Sir Ollie, Cajun Brother Find Opportunity at Gulfstream

Peter Vegso's Sir Ollie , having successfully bridged a nine-month gap between races and a change of barns, stretches out to contend in a soft renewal of the $75,000 Sunshine Classic Jan. 15 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Classic serves as the co-headliner on an 11-race program along with the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint at six furlongs, each for Florida-bred 4-year-olds and up. Both races offer a $25,000 Florida Sire Stakes bonus to eligible runners. 

Sir Ollie, a 4-year-old son of Quality Road  , made his first three starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott before winning in his first race for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in an allowance optional claiming race Dec. 8.

"He was coming off a layoff and I didn't think he was quite 100% fit, but we needed to get him started," said Joseph, the Championship Meet's leading trainer. "I thought he ran creditable. I think the added distance shouldn't hinder him, so we'll give him a chance here."

Junior Alvarado, aboard in each of Sir Ollie's first three starts, will climb back aboard from the rail in a field of seven.

Donegal Racing's Shamrocket , trained by Todd Pletcher, is entered to make his 5-year-old debut in the Classic. The Tonalist   5-year-old has raced exclusively on turf through 21 starts, including a victory in the 1 1/2-mile Point of Entry Stakes last October at Belmont Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Belmont Park. 

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano is named to ride from post 3.

Proud Stable's Big Venezuela  ships in from Maryland for trainer Bruno Tessore. The 4-year-old Social Inclusion  gelding has finished in the money in eight consecutive starts and 10 of his last 12, with three wins. Big Venezuela has faced open company in his past 13 races and has a wealth of two-turn experience, including one win, one second, and one third in three tries at 1 1/8 miles.

Big Venezuela ran third as the favorite in a 1 1/16-mile allowance Dec. 31 at Laurel Park.

"I decided to bring him to Gulfstream because I think the mile and an eighth here and the way the track plays could be good for him to go all the way, wire to wire," said Tessore, who has named Luis Saez to ride.

Later on the card, David Bernsen's Cajun Brother  is set to make his 5-year-old debut with the chance for a race repeat and earn the first win for his new connections in the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint.

Cajun Brother will be making his third start for trainer Bob Hess Jr. after being claimed for $35,000 out of an allowance optional claiming victory sprint last September at Gulfstream. 

"The horse is talented. He's beautiful. It took me a while to get him figured out, but I think we're on top of it now," Hess said.

Cajun Brother earned his fourth win and first in a stakes in last year's Sprint, where he beat group 1-winning millionaire Extravagant Kid , who is more accomplished on turf than dirt, for prior trainer Michael Yates. He followed up by running third in the Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) to eventual grade 1 winner Mischevious Alex  before finishing off the board in back-to-back starts, including his turf debut.

After returning to the winner's circle following a determined effort along the rail, Cajun Brother ran behind fellow Sprint rivals Gatsby  and Pudding  in successive starts for Hess, chasing the early pace in both before tiring late.

Trainer Carlos David will be represented by stablemates Gatsby and Legal Deal  in the Sprint. Other entries include Poppy's Pride , Boca Boy , Cool Quest , and Lugamo .

Entries: Sunshine Classic S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 15, 2022, Race 6

• STK
• 1 1/8m
• Dirt
• $75,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 2:31 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sir Ollie (FL)	Junior Alvarado	120	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	4/1
2	2Big Venezuela (FL)	Luis Saez	118	Bruno Tessore	7/2
3	3Shamrocket (FL)	Javier Castellano	124	Todd A. Pletcher	6/5
4	4Nacho Papa (FL)	Edwin Gonzalez	120	Mauricio Fuentes	15/1
5	5Braccio Di Ferro (FL)	Jose E. Morelos	118	Jose Francisco D'Angelo	20/1
6	6Hercules (FL)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	120	Juan Alvarado	12/1
7	7Glory of Florida (FL)	Miguel Angel Vasquez	124	Laura Cazares	9/2

Entries: Sunshine Sprint S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 15, 2022, Race 10

• STK
• 6f
• Dirt
• $75,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 4:42 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cool Quest (FL)	Julien R. Leparoux	120	Brian A. Lynch	4/1
2	2Pudding (FL)	Javier Castellano	122	Elizabeth L. Dobles	3/1
3	3Lugamo (FL)	Emisael Jaramillo	120	Antonio Sano	8/1
4	4Poppy's Pride (FL)	Miguel Angel Vasquez	124	Michael Yates	20/1
5	5Gatsby (FL)	Luis Saez	122	Carlos A. David	7/2
6	6Boca Boy (FL)	Angel S. Arroyo	124	Cheryl Winebaugh	15/1
7	7Legal Deal (FL)	Edwin Gonzalez	120	Carlos A. David	5/2
8	8Cajun Brother (FL)	Junior Alvarado	124	Robert B. Hess, Jr.	12/1