CLASSIC JUDGMENT

By BROCK SHERIDAN the fast track with Noble Drama second,

Last Judgment left little doubt as to who was a neck better than Roman Emhis authority over five Florida-bred ri- pire in third. They were followed in order by vals with a six-and-a-half-length romp in Quenane, Red Crescent and Kaufy Bean. the $75,000 Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park It was the third victory in the last five starts for on Jan. 16. The mile-and-one-eighth Sunshine Last Judgment, who had not shown a propensity Classic was one of four stakes for Florida-breds to be on the lead early in previous races. He was on the Gulfstream card, each worth $75,000 plus ninth after a half-mile when eventually finishing a $25,000 win bonus for Florida Sire Stakes eli- eighth in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes won gible runners presented by the Florida Thorough- by Sleepy Eyes Todd going seven furlongs at bred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Gulfstream on Dec. 19 and sixth of seven after

Trained by Michael Makerfor Michael Dubb, four furlongs when victorious against second Steve Hornsbrook, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Nice Last Judgment Rules in the Guys Stables, Last Judgment sprinted to the front of Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Parkthe pack from the start with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard and had a length lead level, $62,5000 allowance optional claimers at ahead of 10-1 choice Kaufy Bean after a first quar- Belmont Park on Oct. 29. ter-mile in :23.84. The 5-year-old gelding in- The current ownership team claimed Last Judgcreased the lead to a length-and-a-half after a ment out of that victory two starts back with Florida half-mile in :47.57 and was three-and-a-half races and a change in running style in mind. lengths to the good of Sunshine Classic defending champion Noble Drama in second when they were midway down the home stretch. Last Judgment drew clear to win in 1:49.76 on “We knew he was a class horse. I followed this horse from the beginning of his career” Dubb said. “When he was in for a tag in New York, I had two races in mind. I had this race and the Ocala COGLIANESE PHOTO

Sunshine Stakes

Florida-bred Bienville Street (No. 9) triumphs in the Filly and Mare Turf [Breeders Sales] races, which unfortunately were cancelled due to COVID, so at least we got this. He had previous form at Gulfstream, seemed like he liked the track, seemed versatile enough where anywhere from seven furlongs to a mile and an eighth would be in his wheelhouse. Mike Maker is excellent at stretching horses out, so it’s nice when it all goes according to plan.”

His other victory in that span came for a $40,000 tag going seven furlongs at Saratoga on “The horse was doing fabuSept. 6, a race in which he was lous. I was under the impression also taken through the claiming that he would appreciate more box. He was seventh of ten after four furlongs that day. distance.” —trainer Michael Maker on Sunshine Classic winner Last Judgment

Ortiz noted the longer distance in Sunshine Classic compared to previous races allowed him to execute the new strategy.

“He was coming off sprints when he’s not able to be on the lead or near it. If he jumped well, I thought he could be near the lead because he’s been sprinting,” Ortiz said. “After that he got the lead, he relaxed well. Mike had him prepared.”

Maker also spoke of the distance angle.

“The horse was doing fabulous. We were expecting a better run than he had in the Mr. Prospector. He was stepping up in class, ran into trouble and had a strong gallop-out,” Maker said. “I was under the impression that he would appreciate more distance.”

Last Judgment was the 5-2 second choice in the Sunshine Classic which resulted in the win payoff of $7.60.

Bred by Woodford Thoroughreds, the 5-year-old gelding is by Congrats out of Fantasy Forest, by Forestry.

He now has six wins in 14 starts with a third and earnings of $173,365. The Sunshine Classic was the first career stakes win for the bay gelding who was purchased for $300,000 by Steven W. Young at the 2018 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds from the Bobby Dodd consignment.

Woodford Thoroughbreds consigned him as a yearling when Grand Oaks put in the final bid at $90,000 to get him.

