Coral Springs, FL – The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association will be hosting the opening leg of the Florida Sunshine Stakes Saturday morning (November 1) at the Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village in Delray Beach.
The eight-race program gets underway at 11:00 am and will feature two and three-year-old trotters and pacers competing over the one-mile oval.
Some of the standout performers include It’s Margaritatime (Lockkeeper), who will start from post two in the third race trot for two-year-old colts and geldings. It’s Margaritatime, co-owned by breeder-trainer-driver Marshall Makin with Rebeccca Glassford of Bell, sports an impressive five wins in eleven starts this year.
The bay gelding has been racing well in Michigan in the Michigan Sire Stakes and sports earnings of $48,228 and has won two of his last three starts.
The sixth race trot is headlined by Nola Christian (Stormin Normand), who enters on a three-race winning streak for owner-breeder-trainer Thomas Casey of Deleon Springs. The three-year-old trotting filly has been very impressive at Northfield Park in Ohio, winning six of her eight starts this year.
She sports career earnings of $37,110 and took her lifetime mark two wins back with a 1:57 triumph at Northfield Park. Nola Christian starts from post two for driver Mike Wilder.
Wilder also has another live drive in the fourth race pace as McHungry (Stay Hungry) heads the field of two-year-old pacing colts and geldings.
McHungry, trained by Dan Altmeyer and owned by Altmeyer Wilder Racing, Hutchinson Harness, David Wills and Jean Allred, bred by the Sergent Stables of PA, goes from post two. He has been competing in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes with one win in 1:53.3 with earnings of $39,239.
Hall of Famer John Berry will again be the track announcer for the races and everyone looks forward to his titillating calls, even in some of the short fields.
Admission and parking are always free at Sunshine Meadows. Fans are urged to bring their own lawn chairs.