Cal-bred News

$1 million Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes
MCCANN’S MOJAVE

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo

HALLANDALE, Fla. (Jan. 27, 2007) – Longshot California-bred McCann’s Mojave held off a charge of Florida-breds down the stretch to score a 34-1 upset victory in Saturday’s $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

Graded winner McCann’s Mojave is a 7-year-old by Memo, out of the Nordic Prince mare Joni U. Bar, was bred by owners Alix Hunt and Mike Willman, trained by Steve Specht and was ridden by Frank Alvarado.

“I wanted to be right there (on pace),” said Alvarado. “When he’s in front, he’s a gamble. He’s not going to let anyone pass. He keeps going. He’s a fighter and has a big heart. At the quarter pole, I knew they had to come and get me. The trainer chose me and told me to ride the same way I do in Northern California and everything would be all right.”

McCann’s Mojave has 10 wins in 24 starts and with the victory became the 45th California-bred millionaire, with earnings of $1,174,955. A winner of the 2005 California Cup Classic, McCann’s Mojave was coming off a win in the Dec. 26 Union Square and was sixth in this race last year.

Willman, publicity director at Santa Anita, watched the race in his press box office atop the Santa Anita grandstand, cheered on by the local racing media. It was the third consecutive win in the Sunshine Millions Classic by a Cal-bred, following wins by Lava Man last year and Musique Toujours in 2005.

The victory continued the revival of McCann’s Mojave, who was winless for a year after his Cal Cup success and was relocated last year to Northern California, where he followed a seventh-place finish in the John Henry Handicap with wins in an optional claimer and the Union Square.

“I guess it was the change of scenery,” said Specht. “I don’t know that I’ve done anything special since getting this horse (in Nov). He’s a good horse to train. He’s a tough horse in his stall, but on the racetrack he does everything right.

“The biggest pot I’ve ever won before was a hundred and fifty thousand Cal Cup race, and that horse paid over a hundred dollars (to win). The owners just wanted to give this horse a shot up north (California). Sometimes these horses can get in a rut. Going against softer company, he’s been able to get his confidence back.

McCann’s Mojave won the three-quarters of a length and ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 4/5.

For McCann’s Mojave’s pedigree, click: http://www.pedigreequery.com/mccanns+mojave