2003 Sunshine Millions

Saturday, January 25, 2003

Cal-breds Run Deep in Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 21, 2003) – Florida-bred graded stakes winner Atlantic Ocean did not scare away California-bred opponents, as 10 entered Saturday’s $250,000 John Deere Oaks on the Sunshine Millions card at Santa Anita.

Valentine Dancer will be making only her third career start after impressively breaking her maiden Thursday following a seven-month layoff. She is a daughter of In Excess, out of the Mr. Prospector mare Gilded Dancer, and was bred by owners Al and Sandee Kirkwood.

Humorous Lady will be out to make amends for her sixth-place finish as the favorite in the Dec. 27 California Breeders Champion Filly Stakes. The winner of the Grade II Astarita, she is a daughter of Distorted Humor, out of the It’s the One mare My Glamorous One, was bred by Malibu Valley Farms and sold at Barretts for $27,000. She has four wins and $211,970 in earnings.

Buttertart looks for her first stakes win after scratching out of the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes over the weekend. Buttertart is by High Brite, out of the Interco mare Miss Intergreen, and was bred by Double Bar S Ranch. Her lone win was in a maiden special weight but she was runner-up in the California Cup Juvenile Fillies and is coming off a fourth-place finish in the California Breeders Champion Fillies Stakes.

Thunder’s Echo broke her maiden Dec. 14 and was fifth in an optional claimer Dec. 31. She is by Swiss Yodeler, out of the Time to Explode mare King's Thunder, and was bred by Derek Meredith.

Forthelifeofme is by Indian Charlie, out of the Fit to Fight mare Run For My Life, and was bred by Nancy Yearsley J. Garvin Kelly. She will be making her first start since May, a third-place finish in the Nursery Stakes.

Long Term Wish is coming off a second-place finish in the Dec. 27 California Breeders Champion Filly Stakes. She is by Souvenir Copy, out of the Nashwan mare Warmest Wishes, and was bred by John and Betty Mabee. She is a half-sister to graded winner Worldly Ways.

Miss Nicolie most recently was seventh in the Great State Challenge Juvenile Filly, but she earlier won the Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar. She is by Walter Willy, out of the Chief's Crown mare Lady Snerd, and was bred by owner Ron Gomez.

Pocketfullofpesos, claimed for $40,000, is on a three-race win streak, most recently taking the $125,000 California Breeders Champion Filly Stakes. She is by In Excess, out of the Corporate Report mare Queen of Money, and was bred by Mike Pegram.

My Kai was second in a Dec. 5 optional claimer, her second career start and first in eight months. She is by In Excess, out of the Rollicking mare Rollicking Amy, and was bred by Vessels Stallion Farm and Lucas Racing. She was a $60,000 Barretts purchase.

Stonecoldfox is the also-eligible. She ran fourth in a Dec. 5 optional claimer. She is by In Excess, out of the Diamond Prospect mare Olde Elegance, and was bred by Vessels Stallion Farm.