Shuman Having Huge Meet

A month into the Gulfstream Park meet and the trainers’ race is over.

Mark Shuman, who has been very active on the track and at the claim box for owner Michael Gill, has a 21-win lead over second-place Bill Mott.

In fact, Shuman has as many winners (28) as the next five trainers in the standings combined.

Through Wednesday, Shuman, who once worked as an assistant to H. James Bond, has started 80 horses and 54 of them have finished in the money.

Shuman, who has drawn the ire of some of his colleagues, apparently because he’s winning too much and running his horses in the proper spots, is scheduled to send out runners in four races on today’s Gulfstream card.

In the first, an $18,000-starter allowance for older fillies and mares at five furlongs, Sentimentalromance will try for her second win since being claimed by Shuman and Gill.

In her first race for the stable, the 7-year-old Maudlin mare won by 11 1/4 lengths against $8,000 claimers and now she’ll try and step up and beat tougher competition.

Native Two Stepper and Sun Fighter were both entered in the fourth, a mile-and-70-yard affair for $40,000 claimers, but only one is likely to start since jockey Jose Santos is named on both.

Both are fresh off victories and Sun Fighter has won six times at Gulfstream.

Shuman also will send out recent claim Alicia in the fifth, a mile-and-70-yard race for $30,000 fillies and mares, and Casual Claim in the 10th, a 1 1/16 mile race for $18,000 claimers.

Race of the day: Macward, who lost a tough race in the Sensational Star Handicap, heads a field of eight in today’s seventh at Santa Anita.

The $61,000 optional claimer at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf also lured R. Baggio, Lugny, Our New Recruit, Top Honors, Los Solano, Red Briar, Mighty David and With Iris.

Who’s hot: Tony Farina. Riding for trainer Patrick Biancone, the jockey has won with four of 14 mounts at Santa Anita.

Who’s not: Chance Rollins. The jockey was 0 for 39 to begin the meet at Santa Anita.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Girl Talk and Michelle’s Cap in the first, singling Diamond Dawn in the second and Dash For Money, Ordained Magic and Rachelle’s Numbers in the third..

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/75. Money: Previous day/meet total: $7.80/$449.80. Total money bet: $444.