Red Crescent peaks at perfect time in Millions Classic Preview

Equine Authority Inc.’s Red Crescent peaked at the perfect time for trainer John Vinson to capture Saturday’s $75,000 Millions Classic Preview at Gulfstream Park West

The 1 1/16-mile race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up, an early prep for the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park Jan. 18, was one of nine stakes worth $675,000 in purses on the Sunshine Millions Preview program.

Red Crescent, who followed up a distant seventh in the Benny The Bull Stakes at Gulfstream with a dominating 6 ½-length triumph in an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park last time out, claimed his first career stakes victory with a 1 ¼-length score under Samy Camacho.

“It wasn’t until his last win [that the Classic Preview was targeted],” Vinson said. “We were debating about sending him home for the winter and giving him some time off.”

Sent to post as the even-money favorite on the strength of his sharp prep over the Gulfstream Park West surface, Red Crescent broke a bit slowly and rated while saving ground behind the pace set by Hy Riverside, so set comfortable fractions of 24.70 and 49.41 seconds while pressed by Richard the Great. Camacho found room to the outside in the far turn and the 5-year-old gelded son of Overdriven responded when asked to enter contention of the turn into the homestretch and drawing clear to the wire.

“He was the first horse in the gate, but when the last horse went in the gate my horse moved a lot and he broke very bad. After that I had to rush him to try and save my position. I put him in behind horses on the backside close to the lead and I just waited to go through,” said Camacho after his second of three winning stakes rides Saturday. “At the three-eighths pole I put him on the outside and I said, ‘Ok, I gotta go,’ and he won the race so good. And he kept strong after the wire, I had to call the pony to help me. This horse is doing really well.”