Graded Winners Abound in Sunshine Millions

A quick look at the Saturday overnight of the six stakes races worth $1.3 million to be run on the Florida Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park would not easily identify the event as restricted to Florida-bred runners because more than a third - 17 of the 48 horses entered - , are ‘open’ Graded stakes winners of a total of 30 Graded races.

In addition to 2010 Eclipse champion Awesome Feather and 2011 Eclipse champion Musical Romance, two others (Teaks North and Hooh Why) are Grade 1 winners while four more have won one or more Grade 2 events. There are at least two Graded stakes winners in each of the six races, topped by five of the nine entered in the Filly & Mare Turf. 

Pomeroys Pistol Set to Take on Champion in Fillies and Mares Sprint

Despite a slight injury incurred in a stall incident last weekend, multiple stakes-winner Pomeroys Pistol is expected to challenge Eclipse champion Musical Romance in Saturday’s $150,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Fillies and Mares Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

“She’s doing great. She rapped herself behind in her stall. She’s being treated, but it’s nothing to keep her from running,” trainer Amy Tarrant said Wednesday morning. “If I think she isn’t 100 percent, of course, she wouldn’t run.”

The winner of the Forward Gal (2) last year, Pomeroys Pistol returned to Gulfstream to capture the Sugar Swirl (G3) by two lengths on Dec. 10, overcoming the rail post position while stalking the early pace along the inside before jockey Javier Castellano found room outside for her impressive stretch drive.

“I’m glad we don’t have the one hole in this race,” said Tarrant, whose 4-year-old filly drew the No. 6 post in the field of seven, one spot inside Musical Romance, the 2011 champion female sprinter and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner.

The daughter of Pomeroy finished fourth behind Musical Romance in the Breeders’ Cup, in which she broke uncharacteristically slow from her far-outside post position, raced wide while maintaining a contending position, and faltered in the stretch.

Pomeroys Pistol, who has earned $570,178 in 13 lifetime starts, has won graded stakes at six furlongs, the distance of Saturday’s raced for Florida-bred fillies and mares, six and a half furlongs and seven furlongs.