The Sunshine Millions Sprint is a
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
for
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
horses held in January at
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...
in
Arcadia, California or at
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park, owned by The Stronach Group, is a Thoroughbred race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs year-round, defined by three distinct race meets ...
in
Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hallandale Beach (formerly known simply as Hallandale) is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. As of the 20 ...
. Half the eight races of the Sunshine Millions are run at one track and half at the other.
Open to four-year-olds and older willing to race six
furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...
s on the dirt, the Sunshine Millions Sprint is an
ungraded stakes event but currently carries a purse of $150,000. This race is also known as the Padua Stables Sprint (in 2006) as part of the eight-race
Sunshine Millions
The Sunshine Millions is a series of American thoroughbred horse race, races for thoroughbred race horse, horses held in January at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California or at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The brainchild of promi ...
series.
In its 17th running in 2017, the series of races called the Sunshine Millions are restricted to horses bred either in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
or in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and is the brainchild of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA), founded in 1937, is a non-profit organization committed to the advancement of thoroughbred breeding and racing in California. It is governed by a board of 16 directors elected by the associati ...
, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, Inc., Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park, and Magna Entertainment Corporation.
Past winners
* 2016 -
X Y Jet (
Emisael Jaramillo)
* 2015 -
Weekend Hideaway (
Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977, in Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.
Castellano began his riding career in 1996 at Santa Rita and La Rinconada racecourses in Venezuela. In June 1997 ...
)
* 2014 -
Ribo Bobo (
Paco Lopez)
* 2013 -
Off the Jak (Fla-bred)
* 2012 -
Soaring Stocks (Fla-bred) (
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both ye ...
)
* 2011 -
Amazombie (Cal-bred) (
Mike E. Smith
Michael Earl Smith (born August 10, 1965) is an American jockey who has been one of the leading riders in U.S. Thoroughbred racing since the early 1990s, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2003, and has won the ...
)
* 2010 -
This Ones for Phil (Fla-bred) (
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both ye ...
)
* 2009 -
Georgie Boy (Cal-bred) (
Garrett Gomez
Garrett Keith Gomez (January 1, 1972 – December 14, 2016) was an American Thoroughbred jockey who won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders' Cup races during his career.
Racing career Early career
Gomez learned to ride by watching his fathe ...
)
* 2008 -
Benny the Bull
Benny the Bull, commonly known as Benny, is the mascot of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Chicago Bulls, a role he has filled since 1969."
Biography / retired versions
Benjamin T. "Benny" Bull, has been the mascot of the Chicago Bul ...
(Fla-bred) (
Edgar Prado
Edgar S. Prado (Lima, June 12, 1967) is a Peruvian-born American jockey, a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.
His big break came in 1997 when he won 536 races, making him the fourth rider in history to win 500 races ...
) (
Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.
Richard E. "Rick" Dutrow Jr. (born August 5, 1959, in Hagerstown, Maryland) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer, racehorse trainer. A winner of multiple stakes races including three victories in the Breeders' Cup, Dutrow campaigned Big Brown ...
)
* 2007 - Smokey Stover (Fla-bred) (
Aaron Gryder
Aaron Tod Gryder (born June 5, 1970, in West Covina, California) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
Career
At age 16 in 1986, Gryder began his career as a professional jockey in Tijuana, Mexico at Agua Caliente Racetrack. His fi ...
)
* 2006 -
Bordonaro (Cal-bred) (
Pat Valenzuela
Patrick Angel Valenzuela (born October 17, 1962, in Montrose, Colorado) is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born into a racing family, his father plus three of his uncles, including Ismael Valenzuela, were jockeys. He rode his first ...
)
* 2005 - Red Warrior (Cal-bred) (
Garrett Gomez
Garrett Keith Gomez (January 1, 1972 – December 14, 2016) was an American Thoroughbred jockey who won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders' Cup races during his career.
Racing career Early career
Gomez learned to ride by watching his fathe ...
)
* 2004 - Shake You Down (Fla-bred) (
Mike Luzzi)
* 2003 -
Captain Squire (Fla-bred) (
Alex Solis)
External links
Official site of the Sunshine Millions
Restricted stakes races in the United States
Horse races in Florida
Triple Crown Prep Races
Open sprint category horse races
Horse races in the United States
Horse races in California