BIENVILLE STREET BEST OF A BLANKET FINISH IN SUNSHINE FILLY AND MARE TURF

American turf racing, popular for producing exciting finishes, could not be more thrilling than the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf as C J Thoroughbreds’ Bienville Street won by a neck ahead of Mo of the West in second, who was a neck in front of Sun Summers in third. It was a head farther back to Lovely Luvy in fourth with Sugar Fix just another head back in fifth.

The purse was also supplemented by a $25,000 win bonus for starters eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes program.

Fifth in the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf last year behind winning juggernaut Starship Jubilee, Bienville Street avenged that loss as she picked up her first black type win in the mile-and-one-sixteenth event that featured a field of seven fillies and mares bred in the Sunshine State. The victory also affirmed her fondness for the Gulfstream Park turf, where she has now won all of her five career victories from 24 appearances there in 32 lifetime starts. She also has two second-place finishes in the 2019-20 Monroe Stakes and two thirds in the 2020 Claiming Crown Tiara and 2019 In the Breeze Stakes on the Hallandale Beach grass.

Ridden by Paco Lopez from post four in the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf, Bienville Street sat fourth from the start as Sugar Fix, who led all Florida-breds in 2020 with seven wins, and recent Tropical Park Oaks fourth-place finisher Mo of the West, went into the club house turn as a pair. Sugar Fix shook free with a comfortable :24.19 first quarter-mile for a lengthand-a-half margin better than Mo of the West in second, who was a half-length ahead of Sun Summers in

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third and Bienville Street just to her outside in fourth.

After a :48.20 half-mile, Bienville Street began to advance around the far turn with Sugar Fix and Mo of the West still together on the lead before those three locked up for a three-way battle down the stretch. Just yards before the finish, Sun Summers and Lovely Luvy also joined the fray and it took a photo finish to separate the quintuple’s final order of finish. Lookinlikeaqueen and Kelsey’s Cross finished in that order and the running time was 1:41.50 on the firm turf.

Cam Gambolati trains the 6-year-old mare by Street Boss (Ire) out of Milk Run by Running Stag who now has earnings of $233,485. Bred by Double W Thoroughbred Racing Inc., Bienville Street was let go at a generous odds of 8-1 and paid $18.00 to win.

It was also the second straight victory for Bienville Street after she won a second-level, $62,500 allowance optional claiming race going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream on Dec. 18 in her previous start.

CAJUN BROTHER UPSETS SUNSHINE SPRINT Also earns $25,000 FTBOA FSS Win Bonus

Facing the likes of near millionaire and Sunshine Sprint defending champion Extravagant Kid; Souper Stonehenge, who was second in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine in his last start; and Grade 3 World of Trouble Stakes-winner Jackson; Cajun Brother was undeterred while winning the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint at Gulfstream Park Jan. 16. Set at six furlongs on the dirt for Florida-bred older horses, the Sunshine Sprint also offered a $25,000 win bonus for Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Owned and bred by trainer Michael Yates in the name of his Shadybrook Farm Inc., Cajun Brother outran his seven rivals to earn the winner’s share of the purse, the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes win bonus and generated a nice 14-1 return for those punters who supported him through the mutuel windows with a $31.60 price on a $2 win ticket.

Ridden by Miquel Vasquez from post six, Cajun Brother stalked early leader Inter Miami from his fourthplace running position with Extravagant Kid and Jackson a length back together in second through a :22.32 first quarter. Extravagant Kid moved closer to Inter Miami around the turn to complete the half-mile in :45.69 and took over for the run for home as Jackson could not keep up.

Extravagant Kid had daylight on the field in midstretch when Cajun Brother began to challenge from the three-path before the latter completed the assault under the wire with a neck margin of victory. Extravagant Kid finished a length-and-a-quarter better than With Verve in third as Souper Stonehenge, Legal Deal, Inter Miami, Jackson and Old Time Revival completed the order of finish.

