Gulfstream Park Turf and Donn Handicap Results

On Saturday, Feb. 6, two top-notch races at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., were won in completely opposite fashion. While Court Vision was victorious in the Gulfstream Park Turf via a disqualification, Quality Road showed he was behind his Breeders' Cup Classic loading gate difficulties with a tremendous going-away win in the Donn Handicap.

In the Gulfstream Park Turf, a $300,000 Grade 1 race for 4-year-olds and up, trainer Todd Pletcher thought he had a winner in Take the Points, a 4-year-old son of Even the Score who won two consecutive Grade 1 races in 2009. During the race, Take the Points, with Edgar Prado aboard, stalked just off the pace behind Le Grand Cru before gaining ground in the stretch. Yate's Black Cat attempted to squeeze between the two horses but failed as Take the Points drifted inward, causing Yate's Black Cat to stumble and interfere with Le Grand Cru. From there, Take the Points took the lead and appeared to win the race while the duo of Court Vision and Robby Albarado got up for second place and France-bred Never on Sunday came in third.

But after a steward's inquiry, it was ruled that Take the Points had been the cause of the interference and he was bumped to fifth place. The disqualification meant that the Richard Dutrow, Jr.,-trained Court Vision, a 5-year-old son of Gulch, claimed his second career Grade 1 victory. He came into the Gulfstream Park Turf off a fourth-place finish in the $2M Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 7; the win improved his career race record to 20-7-2-4 and $1,777,430.

Todd Pletcher had much more luck in the Donn Handicap with Quality Road. Picking up right where he left off in 2009 – winning the $100,000 Gr. 3 Hal's Hope Handicap at Gulfstream Park - Quality Road was much the best in the $500,000 Gr. 1 Donn Handicap over the same track. This 1 1/8-mile race for 4-year-olds had several worthy rivals: It included Grade 2 winner Dry Martini, Grade 3 winner Duke of Mischief and speedy Past the Point. But jockey John Velazquez set his mount up perfectly for a flawless ride. After breaking first from the gate, Quality Road settled easily behind pacesetter Past the Point and remained there till the final turn. Once there, the 4-year-old son of Elusive Quality made a powerful move and simply ran away with the race. His margin of victory was a history-making 12 ¾-length victory over his nearest foe, Dry Martini. Not only that, Quality Road set a personal best for the 1 1/8-mile distance: 1:47.49.

Delightful Kiss, Mambo Meister, Helsinki, Past the Point, Kiss the Kid, Duke of Mischief and Dubai Gold rounded out the order of finish, but they were no match for the odds-on favorite.

Trainer Todd Pletcher was pleased with the effort: "He's been training great, and he's doing very well. Everything's gone according to plan."

With this win, Quality Road moves to 6-3-2-1 and $947,030 in career earnings.

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Horse Racing Odds: Santa Maria Handicap

Some of the biggest names in the older-female category of racehorses will be competing against each other on Saturday, Feb. 13 in the Santa Maria Handicap. This Grade 1 race for fillies and mares 4 years old is run at 1 1/16 miles and has a purse of $250,000. Life is Sweet, Zardana and St. Trinians are among the big names nominated.

Ever since winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park, Life is Sweet has been awaiting the perfect race for her 2010 debut. The 5-year-old daughter of Storm Cat was scratched by trainer John Shirreffs from the turf-run Gr. 2 $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap on Jan. 2 after looking less than 100 percent after a workout: "I sent her out for some exercise and she came back a little tight is all,” he said at the time, adding that the Santa Maria Handicap would be his trainee's next target. Life is Sweet won three straight races at Santa Anita Park at the beginning of 2009, including the $300,000 Gr. 1 Santa Margarita Handicap mid-March, and looks to be in top form for the Santa Maria Handicap; she had a recent breeze of 6 furlongs in 1:12.60 at Santa Anita Park. She finished 2009 with a record of 8-4-1-1 and $1,620,000.

Another John Shirreffs trainee likely to make her 2010 debut in Saturday's race is Brazil-bred Zardana. This 6-year-old mare had a breakout campaign in 2009, winning three of seven starts and $171,820. Her most notable win was her first graded stakes victory, the $150,000 Gr. 2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 5. Whether she will take to the synthetic track at Santa Anita Park as she did the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park will be a big factor in this Crimson Tide mare's success. In a recent workout at Hollywood Park, Zardana posted a 5-furlong breeze in 1:01.80.

