Delray Beach, FL – The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association stakes season began at Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village with the first of five Saturday sessions for Florida eligible 2- and 3-year-olds.
Trainer-driver Nick Coblentz starred this opening day by sending a quintet of winners to the winner’s circle on the eight-race program, driving a pair of them to victory, as well.
Driver Rob Hoffman had a driving double on the program.
In the owner category, Amante Standardbreds sent three homebreds to the Saturday show and won all three.
Here’s a recap of the action:
Sunshine Stake—Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies ($2,875)
Prairie Puma (Royel Millennium-Cat Lady), lolly-gagging well back off of quick early fractions of :30.2, 1:01.1 and 1:32, rallied when it counted for driver Dein Spriggs to score a one-length victory over Gator Time in 2:05, breaking her maiden in her third lifetime start.
Gator Time was second for George Birkhold, Jr. while the pacesetting Prairie Lovie was next for Tony Dinges—both fillies making their racing debuts.
Prairie Puma is co-owned by Spriggs with trainer Tony Dinges.
Sunshine Stake—Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies ($2,875)
Sunshine Jet (Odino Jet-Reverie Devictoire) in a loose pocket back of the leader through the 1:08 opening half mile, closed the gap during the third stanza and then closed fastest of all for trainer-driver Nick Coblentz to score by four lengths over Nola Christian, handled by Jamie Marra, with the pacesetting Gatorland Nolette, with Mickey McNichol handling the lines, third.
Owned by Amante Standardbreds, it was the maiden voyage for Sunshine Jet, who closed her mile in :30.1 to stop the clock in 2:10.
Sunshine Stake—Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings ($2,875)
Jays Gator Boy (Rose Run Nolan-Kens Angel), trained and driven by Mickey McNichol, took full advantage of a miscue by the leader, Prairie Hustle, with Nick Coblentz in the bike, to score an eight-length victory in 2:09.4 for his maiden win in his eighth lifetime start.
Delray Jet finished third in the mile after suffering broken equipment early.
The winner is owned by George Birkhold.
Sunshine Stake-Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings ($2,875)
Gold Star Lucky (Luck Be Withyou-Goldstar Rosie) got picture perfect handling by driver Robert Hoffman and used a :28.4 finale to out-sprint rival Dating A Virgin, teamed with Nick Coblentz, by a half length in 1:59.4. Gator Rocks, with Mickey McNichol in the sulky, finished third in the mile.
With Dating A Virgin and Gold Star Lucky trading placed throughout the mile, these two were in an all-out war turning for home with the winner actually having to fight back after being headed after straightening away in the lane.
The winner is trained by Nick Coblentz for the Audleys—Marianne and Margaret– and proved to be a maiden win for the gelding.
Sunshine Stake—Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies. ($2,800)
Dance With Destiny (A Rocknroll Dance-Artsdestiny) got perfect rating from owner Joe Sanzeri, who returned to the sulky after almost a year’s respite, to outsprint rival Prairie Kitten and take top honors in this event.
These two left side-by-side with Sanzeri using the inside post repelling his rival early on and then repelling once again through a :27.1 sprint home. The margin was three-parts-of-a-length.
It was the nine lifetime start for the Nick Coblentz trained sophomore filly, who now sports a lifetime 3-3-1 scorecard in those nine starts.
Sunshine Stake—Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies ($2,800)
Ballerina Jet (Odino Jet-Reverie Devictoire) took full advantage of a miscue by P’s Just Peachy at the start to out-distance that foe and still score in a lifetime best 2:02.4 off fractions of :31, 1:02 and 1:30.4 coasting home handily for trainer Nick Coblentz, giving him a driving double on the day.
Owned by Amante Standardbreds, Ballerina Jet, who was six-for six at Sunshine Meadows a year ago to be crowned champion of there two-year-old class, keeps her skein unblemished here to push her career bankroll over the $40,000 plateau. It was her first win of the year—she had been competing at Saratoga—in her 11th start this semester.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts and Geldings ($2,800)
Okeechobee Jet (Odino Jet-Hall of Stars), undefeated last year as a two-year-old at Sunshine Meadows, continued his dominance in his division as a sophomore by using a :29 final quarter to score in 2:03, giving driver Rob Hoffman a driving double on the program, as well as a triple for sire Odino Jet, a triple for owner Amante Standards and a “five-bagger” for trainer Nick Coblentz.
Stalking stablemate Legacy’s Casanova through panels of :31.4 and 1:04, Okeechobee Jet left the comfort of the garden spot, engaged the leader turning for home, and went on to score a handy six-length victory.
Okeechobee Jets lifetime scorecard reads 17-10-3-0, good for $54,655.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts and Geldings ($2,800)
Prairie Achiever (Royel Millennium-Taylors Lady), driven by Tony Dinges for trainer Laurie Poulin, who co-owns with Patricia Fritz and Fred Morosini, roared home in :28.4 to best a game Gator Pledthefifth to score by a half length in 2:07 after chasing fractions of :33.1, 1:06 and 1:38.
It was the second career success for the winner, his other being at Sunshine Meadows in the FSBOA Stallion Stake for two-year-olds, which turned out to be a walkover.
The victory sent his career earnings vaulting to $22,657.
Racing continues at Sunshine Meadows on Saturday (Nov. 9) with post time set for 11 a.m.