Horse Racing News

Caracortado, a Grade 2 winner on Santa Anita's synthetic track last winter, proved equally at home on the lawn when he outlasted The Usual Q. T. to capture the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf by a half-length Jan. 29.

Steven Michael Bell's Aegean, sent off at 9-1 odds, held off a determined 13-1 shot in Jessica Is Back to post an upset in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 29.

Trainer Jim Cassidy was so concerned about Evening Jewel's mental state in the moments before Saturday's $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff that he forgot to have a pre-race strategy conference in the paddock with jockey Victor Espinoza.

Dancinginherdreams will draw the most support when a field of seven 3-year-old fillies gathers for Sunday's extremely attractive, Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Dynaslew will begin her 2011 campaign in a much easier spot when she meets a field restricted to just Florida- and California-breds in Saturday's $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park.

First Dude, runner-up last season in the Preakness and third in the Belmont, Haskell, and Travers, tops the $500,000 Classic at Gulfstream, where he will face Duke of Mischief.

For many of the fillies and mares in Saturday's $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff at Santa Anita, the race is the start of a 2011 campaign. For Evening Jewel, there is a chance it could be her last race.

Cost of Freedom returns from a seven-week freshening as the favorite in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint. Eight entered the six-furlong sprint, including an improved Florida shipper that will provide Cost of Freedom his main threat.

A dominant winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes to kick off the Santa Anita season, Switch returns to action Jan. 30 seeking her second grade I triumph in a row in the $250,000 Santa Monica Stakes (Grade 1) for trainer John Sadler.

The withdrawal of Boys At Tosconova leaves a wide open field of nine sophomores to contest the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30, the first major step toward the Grade 1 Florida Derby this spring.