2003 Sunshine Millions

Saturday, January 25, 2003

In Excesses Eye Sunshine Millions

ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 31, 2002) -- In Excess (Ire.) made California stallion history throughout 2002, when he became the first sire to lead the state in both overall earnings and 2-year-old earnings since General Meeting in 1998.

In Excess, Vessels Stallion Farm's prized thoroughbred stallion, still was adding to his laurels in the final days of the year when a pair of his 2-year-old offspring won the $125,000, seven-furlong California Breeders' Champion Stakes at Santa Anita.

Excessivepleasure, his gelded son out of the Falstaff mare Pleasing, won the colts and geldings division by five lengths on Dec. 26.

The next day, Apocketfulofpesos, out of the Corporate Report mare Queen of Money, cruised to a three-length victory in the fillies division.

Both youngsters are poised to make more news for their newly-turned-16-year-old sire early in their 3-year-old campaigns, specifically in the Sunshine Millions on Jan. 25.

Trainer Doug O'Neill said Excessivepleasure will run next in the $250,000 Ocala Stud Dash at Gulfstream Park.

"If he stays sound, that would be the dream," O'Neill said after Excessivepleasure gave him his first training triumph of the meeting at Santa Anita. Excessivepleasure was jointly bred by Cypress Farms and Vessels Stallion Farm. Ty and Lee Leatherman of Granada Hills purchased him for $17,000 at Barretts. The gelding broke his maiden by 2 12 lengths in his career debut Nov. 16, going six furlongs.

Mike Mitchell, who trains Apocketfulofpesos, claimed the Mike Pegram-bred filly out of a maiden race at Hollywood Park on Nov. 9 for $40,000.

The filly's owners, who include Phil Belmonte of Simi Valley and Sean Gerson of Lake Forest, now should see their colors fly in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks.

"I thought I was a lucky son of a gun when we got her for $40,000 the day she broke her maiden," Mitchell said. "Now she's won a stake and the Sunshine Millions race is next for her."