More Than $1,000,000 Reasons to Bet Gulfstream, Santa Anita on Saturday

The eighth running of the Sunshine Millions takes place on Saturday, with Florida breds taking on California breds in six stakes races at two locales with $1.8 million in purses up for grabs.

The event was the brainchild of Magna owner Frank Stronach, and there is a point system to declare one of the two states a winner.

Horseplayers will pay little attention to the standings during the day, but they will be paying plenty of attention to the large and competitive fields, which makes the races very attractive from a wagering perspective.

After all, that is all that matters, right?

The action kicks off at Gulfstream Park and the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint, which drew a field of seven runners who will go six furlongs on the main track.

This Ones for Phil is a two time winner over the surface at Gulfstream Park, taking the Sunshine Millions Dash last January, and won the Swale Stakes (G2) in March thanks to the stewards, who disqualified the winner Big Drama for interference.

The Richard Dutrow trainee beat optional claimers at Laurel Park in November, which was his first start off a 5 ½ month break.

The four year old will have his hands full with Pashito the Che, who had a three race win streak snapped last out when he came up a nose shy in the Gravesand Handicap at Aqueduct.

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The four year old colt has landed in the exacta in 10 of his 12 career starts and will be adding blinkers to the mix today for trainer Scott Lake.

The $200,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff drew a field of nine fillies and mares who will go nine furlongs on the main track.

Sweet Repent comes into the race riding a four race win streak, three of those victories coming by a nose, all four wins over the main track at Calder.

In her last start on Dec. 26, the filly made a good late rally to get up in the final jump to win the Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3).

The filly will have to deal with Amazing again, the mare coming out on the wrong end of the photo in the Stage Door Betty, as well as Jessica Is Back, who is in the best form of her career since landing in the Marty Wolfson barn.

The six year old mare made 34 starts without earning a triple digit Beyer Speed Figure, and since Wolfson took over the training duties, she has hit that plateau in four of her last five starts.

A field of eleven will line up in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf, which will be contested at nine furlongs on the grass course.

Soldier’s Dancer won the Turf last year when it was contested at Santa Anita, running down Presious Passion in that outing.

The six year old has won 10 of 24 starts on turf, and will be tough to beat as the likely short priced favorite.

The first of the trio of stakes at Santa Anita is the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint, which drew a competitive field of 13 fillies and mares, who will do battle at six furlongs over the Pro Ride surface.

The Greg Gilchrist trainee High Resolve is back to defend her title, but after winning the race at Gulfstream Park on conventional dirt last year, she will have to run over the Pro Ride today. The five year old mare is 0 for 4 on synthetic surfaces in her career.

The lightly raced Miss McCall won her stakes debut in the Phoenix Stakes last out at Turf Paradise on dirt after wining back to back on Pro Ride here in her two previous starts.

Ur All That I Am has won six of nine starts on synthetic surfaces in her career, and is coming off a solid runner up finish in the Kalookan Queen Stakes in her most recent start.

The $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf drew a competitive field of eight fillies and mares who will go nine furlongs on the grass course.

Trainer Tom Proctor sends out a pair of five year old mares, and they both appear to have a good shot of hitting the winners circle.

Closeout is coming off a solid runner up finish at Tampa Bay Downs in allowance company. She ran second to a nice mare in Lemonette, who is graded stakes placed.

Proctor will also saddle Tight Precision, who was a smart looking winner last out against third level optional claimers last out over the turf course at Gulfstream Park going a mile.

The mare ran a solid second behind Acoma last fall at Keeneland in the Valley View (G3).

The marquee event of the day is the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, which features a pair of streaking four year olds.

The Usual Q.T. comes into the Classic riding a six race win streak, all on turf. The gelding has never been in better form, but he sports a 0 for 4 mark on synthetic surfaces in his career.

The red hot barn of Martin Jones sends out Compari, who has won four races in a row since running third in his debut last February.

The gelding returned off a eight month layoff to beat first level allowance foes in December, then took the Sensational Star Handicap in his last start going 6 ½ furlongs on the downhill turf course.

The gelding looks primed for a good effort in his third start off the bench, and won the Snow Chief against California breds at Hollywood Park going nine furlongs last April.

The Sunshine Millions is based on a cumulative total of points for all races taking place at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita Park. 

Points are allocated so that the winner of each of the six races receives 5 points.  Each second place winner will receive 3 points and 1 point is awarded for third place.

At the end of the day, the results are tallied for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in all six races and the state with the most points wins.

However, the only thing horseplayers will be tallying up at the end of the day is their bankroll.

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