Last Judgment Stars in Sunshine Millions Classic
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Last Judgment wins the Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park
Last Judgment, a 5-year-old by Congrats and a recent claim by Michael Dubb, Steve Hornstock, Bethlehem Stables, and Nice Guys Stables, took his speed to his five rivals to take the $75,000 Sunshine Classic in front-running fashion Jan. 16 at Gulfstream Park. The Classic was the main event of four stakes for state-breds on the traditional Sunshine Millions program.
Mike Maker trains Last Judgment who was making his first start since an eighth-place effort in the Dec. 19 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3). The move from seven-furlongs to 1 1/8 miles and a drop from graded stakes company to state-bred competition offered assistance in the Classic. Last Judgment had been claimed for $62,500 out of an Oct. 25 race at Belmont Park.
"The horse was doing fabulous. We were expecting a better run than he had in the Mr. Prospector. He was stepping up in class, ran into trouble and had a strong gallop-out," Maker said. "I was under the impression that he would appreciate more distance."
Last Judgment set solid enough fractions of :23.84, :47.57, and 1:12.07 under Jose Ortiz as favorite Noble Drama trailed the field. While Noble Drama made a big move on the turn, the 6-year-old flattened out in the lane as Last Judgment easily separated himself from the field to win by 6 1/2 lengths. He hit the wire in 1:49.76 as Noble Drama held second by a neck over Roman Empire.
"This is a class horse; I've followed him since the beginning of his career," said Dubb. "When he was in for a tag in New York I had two races in mind—this race and the Ocala races (for state-breds) and unfortunately those were canceled due to COVID. At least we got this one."
The win was Last Judgment's sixth from 14 starts. Three of those scores have come at Gulfstream. He's earned $273,365.
Bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds, he is out of the Forestry mare Fantasy Forest.
Cajun Brother Upsets Sunshine Sprint
The following race, the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint, was taken by 14-1 outsider Cajun Brother. The 4-year-old Cajun Breeze gelding, a Shadybrook Farm homebred, ran down 3-2 favorite Extravagant Kid, getting the six furlongs in 1:10.97. Trained by Michael Yates, Cajun Brother was ridden by Miguel Vasquez.
Cajun Brother, who paid $31.60, won by 6 1/2 lengths over Extravagant Kid, who had 1 1/4 lengths on With Verve.
A three-time winner prior to the Sprint, Cajun Brother previously tried stakes company twice, finishing fourth in last summer's Carry Back Stakes and was sixth behind Nashville in Keeneland's six-furlong Perryville Stakes on the Breeders' Cup World Championships undercard.
"We always thought he was this caliber. We bit off a little more than we could chew shipping to Kentucky," Yates said. "He ran third in his last race, but he's progressed and trained well since. This was just the next step."
His sire, Cajun Breeze, stands for a private fee at Stonehedge Farm South. "He's throwing runners," Yates said. "He's a horse a guy can make a living with."
The Sprint winner is out of the Strong Hope mare Bella Capri Z.
Bienville Street Lands Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf
The stakes program kicked off with the $75,000 Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf, which was taken by CJ Thoroughbreds' Bienville Street in a wild and wooly blanket finish where less than a length separated the top six finishers. She rallied from fourth to edge Mo of the West by a neck, who topped Sun Summers by a neck. Favored Sugar Fix wound up finishing fifth, beaten just three-quarters of a length. The 1 1/16 miles went in 1:41.50 after Sugar Fix set moderate fractions over firm going.
Trained by Cam Gambolati ridden by Paco Lopez, the 6-year-old mare was making her start off a break and was coming off a dead-heat score in an optional claiming event Dec. 18 at a mile on the turf. Her first outing off the rest was a third-place effort at 1 1/16 miles in the Claiming Crown Tiara Stakes. Bred by Double W Thoroughbred Racing, she is a daughter of Street Boss out of the Running Stag mare Milk Run.
Bienville Street was fifth in last year's Sunshine Millions race behind Starship Jubilee. The win marked her fifth in 32 starts. She has earned $233,485.
Venezuelan Hug Excels in Sunshine Turf
Favorite Venezuelan Hug, who came with a huge four-wide move on the turn, was a convincing winner of the stakes nightcap, the $75,000 Sunshine Turf. Luis Saez was aboard for trainer Danny Gargan and owners Spedale Family Racing and R. A. Hill Stable. The winner paid $7.
Proven Strategies set a wicked pace in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, firing fractions of :22.65, :45.85, and 1:09.83. Saez bided his time, moved while wide, but clearly had the best horse in the race. He won by three-quarters of a length over Shamrocket. Monforte was third.
Venezuelan Hug wins the Sunshine Turf Stakes
Sal Spedale said: "We love him. In a tough year like 2020 you give thanks for the little things, and this horse means a lot to us. It's been an awesome year; this horse has taken us a long way."
"I thought the horse had been working great," said Randy Hill. "I like a come-from-behind horse because it gives you a chance to cheer instead of saying 'where's the wire.' "
Fifth in the Belmont Invitational Derby (G1T) last October, Venezuelan Hug was a head winner over Second Mate in the Sunshine Millions Turf Preview Stakes Nov. 21.
Venezuelan Hug is another stakes winner for the first crop of Constitution , who had great success last year with Tiz the Law . Bred by Orlyana Farm, the Turf winner is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Downtown Diva. The nearly white gray has won five of nine starts and has earned $177,430.