RYAN THOMPSON PHOTO

Florida-bred Cajun Brother (No. 7) claims the upset in the Sunshine Sprint

Sunshine Stakes

Florida-bred Venezuelan Hug wins the Sunshine Turf The final time on the fast track was 1:10.97. VENEZUELAN HUG WINS

Fourth, beaten 13 lengths by winner Double Crown SUNSHINE TURF AS FAVORITE in the $75,000 Carry Back Stakes going seven furlongs Venezuelan Hug did not disappoint his supporters at at Gulfstream in June and sixth in Nashville’s victory in the mutuel windows Jan. 16 as the gray or roan colt ralthe $125,000 Perryville Stakes over six furlongs at lied to win the $75,000 Sunshine Turf as the 5-2 favorite. Keeneland on Nov. 7, Cajun Brother improved to third The Sunshine Turf attracted a field of nine 4-yearagainst non-winners of two other than, $62,500 al- olds and older who competed over a mile-and-one-sixlowance optional claiming rivals going six furlongs at teenth on the turf. The purse was supplemented with a Gulfstream just prior to the Sunshine Sprint. $25,000 win bonus presented by the Florida Thorough-

However, Yates correctly thought the Sunshine Clas- bred Breeders’ and Owners Association for Florida Sire sic would be in his grasp. Stake eligible runners.

“It just looked like a place to go Trained by Danny Gargan for with him,” Yates said. “I’ve always felt he’s this caliber. We bit off little “He’s tough. We’re happy to have him. My assistant Spedale Family Racing LLC and R. A. Hill Stable, Venezuelan Hug more than we could chew shipping used a victory in the $60,000 Turf to Kentucky. His last race he ran a Carol Fisher picked him out Preview at Gulfstream Park West in good race, a beaten third, but not when we claimed him. He’s November to springboard him to far. He just progressed and trained well since. It was just the next step.” a pretty fun horse.”—trainer Danny Gargan on Venezuelan Hug victory in the Sunshine Turf. Just as he had done in the Turf

The Sunshine Sprint was the Preview, Venezuelan Hug sat far first stakes victory for the 4-year-old gelding who back during the early stages in the Sunshine Turf as reearned a nice $70,105 with the win bonus. He has now cent Toronto Cup-winner Proven Strategies set fractions won half of his eight career starts while also banking of :22.65 and :45.85 while daylighting Monforte in sec$163,005. ond and Max K.O. in third in the strung out field.

Cajun Brother is by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Proven Strategies continued to have a length-and-aCajun Breeze, who was second in the 2012 Sunshine half lead in deep stretch but Venezuelan Hug had rallied Sprint and seventh in 2013 for Yates. He is out of the with a four-wide move around the turn to join Monforte Strong Hope mare Bella Capri Z. and Clear Destination to give chase in second.

“[Cajun Breeze is] throwing runners,” Yates said. However, Proven Strategies surrendered to Venezue“He’s a horse a man can make a living with. He throws lan Hug and jockey Luis Saez as they ran past the sixa good athletic horse and they’re just runners. They’re teenth pole and Venezuelan Hug then hung on to a nice horses.” three-quarter-length victory in 1:40.02. Shamrocket was second with Montforte remaining an atagonizing third while less than a length farther back. Over the Channel, Clear Destination, Max K.O. and Galleon Mast completed the order of finish. “He’s tough,” Gargan said. “We’re happy to have him. My assistant Carol Fisher picked him out when we claimed him. He’s a pretty fun horse.” Gargan tagged Venezuelan Hug for $40,000 out of his maiden victory going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream in March. He has since won a $50,000 starter allowance optional claiming at Gulfstream in May and a first-level allowance race at Saratoga in August with two off-the board finishes against graded-stakes company in June and October at Belmont. All of his starts have been on grass. Venezuelan Hug is by Constitution out of Downtown Diva, by Giant’s Causeway and he has now built a conCOGLIANESE PHOTO sistent record of five wins in nine starts with one third and $178,430 in lifetime revenues. He was bred in Florida by Orlyana Farm and paid $7 to win. ■