Cal-bred News

Take II for Cal-breds in Sunshine Millions

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 24, 2004) -- California-breds Saturday doubled their Sunshine Millions win total and significantly boosted their purse earnings from a year ago, as Valentine Dancer and Silent Sighs won races on the $3.6 million card for California-breds and Florida-breds.

Valentine Dancer led a Cal-bred sweep of the $500,000 John Deere Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. The daughter of In Excess was bred by owners Al and Sandee Kirkwood.

Silent Sighs started the day nicely for California-breds, overcoming a rough trip for a hard-fought win in the $250,000 Ocala Stud Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park. The daughter of Benchmark was bred by owners Marty and Pam Wygod.

And Excess Summer, a son of In Excess, had the biggest payday of his career without even winning, finishing second in the $1 million Barretts/CTBA Classic. He was bred by Eddie Gregson and E.J. Hand.

Cal-breds took home $1,097,500 of the total purse money available with two wins, five seconds and two thirds, compared to last year's one win, three seconds, two thirds and $752,400 in purses. In the state vs. state competition, Florida won, 45-27, compared to its one-sided 56-16 score a year ago. The scoring is based on point totals of 5-3-1 awarded for first, second and third places.

Despite threatening skies, on-track attendance at Santa Anita Saturday was 18,888, compared to 17,537 last year. Total handle for the 10-race Santa Anita card was $18.48 million, compared to $19.71 million last year, virtually all of the difference being in inter-state wagering.

Frank Stronach, chairman of Magna Entertainment, which owns the two tracks, said the Sunshine Millions is having an impact on the state-bred industry and he would like to see even more.

"I'm quite sure we will improve on it year after year," he said. "I would like to see the purse, instead of a million (dollars for the Classic), I'd like to see two million. Right? It's good for the breeding community. We'd get better mares in California and Florida so Kentucky would not have a monopoly.

"I'm satisfied with the investment. The return won't come right away. But in the long run, we've got to get excitement into racing. I'd like to see different states competing. Competition makes the sport go 'round."

In the first Sunshine Millions a year ago, Adminniestrator's upset win of the $500,000 Barretts/CTBA Turf at Santa Anita was the lone Cal-bred victory. Adminniestrator was unable to duplicate that win, finishing eighth in this year's renewal of the Turf at Gulfstream Park.

In the first Sunshine Millions race of the day at Santa Anita Saturday, longshot Cal-bred Cheiron lost a head decision to the game Florida-bred Saint Afleet in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash for 3-year-old, with Don'tsellmeshort a close fourth. Cheiron, a son of Maria's Mon bred by The Thoroughbred Corp., went off at 11-1 coming off a maiden win. Odds-on favorite Ice Wynnd Fire was third.

Cal-bred Green Team, bred by Harris Farms and claimed for $32,000 last July, ran a game second in the $300,000 Padua Stables Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park behind easy winning Florida-bred odds-on favorite Shake You Down. It was Green Team's ninth consecutive race finishing first or second and increased his earnings to $468,202 in 30 starts.

Bold Roberta gave Cal-breds a second in the $300,000 Filly & Mare Sprint, three-quarters of a length behind Florida-bred 19-1 shot Mooji Moo, with Cal-breds Bear Fan and 54-1 shot Channing Way dead-heating for third. Bold Roberta, bred by S L U Inc. lost by less than a length at 45-1. Bear Fan, bred by Wesley Ward, broke last as the 3-2 favorite and had to weave her way through traffic. Channing Way, bred by owner Lawrence Becker, was making only her second start in the past year.