SUNSHINE MILLIONS SIMULCAST, CAL DERBY
HIGHLIGHT BIG WEEK AT GOLDEN GATE FIELDS
The simulcast of the Sunshine Millions on Saturday and the 94th running of the California Derby on Sunday highlight this week’s racing 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 Park in Florida and the other four at Santa Anita in Southern California.
Golden Gate Fields will simulcast the entire Saturday programs from both tracks. Post time at Gulfstream Park is 11 a.m. and first post at Santa Anita is 11:45 a.m. Golden Gate Fields will start its nine-race program at 12:30 p.m.
Northern California will have three horses competing in the richest event in the Sunshine Millions, the $1 million Classic at Santa Anita. The Bay Area will be represented in the 1 1/8-mile race by 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.
Northern California has two hopes in the $500,000 Filly and Mare Turf – 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.
Post time for Sunday’s big California Derby Day program is 12:15 p.m. and fans attending the track will receive a free Golden Gate Fields fleece blanket.
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. Entries for the California Derby will be taken Thursday and a large field is expected for the feature.
Bert’s Law and Many Rivers, who ran second and third, respectively, in the Gold Rush Stakes, are among the horses confirmed to start in the California Derby.
The racing week at Golden Gate Fields begins Thursday with an eight-race program. Post time is 12:45 p.m.