2003 Sunshine Millions

Saturday, January 25, 2003

Sunshine Millions Spotlight
DEBONAIR JOE

This is the first in a series of articles on possible participants in the Jan. 25 $3.6 million Sunshine Millions.

ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 13, 2002) -- The Sunshine Millions was the farthest thing from Juan Silva's mind when the trainer sent out Debonair Joe for the $100,000 Vernon O. Underwood Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 7.

"We were just hoping he'd run good," Silva recalled of the 3-year-old Ole gelding.

Debonair Joe, the longest shot in the Underwood field at 52-1, won the Grade III six-furlong race by one-half length and the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at Santa Anita on Jan. 25 immediately became his next target.

"We're very proud of him," said Mira Loma Thoroughbred Farm's Joe Valenti, who with Craig Lewis bred Debonair Joe.

Valenti has another reason to be proud: The colt was named for him.

"We never looked at him as a 50-1 shot," he said, "and when he drew an outside post (eight in the Underwood field of nine), we thought he'd run well. Oles like to run on the outside."

Debonair Joe is the first graded stakes winner for the 16-year-old stallion. At the recommendation of J.R. McCutcheon, the Debonair Roger mare Malita was bred to Ole to produce Debonair Joe. A half-sister to Debonair Joe, Broadway Deb, a 2-year-old filly by 1995 Santa Anita Derby winner Larry The Legend, is on the verge of beginning her racing career. She is named for Joe Valenti's sister.

Sadly, Malita died of colic last year without producing another foal.

Claimed from his breeders for $12,500 at Fairplex Park in September, Debonair Joe took a circuitous route to the finish line in the Underwood. Jockey Julie Krone took him through traffic in the stretch to win in 1:09.17. The victory was the first in a stakes race for Krone since she returned to competition following 3 1-2 years in "retirement."

"When I threw a cross, this horse reacted so wonderfully," Krone exulted after the Underwood.
-- Larry Bortstein