Glatt has Packy Ready for Sunshine Millions

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 26, 2005) -- Mark Glatt has a busy weekend in store.

The 32-year-old trainer will be at Gulfstream Park in Florida Saturday to saddle Packy in the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Ocala Stud Dash, and then fly across country to send out Elusive Diva in Sunday’s Grade I Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita.

Packy, a 3-year-old gray colt, was a handy 7 ½-length maiden winner in his debut last July at Emerald Meadows before Glatt received him from owners Larry and Veralene Hillis of Everett, Washington, who race as West Ridge Ranch LLC.

“I’m originally from the Northwest and I was acquainted with the owners when I trained in Seattle, so the owners called and said they were sending me a few horses and this was one of them,” Glatt explained. “He’s a very good horse.”

Packy is a California-bred by Petersburg, who is a son of Danzig.

“He’s a very solid Washington-based sire,” Glatt said of Petersburg. “Packy ended up being a Cal-bred but Petersburg has had several very good race horses in the Northwest area. Of the Petersburgs that have come to California, there haven’t been any real stakes horses, but overall, he’s had a good record.”

Packy was second in an optional claiming race for Cal-breds on Jan. 13 in his first start for Glatt. He was beaten 6 ½ lengths by Run Thruthe Sun, a Cal-bred trained by Peter Eurton who will face Packy again in the Dash.

Gary Boulanger rides Packy in the Dash, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds.

In other Sunshine Millions developments:
Depending on how he runs, Continental Red’s race in the $500,000 Warren’s Thoroughbreds Turf could be his last.

“If he runs poorly,” he could be retired, trainer Ian Jory said of the 9-year-old California-bred son of the late Flying Continental. “If he runs well, he will continue to race and go to Adam Kitchingman.”

Jory, who will leave in the middle of March to begin training in the Middle East, does not believe Continental Red has lost a step despite advancing years.

“If I have a concern,” Jory said, “it’s that the race will be too short for him.” Continental Red rallied to finish third on a “wet/fast” track in the San Gabriel at 1 1/8 miles, the same distance as Saturday’s race at Santa Anita.

Alphabet Kisses, 20-1 upset winner of the Grade I La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs, had options to run in other races but Marty Jones opted for the $500,000 Barretts/CTBA Distaff at Santa Anita.

“We could have gone in the Santa Monica or continued in the La Canada series,” the 33-year-old trainer said. “The money was a factor and it’s a tough race, but she’s doing well and Mr. Harris (owner John Harris) wanted to run here and she’s already won a Grade I so her value is established.”

If he had his druthers, Bill Currin would change two things for Memorette in the $250,000 Pepsi Oaks at Santa Anita. The California-bred daughter of Memo drew the rail in the six-furlong race, which is not expected to benefit her come-from-behind style.

“I’d prefer a better position and a longer race,” Currin said. “We hope there is a favorable pace and she avoids traffic problems.”

Memorette rallied from far back to win the seven-furlong California Breeders’ Champion Stakes by 1 ½ lengths last Dec. 27. She has a 2-1-1 record from six starts with earnings of $158,325 for Bill’s wife, Betty, who owns the dark bay filly.

Trainer Eric Kruljac hopes to start the $300,000 Vinery Farms Sprint with a bang. Make that Bang, as in the name of the 5-year-old gelding that will run in the six-furlong race for older horses.

“He’s coming up to the race very well and the owner wants to see his horse run here,” Kruljac said of the California-bred by Ballistic Billy-Ebony’s Fast Play. “It looks like a tough spot but you never know.”

Bang has a 7-0-3 record from 14 starts with earnings of $188,363 for owner William Hedrick of Sanger, California, near Fresno. It will be the first start at Santa Anita for Bang.

Paul Aguirre was Florida-bound Wednesday to saddle Scrofa in the $500,000 Cloverleaf Farms Filly & Mare Turf. “She’s been in Florida several days,” Aguirre said of the 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Unusual Heat, who won the Work The Crowd Handicap at Golden Gate in her last race on Dec. 26.

Track superintendent Steve Wood said 15-100ths of an inch of rain fell since early Wednesday morning and light drizzle was expected throughout Wednesday.

“But Saturday looks good,” he said.

First post time at Santa Anita on Sunshine Millions day is 11:45 a.m. Gates open at 10. The festive eight-race program worth $3.6 million, matching California-breds against Florida-breds in four races each at Santa Anita and Gulfstream will be televised nationally on NBC from 1-3 p.m.

Florida-breds won six of the eight races last year and won the competition on points, 45-27, based on five for first, three for second and one for third. Florida-breds also won the inaugural competition in 2003, 56-16, taking seven of eight races.

Sunshine Millions day offers a unique wagering menu and exciting on-track events including a Miss Sunshine Millions pageant, an infield party with live music, performances by the Pacific Dream Girls dance troupe, Sunshine Millions cheerleaders, free Sunshine Millions T-shirts to all THOROUGHBREDS members with paid admission while supplies last, and an after-party at Sirona’s.

This year’s Sunshine Millions race sponsors are: Barretts/CTBA (Distaff), Cloverleaf Farms (Filly & Mare Turf), Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company (Classic), Ocala Stud (Dash), Padua Stables (Filly & Mare Sprint), Pepsi (Oaks), Vinery Farms (Sprint) and Warren’s Thoroughbreds (Turf).

Horn blower Jay Cohen and his quartet and the Long Beach Mounted Guard will perform the National Anthem at 11:15 a.m.