Local Horses Save the Day

Billed as a showdown between Florida and California breds, the Sunshine Millions wasn’t much of a contest.

In the series of eight races -- four at Santa Anita and four at Gulfstream Park -- horses bred in Florida dominated, winning seven times.

The lone Cal-bred winner was Adminniestrator, who at 9-1 upset the $500,000 Turf field at Arcadia.

In actuality, however, horses based in California more than held their own.

In addition to Adminniestrator, the other locals to win were Madame Pietra, the prompt favorite -- barely -- in the $250,000 Filly and Mare Sprint at Gulfstream, Atlantic Ocean, who won the $250,000 Oaks at Santa Anita, and Captain Squire, who won the $250,000 Sprint to remain perfect in two starts at Santa Anita.

Staying home, jockey David Flores was the only rider to win twice before a reported on-track crowd of 17,108. After his victory by a nose aboard Adminniestrator, who edged 8-1 longshot Music’s Storm to win in 1:46 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles, Flores directed Atlantic Ocean to her third consecutive victory.

Owned by the Thoroughbred Corp. and trained by Bob Baffert, Atlantic Ocean was best known earlier in her career for her hefty purchase price -- $1.9 million -- but she is continuing to improve. Winning for the first time around one turn, the daughter of Stormy Atlantic beat 7-5 favorite Ivanavinalot by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:23 for the seven furlongs.

Best Of The Rest, the 7-2 favorite in the day’s richest race, the $1-million Classic at Gulfstream, wore down an unlucky Booklet in the final yards to prevail by a half-length.

Completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 2/5, the 8-year-old Skip Trial horse won for the 14th time in 27 starts for owner Beatrice Oxenberg and trainer Ed Plesa Jr. With Jerry Bailey at Santa Anita, Eibar Coa rode the winner.

Booklet, who carved out a fast pace (22 2/5, 45 4/5 and 1:10 2/5) while dueling with 40-1 longshot Island Skipper, finished a head in front of 15-1 outsider Grey Memo, who was wide while rallying under jockey Jose Santos.

In the other Gulfstream races, Valid Video, the 5-2 second choice who was making his first start since finishing fourth in the Futurity at Belmont Park on Sept. 15, beat favored Excessivepleasure by a half-length in the $250,000 Dash and Stay Forever, the 7-2 second choice, rallied strongly in the final eighth of a mile to win the $350,000 Filly and Mare Turf. Santos rode for Santa Cruz Ranch and trainer Marty Wolfson.

Unbeaten in two starts in California, Excessivepleasure was trying to give Pat Valenzuela his second Sunshine Millions victory.

The jockey had won earlier with 6-5 favorite Madame Pietra for owner Carl Grether and trainer Howard Zucker.

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The race Bailey came West for escaped the country’s perennial leading rider when 7-10 favorite Sightseek was beaten by 5-2 second choice Affluent in the $250,000 Santa Monica, but the trip was fruitful.

Bailey won the $750,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff with 9-5 favorite Smok’n Frolic, running past pacesetter Cee’s Elegance to win by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:43 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Making her initial appearance in a Grade I, Sightseek suffered her first loss on dirt when the versatile Affluent, last after a half-mile, rallied to win by a half-length under jockey Alex Solis.

Idle since finishing fifth in Hollywood Park’s Matriarch on Dec. 1, Affluent, a 5-year-old Affirmed mare owned by Janis Whitham and trained by Ron McAnally, won for the eighth time in 20 starts. She completed the seven furlongs in 1:22.

This was the fourth victory in eight starts at Santa Anita for Affluent, who is a double Grade I winner on turf and dirt. Before the Santa Monica, she had won the 2001 La Brea, also at seven furlongs on the main, and her biggest victories on grass came in the 2001 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Keeneland and last year’s Ramona at Del Mar.