Gunnevera's trainer, Sano, 'so proud' to receive U.S. citizenship

Antonio Sano, Venezuela’s all-time winningest trainer, will saddle Gunnevera for a start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 26 at Gulfstream Park as an American citizen.

“I’m so happy, so proud,” Sano said.

Sano, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2009, became a U.S. citizen on Friday in Miami. The 56-year-old Weston, Fla., resident celebrated with a victory courtesy of Mary Lee and Me, who romped to a front-running 8 ¾-length triumph in Friday’s first race.

After being kidnapped for ransom twice, Sano fled Venezuela for Italy and subsequently the U.S.

The Sano-trained Gunnevera, a multiple graded-stakes winner with $4.1 million in earnings, finished third in last year’s Pegasus World Cup. The 5-year-old son of Dialed In finished second behind likely Pegasus favorite Accelerate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs Nov. 3 in his most recent start.