Gulfstream's Sunshine Millions draw overflow fields

Overflow fields highlight the fifth annual Sunshine Millions events at Gulfstream Park

on Saturday. Although Santa Anita will stage four of the eight-race series

pitting Florida-breds against California-breds, the Hallandale, Florida, track

will be the site of the feature race.

The $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic S. drew a field of 14, but only 12 will be

allowed to line up in the nine-furlong event. Captured last year by Eclipse

finalist Lava Man (Slew City Slew), the 2007 event features Grade 2 winner SWEETNORTHERNSAINT (Sweetsouthernsaint).

The four-year-old gelding was a major Triple Crown contender last year,

running seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and finishing second

in the Preakness S. (G1) before taking the rest of the summer off.

Sweetnorthernsaint returned in mid-October to win an allowance/optional claimer

at Laurel Park, and followed up with an easy 8 1/4-length score in the Odessa S.

at Delaware Park. He used the Hal's Hope H. (G3) as his final prep for the

Sunshine Millions, running third while making his four-year-old

bow, and will have regular rider

Ramon Dominguez aboard on Saturday.

SILVER WAGON (Wagon Limit) captured the 2003 Hopeful S. (G1), then proceeded

to run close in stakes for the next two years. Among the placings

he recorded in 2005 were a second in the Metropolitan H. (G1) and a third in the Forego

S.

(G1), as well as fourths in the Vosburgh S. (G1) and Cigar Mile H. (G1). Last year, the six-year-old earned his first stakes win

since the Hopeful, taking the Sport Page Breeders' Cup H. (G3) in early

November. He returns here off that win with Edgar Prado in the saddle.

Other contenders for the Sunshine Millions Classic are Grade 2 victor

MCCANN'S MOJAVE (Memo [Chi]), hero of the Union Square S. last out; three-time

stakes winner TEXCESS (In Excess [Ire]), successful in the October 28 California Cup

Classic H.; and ARMENIAN SUMMER (Siberian Summer), second by a nose in the San Pasqual H. (G2) earlier this month.

The full field, with riders and weights, is DRY MARTINI (Slew Gin Fizz),

Cornelio Velasquez, 120; GET FUNKY (Straight Man), Jose Valdivia Jr., 120;

SUMMER BOOK (Notebook), Mark Guidry, 122; BLAZING RATE (Exchange Rate), Jose

Velez Jr., 120; Silver Wagon, 122; REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit), Manoel Cruz, 120;

PAPI CHULLO (Comeonmom), Mike Smith, 122; McCann's Mojave, Frank Alvarado, 122;

Texcess, Garrett Gomez, 122; BOB'S PROUD MOMENT (Proud and True), Rafael

Bejarano, 122; Armenian Summer, John Velazquez, 122; and Sweetnorthernsaint, 120.

The also-eligible list comprises GOTTCHA GOLD (Coronado's Quest), Kent

Desormeaux, 120; and HALOS SAILING SAIN (Halo's Image), Joe Bravo, 122.

Beverly Hills H. (G2) queen MEMORETTE (Memo [Chi]) heads an overflow field of

13 in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf S. The 1 1/8-mile turf test

will be the Bill Currin charge's five-year-old bow, as she was last seen running

off-the-board in the Dahlia H. (G2) at Hollywood Park. Memorette captured the

Beverly Hills last June and then finished a close fifth in the

John C. Mabee H. (G1) at Del Mar. She'll have to tote 122 pounds, most of which

will be taken up by Desormeaux.

BAYOU'S LASSIE (Outflanker) has finished off-the-board only once in her

eight-race career, owning six wins. The four-year-old dark bay had a three-race

win streak broken when second in the My Charmer H. (G3) two back, but quickly

rebounded off that to take the Frances A. Genter S. (G3) at Calder by a

head. She'll be making her first start away from the Miami Gardens, Florida,

track in this one, but brings regular pilot Elvis Trujillo in for the ride.

