Coastal Strike in Position for Pepsi Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2005) -- Coastal Strike will make her first start in nearly five months in Saturday’s $250,000 Pepsi Oaks, but trainer Cliff Sise Jr. is optimistic the 3-year-old California-bred daughter of Smart Strike is up to the task.

“She had a shin problem,” Sise said in explaining why the undefeated dark bay filly has not raced since last Sept. 1 at Del Mar, where she won her maiden race on July 23.

Coastal Strike drew post position 10 in the field of 12, elating Sise.

“She drew perfect,” he said. “I wanted the 8, 9, 10 hole and I got what I wanted. We can call the shots from that post position.”

Coastal Strike’s two victories have earned $89,520 for her owners, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams of Boise, Idaho.

Track superintendent Steve Wood said Saturday’s weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with no rain. The official forecast from Weather.com is “mostly sunny with a high of 65.”

In other Sunshine Millions developments:
*Juan Garcia expects a fast track and an improved performance from Dream of Summer in the $500,000 Barretts/CTBA Distaff, perhaps the most appealing race on the attractive card. “The track condition (wet/fast) confused her last time (when she finished third as the 2-5 favorite in the Kalookan Queen Handicap on Jan. 5),” the trainer said. “She was jumping up and down early but she closed real strong. She was full of run the last part.”

*Bob Baffert said “the weather’s got me a little bit nervous” and indicated there was an outside chance Yearly Report could run in Sunday’s Grade I Santa Monica Handicap “if the track is deep and heavy and slow” on Saturday. Jerry Bailey, named on Yearly Report in the Distaff, would not stay on to ride her Sunday. The assignment would go to Victor Espinoza, agent Tony Matos said.

*Revello has run in graded races in three of his last five starts, but Ted West thinks the $300,000 Vinery Farms Sprint at Santa Anita will prove as contentious, even though it does not have graded status.

“There probably isn’t much difference from this race to the ones he’s been running in because this race is so good,” said West, father of trainer Ted H. West. “It’s a tough race. Green Team (who drew the rail) to me is a legitimate racehorse. We sent Revello up north and Green Team beat him (at Bay Meadows last Sept. 11) and we sent Bluesthestandard up there and Green Team beat him (in the Oakland Handicap on Dec. 11) so he’s made a believer out of me. There are 13 horses in the race and it’s no easy spot.”

*Dan Hendricks on Cozy Guy drawing the rail for the $1 million Ocala Breeders’ Sales Classic at Gulfstream: “It’s a mile and an eighth track and a short run to the first turn so we’ll be able to save ground and let the speed go outside of us, which will make them work a little harder and that might be to our advantage. I’m hoping the field fans out and we can get a perfect position stalking in third or fourth.”

*Bear Fan should have a tactical advantage over defending Filly & Mare Sprint champion Mooji Moo because of the post position draw for the $300,000 Padua Stables Filly & Mare Sprint at Gulfstream, says Blake Heap, assistant to Bear Fan’s trainer, Wesley Ward. “Mooji Moo’s got the rail and we’ve got No. 4 so we ought to be in a stalking position just off the pace,” said Heap, who is in Florida with Bear Fan, where the 6-year-old California-bred daughter of Pine Bluff has had three consecutive bullet works at Palm Meadows. “Right now we’re sitting good. We just need some luck.”

*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.