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Sun shines in Athenia Jane Schosberg's SUNSHINE FOR LIFE (Giant's Causeway) was allowed an early lead without pressure in the $100,000 Athenia H. (G3) at Aqueduct on Saturday, and the Kentucky-bred was never headed en route to a 23-1 upset. Piloted by Channing Hill for Richard Schosberg, the four-year-old dictated splits of :24 2/5, :48 1/5, 1:12 and 1:35 2/5, and only had to hold off a late run from Criticism (GB) (Machiavellian) in the latter stages to earn her first stakes win. "No one really wanted to go with me, so I thought, 'I'll show them the way to the finish line,'" Hill said. The Sunshine For Life completed 1 1/16 miles on the firm lawn in 1:41 2/5 and paid $49, $17.20 and $5.80. "That helped our economy a little bit," Schosberg quipped after the win. "Channing did a fantastic job on her. He calls it 'walking the dog.' For her next start, the timing is good for the (November 1) Long Island H. ([G3] at Aqueduct)." Criticism rallied well from midpack and finished two lengths clear of her nearest foe. The 6-1 third choice returned $10 and $4.60 while completing the $492 exacta. Criminologist (Maria's Mon), the 3-5 choice, was in good position at the top of the lane but had little punch in the final furlong. The favorite paid $2.10 for third and capped the $1,415 trifecta (6-2-3). Waquoit's Love (Not For Love) was another 1 1/4 lengths back and followed by Oh Deanne O (Dynaformer), Social Queen (Dynaformer) and Classic Neel (El Corredor), while Marie Rossa (GB) (Testa Rossa) was withdrawn. Sunshine for Life upped her line to 11-4-1-1, $201,072, while making good in her stakes debut. She was bred in the Bluegrass State by Buckram Oak Farm and fetched a bid of $385,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Produced by the winning Exclusive Native mare Million Stories, the chestnut was preceded in stakes glory by Grade 3 winner Tubrok (Rahy). This is the same female family as 1989 French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) heroine Pearl Bracelet (Lyphard) and recent Pennsylvania Derby (G2) victor Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop).
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