2006 Sunshine Millions

Valentine Dancer a Hot Tamale

ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 18, 2006) -- Valentine Dancer was missing a vital piece of “equipment” in her last two starts of 2005, resulting, one of her owners believes, in the two poorest performances of her last 10 races.

Sandee Kirkwood, who, with bred and owns the 6-year-old mare with husband Al, is seeing to it that the missing equipment is restored when Valentine Dancer tries for an unprecedented third consecutive Sunshine Millions victory on Jan. 28 at Santa Anita.

The only runner to win the same Sunshine Millions race twice in the first three years of the bicoastal series for California- and Florida-breds, the bay daughter of In Excess (Ire)-Gilded Dancer, by Mr. Prospector, will seek a three-peat in the $500,000 Warren’s Thoroughbreds Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf.

The 1 1/8-mile grass race, which Valentine Dancer won at Santa Anita in 2004 and at Gulfstream Park a year ago, is the richest race exclusively for distaffers in the eight-race program.

The mare will know the equipment change has been made a day or two before the race. It’s something that goes in her mouth, but isn’t a new bit. It’s actually bits of chewy, fiery candy known as “Hot Tamales” that the mare seems to relish.

“I forgot to bring them down for her last two races,” Sandee Kirkwood, who lives with her husband in Vancouver, Wash., recalled of Valentine Dancer’s fifth place finish in the Lady’s Secret Handicap over Santa Anita’s dirt course in October, followed by her 11th-place disaster in the Cal Cup Distaff on grass on closing day of the Oak Tree fall meet.

“I really think she was missing her candy and didn’t run well without it. (Trainer) Craig (Lewis) keeps calling me to remind me to bring some down when we come.”

Lewis and jockey Jon Court also hope to be in the winner’s circle with Valentine Dancer after the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf for the third year in a row. The race, Valentine Dancer’s 29th, also could be the last of her career.

“We’ve been offered a breeding to Storm Cat,” Sandee Kirkwood said. “But we also could sell her, or even keep her in training. She’s the most successful horse we’ve had, so it’ll be tough on us when she’s done racing.”

Valentine Dancer’s name comes from the fact that she was foaled on Feb. 14, 2000. She has won eight of her 28 races and earned $1,114,215 in a solid, consistent career. Five of her victories have come on grass.

“She’s probably a little better on grass than she is on dirt,” Lewis said. “But she’ll make an excellent broodmare. She has everything you look for. She’s won on all surfaces, has run short and long, has shown speed and has shown she can handle a distance.

“If this is her last race, I know I’ll miss having her in the barn. You don’t get one like her every day.”
--Larry Bortstein