SUNSHINE MILLIONS SIMULCAST SATURDAY;
CALIFORNIA DERBY SUNDAY AT GGF
The simulcast of the Sunshine Millions races from Gulfstream Park in Florida and Santa Anita in Southern California will be featured Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
The Sunshine Millions is a competition matching top California-bred horses against talented Florida-bred runners in eight stakes worth $3.6 million. Four of the stakes are run at Gulfstream and the other four at Santa Anita.
The schedule for the Sunshine Millions races is as follows: $300,000 Sprint at Gulfstream, 1:02 p.m.; $300,000 Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita, 1:14 p.m.; $250,000 Oaks at Gulfstream, 1:35 p.m.; $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita,
1:44 p.m.; $500,000 Distaff at Gulfstream, 2:02 p.m.; $250,000 Dash at Santa Anita,
2:15 p.m.; $500,000 Turf at Gulfstream, 2:32 p.m.; and $1 million Classic at Santa Anita, 2:46 p.m.
Northern California has three horses competing in the 1 1/8-mile Classic – McCann’s Mojave (the defending Classic champion), Bold Chieftain and Now Victory. McCann’s Mojave provided trainer Steve Specht and jockey Frank Alvarado with their first victories in a $1 million race when he scored a 33-to-1 shocker in last year’s Classic.
In the Filly and Mare Turf, Northern California has two hopes – the classy Somethinaboutlaura and 2007 California Cup Distaff champion Gentle Charmer. Somethinaboutlaura is a 6-year-old mare who has won 18 of her 31 career starts and $1,053,865. Gentle Charmer won the Cal Cup Distaff at odds of 54-to-1 on Nov. 3 at
Santa Anita.
Golden Gate Fields will simulcast the entire cards from Gulfstream (post time is
11 a.m.) and Santa Anita (11:45 a.m). Golden Gate Fields will present a nine-race program of its own and first post is 12:30 p.m.
Sunday is California Derby Day at Golden Gate Fields. Post time is 12:15 p.m. and fans attending the track will receive a free Golden Gate Fields fleece blanket. Post time for the California Derby, the eighth race on a special 10-race card, is 3:51 p.m.
The California Derby is a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds that serves as the Bay Area’s first prep race for the Kentucky Derby. The historic feature will have its 94th running Sunday with a full field of 12 set to start.
The California Derby lineup, in post position order, is as follows: Cafe Tortoni, Luis Contreras will ride; Robscarvic, Victor Espinoza; Victory Pete, Joe Talamo; Medjool, Michael Baze; Many Rivers, Frank Alvarado; Overland, Chad Schvaneveldt; Capture The Call, Russell Baze; Tres Borrachos, Martin Garcia; Bert’s Law, Kyle Kaenel; Spinning Sound, Francisco Duran; Yankee Bravo, Alex Solis; and Moonlit Master, Mario Gutierrez. All of the starters will carry 121 pounds.
Yankee Bravo, who is undefeated in two starts and coming off an impressive victory in the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 29, is the likely favorite in the California Derby.