Making waves after three straight victories upon arriving from Great Britain is St. Trinians, a 5-year-old Piccolo mare. Trained by Mike Mitchell, St. Trinians has taken to synthetic tracks, which seem to accommodate her unusual gait. She won her first stakes race – the $65,000 Paseana Handicap at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 9 – by 3 ¾-lengths but the jump up in class will be a formidable test. So far in 2010, she is 1-1-0-0 and has earned $42,420.

Last year, Joe Talamo rode Santa Teresita to victory in a time of 1:41.88. Who will win the 2010 edition of the Santa Maria Handicap? Bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!

Horse Racing Odds: Sunshine Millions Winners Results

For the eighth year, Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park hosted some of the top Florida- and California-bred racehorses in head-to-head competition on a single day. The Sunshine Millions has become a showcase for these two top Thoroughbred breeding states, and on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, horses from both states competed in six races – three at each racetrack – for a chance at purses totaling $1.8M.

GULFSTREAM PARK

Sunshine Millions Sprint: 6F, 4-year-olds and up, $200,000
As expected, last year's Sunshine Millions Dash champion This Ones for Phil was one of the frontrunners and he was sent off as the favorite. But he was put to the test by second choice Pashito The Che, who took to the front of the pack in a hurry under jockey John Velazquez. They raced one-two till the eighth pole when This Ones for Phil, under Eibar Coa, finally pulled even. And from there to the wire, it was a head-to-head match with This Ones for Phil prevailing by a nose in the final stride. His winning time was 1:08.81. This Ones for Phil is a 4-year-old gelding trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr. – this is his first win of the year.

Sunshine Millions Distaff: 1 1/16M, F&M 4 years old and up, $300,000
Florida-bred and race favorite Sweet Repent claimed her fifth straight win in the Distaff with an impressive show of power late in the race. Under jockey Manoel Cruz, Sweet Repent chased the leaders in third; Jessica is Back and Amazing fought for the lead as the race neared the last eighth of a mile. Under urging from Cruz, Sweet Repent found a higher gear and reeled in the leaders before drawing away for the win; Jessica is Back and Even Road rounded out the top three. Four-year-old Sweet Repent is trained by J. David Braddy for Buongirono A Tutti Stable.
 
Sunshine Millions Turf: 1 1/8M (T), 4-year-olds and up, $300,000
Taking advantage of a quick start and early speed, Marty Wolfson's Jet Propulsion essentially ran away with the Turf, leaving behind stablemate Pickapocket and last year's winner Soldier's Dancer in his wake. The 7-year-old was ridden by Julien Leparoux in a winning time of 1:33.93.

SANTA ANITA PARK

Sunshine Millions F&M Sprint: 6F, F&M 4 years old and up, $200,000
Top contender Dubai Majesty, with Julien Leparoux aboard, seemed to have the race in hand in the stretch but she was beaten by a determined Quisisana, under Rafael Bejarano, by a nose at the wire. Stalking the fast pace set by favorite Libor Lady, Quisisana waited till the stretch to turn on the speed and catch not only Dotsy Jean but Dubai Majesty for the win. Her winning time was 1:08.47. Five-year-old California-bred Quisisana is trained by Mike Puype.


Sunshine Millions F&M Turf: 1 1/8M (T), F&M 4 years old and up, $300,000
Fast-closing Tight Precision was guided to victory in the Turf by Joel Rosario, who kept the 5-year-old mare in perfect stalking position to take advantage of tiring leaders Bootleg Annie and Pretty Unusual. She blew by the leaders on the outside to win in 1:47.27; this was her third straight win on grass for trainer Thomas Proctor.

Sunshine Millions Classic: 1 1/8M, 4-year-olds and up, $500,000
Venerable 7-year-old champion Bold Chieftain, who is nearing retirement, showed he had at least one more spectacular race in him with his stunning victory in the Classic under Russell Baze. Third entering the stretch but boxed in, Baze found a seam between Unusual Smoke and Acclamation and Bold Chieftain shot through before overtaking Palladino for the win. Trained by Bill Morey, Jr., Bold Chieftain's winning time was 1:48.33. The Usual Q.T., expected to be a top contender, finished a disappointing last.

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