Santa Anita’s
Sunshine Millions Stable Notes

Dec. 29, 2004
LEADING TRAINER O’NEILL CHAMPIONS SUNSHINE MILLIONS
Doug O’Neill is but one of many horsemen anticipating the third annual Sunshine Millions at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29. The leading trainer at Hollywood Park with 17 victories is pointing Lava Man and Supah Blitz to the $1 million Classic at Gulfstream Park.

“The money, the time of the year and the way they cater to you makes it all very worthwhile,” O’Neill said of the day that matches California-breds against Florida-breds in four races each at the two tracks owned by the Magna Entertainment Corporation of Frank Stronach, who conceived the festive event.

“They pay for your shipping and it’s one of the few times in this business where management gives you incentive to run. It’s another example of if you put up the purse money, people will come.

“We should have more events like this. It definitely makes my life easier. We have a few horses we’re considering for the Sunshine Millions. Hopefully, we’ll have a lot of action.”

VALENTINE DANCER EYES SUNSHINE MILLIONS, WEATHER OR NOT
Valentine Dancer’s participation in Friday’s $100,000 Monrovia Handicap scheduled for about 6 ½ furlongs on turf is in the hands of the weatherman.

“I can’t make an intelligent decision at this point because it’s all based on the weather now, but she’s ready to run,” trainer Craig Lewis said of the 4-year-old California-bred daughter of In Excess, who numbers the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf 11 months ago among her six victories.

“She was going to run in the Monrovia but now we don’t know what we’ll do,” Lewis said. “There’s an outside possibility if the track looks good on Friday she could run on the main track (if the Monrovia is taken off turf) or we could come back in the Kalookan Queen on Wednesday (at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track). We’re just looking to get a prep race into her before the Sunshine Millions. We could run in the Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream or the Distaff on the dirt at Santa Anita. We haven’t made up our minds yet.”

Valentine Dancer, owned and bred by Al and Saundra Kirkwood of Ridgefield, Washington, has not raced since finishing sixth in the Fran’s Valentine last April 24 at Hollywood Park. In 18 career starts, the versatile filly has a 6-3-3 record with earnings of $605,006.

Probable for the Grade III Monrovia, which will be televised live on HRTV: Amy For Love, Victor Espinoza; Market Garden, Rene Douglas; Solar Echo, Gary Stevens; and Spring Festival, David Flores.