Cal-bred News

Adminniestrator Returns, Connections Don't

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 20, 2004) -- For months, trainer Paddy Gallagher hoped to have Adminniestrator ready to defend his title in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Franks Farm Turf.

The gelded son of former Cardiff Stud Farm stallion Incinderator made history by winning the $500,000 Turf in 2003, the first Sunshine Millions event at Santa Anita.

His victory in the 1 1/8-mile grass race also was the only one achieved by a Cal-bred in the inaugural eight-race series.

Under the rotating schedule of the Sunshine Millions, the Turf is being run at Gulfstream Park this year. But while Adminniestrator is in Florida for Saturday’s renewal, Gallagher is not.

Owner Michael Gill and trainer Nick Canani claimed the gray 7-year-old for $80,000 at Santa Anita on Jan. 4. His fourth-place finish that day came in Adminniestrator’s first start since finishing sixth in the Grade I San Juan Capistrano Handicap on the closing day of Santa Anita’s 2003 winter meet.

“He came out of that race with soft tissue damage,” Gallagher recalled, “and I didn’t start him back in training until September. That (Jan. 4) race was supposed to be his prep for the Sunshine Millions. I would like to have tried to win it with him again.”

Adminniestrator, out of the Golden Eagle II mare Admiral Minnie, was claimed for $50,000 in June, 2001, by Nico Nierenberg of La Jolla. Going into Saturday, the horse has won nine of 37 starts and banked $732,221.

In the 2003 Sunshine Millions Turf, Adminniestrator rallied from last on the outside to get up in the final strides for a nose victory over Music’s Storm, a Florida-bred 5-year-old who is on the also-eligible list for Saturday’s second edition of the race.

Gallagher credits last year’s victory to a strong ride by David Flores.

“The horse was a little farther back early than I thought he’d be,” Gallagher said. “David had to save ground in the stretch and then pull out. He gave him a great ride.”

Barry Abrams, the trainer who preceded Gallagher in handling Adminniestrator, said the gelding always liked to run from the outside.

“We made about $250,000 with him before we lost him,” Abrams recalled. “He’ll run as you want him to if the rider keeps him on the outside.”

Flores will remain at Santa Anita on Saturday, when one of his Sunshine Millions mounts will be Hot Market for trainer Craig Lewis in the $1 million Classic. Martin Pedroza will ride Adminniestrator in Florida.

Though Gallagher and Nierenberg won’t win the Sunshine Millions Turf, they hope to have a say in the $500,000 John Deere Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita.

They’ll be represented in that 1 1/8-mile affair by Tucked Away, a 4-year-old chestnut daughter of Unusual Heat, out of the Be A Native mare Chemolo. Bred by Madeline Auerbach, Tucked Away has won three of her 13 lifetime starts and earned more than $100,000. --Larry Bortstein