Awesome Slew Stands Out in Sunshine Millions Classic

Awesome Slew, a Florida-bred who has distinguished himself as a graded stakes winner, has yet to race in restricted company, but that will change Jan. 21 when he heads a field of eight in the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

The 15th running of the Classic is one of five stakes for horses bred in the Sunshine State on the 12-race card.

A homebred for Live Oak Plantation, Awesome Slew enters the 1 1/8-mile Classic off a third-place finish behind Stanford and Keen Ice in the Dec. 17 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3). Though trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. considered running the 4-year-old son of Awesome Again   in the in the $400,000 Poseidon Handicap, one of the supporting stakes on the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) card Jan. 28, the look of the Classic ultimately proved to be more attractive.

"I think it's a good spot for him, because it is restricted to Florida-breds," Plesa said. "Live Oak does breed horses that are Florida-breds and it's an opportunity for us to run in a race that certainly isn't going to be anywhere near a Pegasus-type race."

Awesome Slew has consistently flashed speed early in his eight starts and was able to wire the field when he captured the Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) by seven lengths at Parx Racing Sept. 5. After some bumpy moments during the bay colt's 3-year-old season, including a fifth-place effort in the Pennsylvania Derby (G2), Plesa said he's looking forward to Awesome Slew's 2017 campaign.

ANGST: Awesome Slew Lives Up to Name in Smarty Jones

"He's just stepping up to the plate," Plesa said. "He's been compromised by odd things that happen to horses—sickness being his main thing—and we were trying to play catch-up all last year. We finally caught up in the Smarty Jones and then I ran him back a little quicker than he probably would have liked in the Pennsylvania Derby. He's been training great and he's doing great. I think he'll hit his full stride this year."

Piloting, who carries the colors of Westbury Stables, will represent trainer Mark Casse and is in search of his first stakes victory in his 27th start. The 6-year-old Tapit   gelding set a pressured pace in the Nov. 12 Millions Classic Preview Stakes before yielding late to the odds-on Mr. Jordan.

Casse said Piloting's early speed is likely to be on display in the Classic.

"You maybe could (take him back), but I don't think he would be as effective," Casse said. "He likes to be up close and running, and I don't think we will take that away from him."

 Before the Classic takes center stage Saturday, a field of six fillies and mares will vie for state-bred bragging rights in the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff Stakes going six furlongs. David Fawkes-trainee Moment of Delight has raced exclusively in Florida in her 18 starts and most recently prevailed in the Millions Distaff Preview Stakes at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 12.