcase event of the afternoon, the $1 million Classic for older horses at 1 1/8 miles pver the newly rennovated Gulfstream course, longshot Musique Toujours held off another longshot Zakocity in the lane to win, paying over $142 to win. Favorite Midas Eyes went wide around both turns having started in the 11 post and was finished at the top of the lane. Winning trainer John Sadler said, "When we were talking about a million-dollar race, realistically, we were talking about just getting on the board. To win is a great thing. I think this horse is better than he was last year because we gave him a little rest after Del Mar. He had some fast races before. He had run a '2' on the sheets, which is a system we use, so we knew he could run a race like this."
Results Chart

At Gulfstream, the $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf saw a repeat winner, as defending champion Valentine Dancer won easily over longshot Marwood as heavy favorite Moscow Burning failed to fire at the top of the stretch. Winning owner Al Kirkwood said, "After she won last year we figured we couldn't get much higher. She's a sweetheart, wonderful to be around. She just loves to run on Sunshine Millions. She's a homebred out of a Mr. Prospector mare and about a year after she was born we lost the mare, so we've always had high hopes for her. We're hoping she can be our first homebred millionaire. She's close. We'll have to go out and win another one next week or something."
Results Chart

Older fillies and mares went in the $500,000 Distaff at Santa Anita at 1 1/16 miles. Sweet Lips closed well from 10 lengths back early on, shaking off Fencelineneighbor and Dream of Summer in the final 1/16 for the win. Winning rider Rene Douglas said, "I don't worry about the price, I knew she was doing good, and Bobby (Frankel) and I were really confident that she was going to run big. I knew the distance was no problem for her. There was no game plan, we were just going to have patience and make sure we didn't get stopped once she made her move."
Results Chart

The $500,000 Turf at Santa Anita was the first distance event of the afternoon, with older horses going 1 1/8 miles. The grey Star Over The Bay dueled with A to the Z through the length of the stretch but never yielded, prevailing by 1/2 a length. Winning jockey Tyler Baze said, "Unbelievable, that horse. He's so strong, he has enough speed and everything. I knew Mike (Mitchell) would have him ready and fit today, with the rain yesterday I was a little concerned about the track, he doesn't like a soft track. But he's got so much heart. A to the Z came up and went by me by a neck at least. That's when I hit him left-handed and he laid it down and gave it everything he had."
Results Chart

The action began at Santa Anita. In the Oaks for 3-year-old fillies sprinting 6 furlongs, Jerry Bailey took 20-1 longshot Hot Storm out of the widest post, stalked the early pace around the turn, and then found room on the inside to gain the advantage and hold off the late running second choice Memorette. JoAnne McNamara, assistant to winning trainer Dallas Stewart, said, "It was great. You just don't know how you compare when you're seeing the Florida-breds and the California horses because they really haven't competed each other so you don't know exactly where you stand. She was very sharp in the paddock. There was a ton of speed in the race and I told Jerry (Bailey) we could just sit and see how it develops from the outside. That's just how he saw it and that's just what happened and we got really lucky."
Results Chart

The $300,000 Filly and Mare Sprint at Gulfstream Park, Alix M upset heavy favorite Bear Fan, when the latter was slow out of the gate. Bear Fan was off a tad slow but hooked defending champ Mooji Moo, nearing the far turn. Those two fought a spirited duel as Alix M swung to the outside for the stretch run. Mooji Moo faded along the rail as Bear Fan fought on, but the winner was much too strong in the lane. Winning trainer Richard Spatz said, "I really wanted her to be just off the pace, so I was pleased the way the race set up. She looked good turning for home and when he (Cornelio Velasquez) got to scrubbing on her, I knew we had a good chance to win it. I was a little concerned if she'd handle the track because her breeze last week was just mediocre, but when she runs she's all business. She's six for 10 right now. Maybe I'll give her a break now. I really haven't looked that far ahead."
Results Chart

Back at Santa Anita, older horses went in the $300,000 Sprint at 6 furlongs. 45-1 shot Red Warrior stunned the crowd with a late run, coming around wide on the turn and then wearing down 10-year-old Full Moon Madness in the final strides to prevail. Winning trainer Juan Garcia said, "I told Garrett (Gomez) to let him break, follow the speed and let him relax. This is a horse of the future. If he stays sound and he goes a mile he probably going to be a better horse."
Results Chart

The $250,000 Dash at Gulfstream featured 3-year-old males sprinting 6 furlongs. Potential Triple Crown entrant Lost in the Fog led gate to wire to prevail by 6 lengths under Russell Baze. Winning trainer Greg Gilchrist said, "Right now we're just going to enjoy this. We haven't decided which way we might go with him as far as stretching him out. There's a race here (the Grade 2, $150,000 Swale on March 5) at 7 furlongs and we might look at running him back in that. There's not much temptation for me to put this horse on the Derby trail. I would like to stretch him out and see if it will work out, but I'm going to do what's best for the horse. I think he can stretch out. The decision will be made in the next week."
Results Chart

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