PRIVATE BETTY (Lost Soldier) will lead the post parade while carrying 120

pounds, including Prado. She'll be followed by Memorette; HOWABOUTRIGHTNOW

(Montbrook), Emma-Jayne Wilson, 120; Bayou's Lassie, 120; FORMAL MISS (Formal

Dinner), Cruz, 122; MAY NIGHT (Gulch), Gomez, 120; MISS SHOP (Deputy Minister),

Bejarano, 120; FORTUNATE EVENT (Event of the Year), Michael Baze, 122; TIGER

BELLE (Tiger Ridge), Guidry, 122; PROP ME UP (Reparations), Bravo, 122;

RICH IN SPIRIT (Repriced), Jose Lezcano, 122; and CHARMSIL (Silver Charm),

Javier Castellano, 122.

SAINT KNOWS (Sweetsouthernsaint) would carry 120 pounds under Cruz if she

draws in from the also-eligible list.

Last year's Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint S. winner, HOT STORM

(Stormy Atlantic), will be going for a title defense in Saturday's $300,000

running of the six-furlong event. The Dallas Stewart-trained five-year-old has

won on Sunshine Millions day for the past two years -- taking the Filly & Mare

Sprint by 1 3/4 lengths last season and scoring in the 2005 Sunshine Millions

Oaks S. by a head -- but both came at Santa Anita. The bay mare is no stranger

to travel, however, capturing stakes at four different tracks and placing in

black-type events at six more.

Looking to dethrone the Sunshine Millions queen are 13 other distaffers,

including Grade 1 victress SWAP FLIPAROO (Exchange Rate). The four-year-old gray

is returning off a third in the First Flight H. (G2) in early November, and

returns to the site of her runner-up finish in the Old Hat S. (G3). Last year's

Sunshine Millions Oaks runner-up, A SEA TRIPPI (Trippi), and multiple Grade 3

winner BETTARUN FAST (Kelly Kip) will also be in the mix.

WEE BIT FANCY (Dominique's Cat) drew the rail post under Michael Baze and

will have to carry 121 pounds. To their outside will be COLI BEAR (Formal

Dinner), Dominguez, 121; THE YELLOW SHEET (Benchmark), Valdivia, 122; GN. GROUP

MEETING (General Meeting), Fernando Jara, 122; SHAGGY MANE (Bertrando), Guidry,

121; DOUBLE DELTA (Double Honor), Bravo, 121; GETCOZYWITHKAYLEE (Zafarrancho

[Arg]), Prado, 122; GRECIAN LOVER (Friendly Lover), Velasquez, 122; Swap

Fliparoo, Castellano, 121; SECRET SCHEME (Precocity), Russell Baze, 121;

Bettarun Fast, Velazquez, 121; A Sea Trippi, Desormeaux, 121; Hot Storm, Gomez,

122; and MAY DAY VOW (Broken Vow), Bejarano, 121.

A field of 16 newly turned sophomores has been entered in the $250,000

Sunshine Millions Dash S. going six furlongs, and only three in the 14-horse main

field have any graded stakes experience. Of those three, ACTIN GOOD (Yes It's

True) ran second by three parts of a length in the Sapling S. (G3) while STORM

IN MAY (Tiger Ridge) was third, just 2 1/2 lengths back of the winner, in the

Tropical Park Derby (G3) on New Year's Day. SUNSHINE RIDGE (Snow Ridge), the

only other contender with graded experience, was eased in the Norfolk Breeders'

Cup (G2) last October and will be getting his blinkers taken off for this one.

The complete field, in post position order with riders, is SARAND STAR (Trail City),

Valdivia; IDIDN'TDOANYTHING (Trippi), Gomez; CAN THIS BE TRUE (Yes

It's True), Guidry; JAMES WILFRED (Trippi), Bravo; FELONIOUS MONK

(West Acre), Velazquez; FORBIDDEN BEAR (Forbidden Apple), Lezcano;

COMPLEXITY (Tribal Rule), Desormeaux; IDIOT PROOF (Benchmark), Bejarano; Sunshine Ridge, Jara; Actin Good, Velasquez; ANOTHER KRIS (Kissin

Kris), Russell Baze; Storm in May, Cruz; LEONARDO (Smoke Glacken),

Prado; and TEXAS VOYAGER (Texas Glitter), Martin Garcia.

The two sophomores on the also-eligible list are HURRY UP AUSTIN (Lake

Austin), Valdivia; and NAKAYAMA ARASHI (Is It True), Guidry.

Each starter will shoulder 120 pounds.