Santa Anita Stable Notes

By Ed Golden
HENDRICKS POINTS COZY GUY, DON’TSELLMESHORT
TO SUNSHINE MILLIONS

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2005) -- Cozy Guy, upset winner of the California Cup Classic last October, will make his next start in the Sunshine Millions on Jan. 29, but which race remains to be seen.

“He’s nominated for both the Turf and the Classic,” trainer Dan Hendricks said. “Most probably we’re going to Florida. I think Mike Smith’s going to ride him, but if not, we’ll find someone else.”

The third annual Sunshine Millions offers $3.6 million in purses and showcases four races each matching California-breds against Florida-breds at Santa Anita and Gulfstream Park. The $1 million Classic at 1 1/8 miles will be held at Gulfstream this year, while the $500,000 Turf at 1 1/8 miles takes place at Santa Anita.

“The Cal Cup, Gold Rush Day and the Sunshine Millions are great events to point to with Cal-breds,” Hendricks said. “It’s fun racing and a lot of money. It’s just a good deal.”
Hendricks also plans to run Don’tsellmeshort in the $300,000 Sprint at Santa Anita.

“He actually ran pretty good the other day,” Hendricks said, referring to the gray colt’s sixth-place finish in Sunday’s El Conejo Handicap at 5 ½ furlongs on a “sloppy” track. “He ran out of the one hole, he didn’t get off good, he was coming off two route races and he only got beat five lengths by some top sprinters. He had nowhere to run the whole race.”

Don’tsellmeshort, a 4-year-old son of Benchmark, has a 4-4-2 record with earnings of $402,365 for owner Cecil Peacock of Calgary, Alberta.

First post time at Santa Anita on Sunshine Millions day is 11:45 a.m. The eight-race, one-day festival will be televised nationally on NBC from 1-3 p.m.