Delray Beach, FL – The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association continued their Sunshine State Stakes program at Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village on Saturday (Nov. 15) with programs scheduled each remaining Saturday during November.
The eight race program featured the Sunshine State Stakes Finals for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds with purses totaling $32,000.
Here are the results:
Race One—Sunshine State Stake Final Two-Year-Old Filly Pace—$4,000
For the third straight week, Dances With Gators (Dancing Yankee) enjoyed the luxury of a walkover win, covering the mile in 2:04 off panels of :31, 1:03 and 1:32.
Trainer Mickey McNichol, once again, had Californian Ted Bookstaver in the bike in his return from last week’s win—the easiest kind of success and the first for Bookstaver since the year 2000 at Monticello Raceway.
Owned by George Birkhold, Dancer With Gators earned his fourth win of the season—third walkover win—with earnings vaulting to $11,480—$7,600 of that over the past two weeks at Sunshine Meadows.
Race Two—Sunshine State Stake Final Two-Year-Old Filly Trot—$4,000
SL Mon Petite (Lockkeeper), using the draw to perfection—post one—was given superb rating by 77-year-old Marshall Makin through the opening half and defied the challenge of arch-rival Mis Amigas, handled by Mike Wilder, to score in 2:06 to take a two-to-one advantage in their budding Sunshine Meadows rivalry. Gators No Angel was third for Mickey McNichol.
Makin, who co-owns the filly with Rebecca Glassford, also trains the youngster who now sports a 12-5-1-1 scorecard, good for $16,050.
Race Three—Sunshine State Stake Final Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot—$4,000
Ugottabkidnme (PlayTrix On Me), driven by Marlin Fry, proved his :28.4 finale in last week’s win over arch-rival It’s Margaritatime was no fluke as the gelding used a :58 second final half mile to score over that same rival again—this time in 1:59.3—earning his third success of the year in seven starts.
Owned by Kevin Kelly, Ugottabkidnme, who can boast two other sub-2:00 wins, carved up numbers this day of :31 and 1:01.3 before a :28.3 third panel and :29.2 sprint home soundly sealed the deal.
The gelding now has a record of 3-2-1 in seven starts while tallying earnings of $7,929.
Race Four—Sunshine State Stake Final Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Pace—$4,000
McHungry (Stay Hungry) had the easiest of journeys for Mike Wilder in stretching his Sunshine Meadows winning streak to three with a 2:02 score over Gators Big Victory, driven by Ted Bookstaver.
After a brief skirmish off the wings, McHungry posted early numbers of :31.3 and 1:04 before picking up the pace during the third panel—:30—and then blowing things up with a :28 romp home.
Trained by Dan Altmeyer, McHungry is owned by Altmeyer Wilder Racing, Hutchison Harness, David Wills and Jean Allred while earning his fourth win in 11 starts, good for $44,276.
Driver Mike Wilder, is closing in on $80,000,000 in career earnings for owners while compiling over 9,300 victories in a storied career.
Race Five—Sunshine State Stake Final Three-Year-Old Filly Pace—$4,000
Prairie Puma (Royal Millennium), driven by Joseph Fiorello, out-gunned arch-rival Gator Time, handled by Ted Bookstaver and used a well-thought-out 1:04.4 first half mile to score in 2:04.1.
It was the third straight win for Prairie Puma, leaving Fiorello with a perfect three-for-three records to begin his driving career.
In a post-race interview, Fiorello lamented, “This has been an unbelievable adventure for me and I have to thank owner Dein Spriggs and trainer Nick Coblentz for the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I know I will have to swallow defeat along the way—even the greatest don’t win every race—but I am enjoying the ride on cloud nine while it lasts.”
Prairie Puma now has 10 wins in 21 career outings and $47,358 lifetime—$16,414 this semester to go along with a 1:51.4 Red Mile mark.
Fiorello has also started River Run Race Horse Retirement (riverrunracehorseretirement.com) furthering the industry’s involvement in securing a future for retired Standardbred horses.
Race Six—Sunshine State Stake Final—Three-Year-Old Filly Trot—$4,000
Sunshine Jet (Odino Jet), patiently handled by trainer Nick Coblentz, finally minded her manners and romped around the Sunshine Meadows mile oval in a life best 2:04, eclipsing her former mark of 2:10 by six full seconds.
Her competition, Nola Christian, was withdrawn from the event due to sickness with Coblentz saying after the walkover, “Sunshine Jet finally did the two things that are necessary to become a racehorse—manners, first, and, then speed.
“I am hoping she continues on this path to fulfill her potential, which I think is very good,”
Sunshine Jet does have five wins in eight lifetime starts with a career bankroll of $22,131 for Amante Standardbreds.
Race Seven—Sunshine State Stake Final —Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot—$4,000
Jays Gator Boy (Rose Run Nolan) received superb handling from veteran MIckey McNichol to score a 2:10.4 win for George C. L. Birkhold, leaving Delray Jet, with Robbie Hoffman handling the lines, in his wake.
McNichol’s touch, with a first quarter in :29 thwarting an early battle—and then lolly-gagging through a middle half in 1:11—took care of things late with a :30.4 closer with the gelding holding off his arch-rival by a half length.
The win vaulted Jayas Gator Boy’s earnings to $32,144 in 23 career starts.
Race Eight—Sunshine State Stake Final —Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding Trot–$4,000
In the final event of the day, Gold Star Lucky (Luck Be Withyou), driven by trainer Nick Coblentz for owner Marianne Audley, won a walkover in 2:18.2—last quarter :29.4—sending his walkover win streak to three with earnings over the past two weeks at $7,600.
The win also vaulted the gelding’s bounty to $48,989 with trainer-driver Coblentz reminding, “Remember, time matters not in a walkover and this horse has a lot of talent with his mark (1):52 and a piece (1:52.2) at Hoosier (Park).
Racing continues at Sunshine Meadows next Saturday (Nov. 22 with post time at 11 a.m.