Kentucky Derby Blog

Curlin won Horse of the Year at the 38th annual Eclipse Award ceremony in Miami. With the announcement, the 4-year-old Curlin became the first horse to win back-to-back Horse of the Year honors since Cigar in 1995-96.

A winner of 11 of 16 races, Curlin retired with $10,501,800 in earnings, a record for any North American based horse. Naturally, he was also named the top older male horse in 2008.

Big Brown was named the top 3-year-old of last year with victories in the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.

Zenyatta was named the top older female, coming off a 7-for-7 season that ended with a smashing score in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.

Other awards went to Midshipman (2-year-old Male), Stardom Bound (2-year-old Filly), Proud Spell (3-year-old Filly), Indian Blessing (Female Sprinter), Benny the Bull (Male Sprinter), Conduit (Male Turf Horse), Forever Together (Female Turf Horse), Good Night Shirt (Steeplechase), Stronach Stables (Owner), Adena Springs (Breeder), Garrett Gomez (Jockey), Pascacio Lopez (Apprentice Jockey) and Steve Asmussen (Trainer).

It’s a Bird rallied from the off the pace to win Saturday’s $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park, helping Florida-bred horses easily defeat their California counterparts for the seventh straight time in the bicoastal Sunshine Millions program.

The eight races worth $3.6 million came off under drastically different conditions.

Santa Anita’s weather didn’t live up to the event’s name. Fog obscured the San Gabriel Mountains most of the day and rain kept the infield attendance sparse. Skies were sunny at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.

It’s a Bird led a 1-2-3 Florida sweep in the Classic — one of four Florida sweeps Saturday — to win the day’s richest race by 5 1/4 lengths.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, It’s a Bird covered 1 1-8 miles in 1:49.35 and ended a three-race losing streak for trainer Marty Wolfson.

Sunshine Millions Classic Winners and Payouts
Gate  Horse     Jockey           Min       Win   Place   Show
5  ITS A BIRD   LEPAROUX J R      $2    $24.00   $9.60   $5.00
7  DRY MARTINI  PRADO E S         $2             $5.40   $3.60
12 DELIGHTFUL   KISS BOREL C H    $2                     $2.60

Race Replay

The 2009 Sunshine Millions are running this weekend at Santa Anita Park and Gulf Stream. Find the 2009 Sunshine Millions race post time and entries below!

The races that will be run at Santa Anita Park are:
$500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf
Four-Year-Olds and Up – Bred in California or Florida – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
Post Time: 6th (2:15)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Jack's Wild        Rosario J     122      L
2 Epic Power         Nakatani C S  122      L
3 Presious Passion   Trujillo E    122
4 Swift Winds        Quinonez A    122      L
5 Liberian Freighter Flores D R    120      L
6 Victory Pete       Smith M E     120      L
7 Icy Atlantic       Coa E M       122      L
8 Soldier's Dancer   Bejarano R    122
9 Pistol Pete Afleet Rios J M      120      L
10 Lucky J. H.       Espinoza V    122      L
11 Unusual Suspect   Talamo J      122      L
12 Mr. Chairman      Baze M C      122      L
13 Seminole Native   Valdivia J Jr 122      L
14 Screen to Screen  Gomez G K     120      L

$500,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff
Fillies and Mares, Four Years Old and Up – Bred in California or Florida – 1 1/16 Miles
Post Time: 9th (3:45)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Waveline           Bejarano R    120      L
2 Briecat Court      J K           120      L
3 Leah's Secret      Coa E M       122
4 Eclatante Valdivia J Jr          122      L
5 Lady Railrider     Alvarado F T  120      L
6 Spenditallbaby     Espinoza V    122      L
7 Unforgotten        Bridgmohan S X 122     L
8 Bai and Bai        Nakatani C S  122      L
9 Dawn After Dawn    Gomez G K     122      L
10 Annabill          Rosario J     122
11 Tiz a Blend       Baze T C      122      L
12 Amazing           Trujillo E    120
13 Perfect Hostess   Quinonez A    120      L

$300,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint
Four-Year-Olds & Up – Bred in California or Florida – 6 Furlongs
Post Time:8th (3:15)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Big Bad Leroybrown Talamo J      122      L
2 Carnacks Choice    Coa E M       122      L
3 Machismo           Smith M E     122      L
4 Partywithlarryz    Baze T C      122      L
5 Sok Sok            Bridgmohan S X 120
6 Cape Hatchet       Baze M C      120      L
7 Georgie Boy        Gomez G K     120      L
8 Devoted Magic      Rosario J     122      L
9 In Summation       Bejarano R    122      L
10 Dancing in Silks  Espinoza V    120      L
11 Yesbyjimminy      Trujillo E    122

$250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks
For Three Years Old – 6 Furlongs
Post Time: 7th (2:45)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Spanish Ice        Flores D R    120      L
2 Beltene            Rosario J     120      L
3 Ten Churros        Potts C L     120      L
4 Leigh McLovin      Coa E M       120      L
5 Hooh Why           Baze T C      120      L
6 Yodelady O         Gomez G K     120      L
7 Emmy Darling       Bejarano R    120      L
8 Costa Marta        Talamo J      120      L
9 Dancing Erin       Arambula P    120      L

The races that will be run at Gulfstream Park are:

$500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf
Fillies and Mares, Four Years Old and Up – Bred in California or Florida – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
Post Time: 8th (4:36)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Zip Trick           Leyva J C    120      L
2 Wild Promises       Gryder A T   122      L
3 Snow Cone           Bravo J      122      L
4 Elusive Lady        Garcia Alan  120      L
5 Zee Zee             Albarado R J 120      L
6 Julia Tuttle        Prado E S    120      L
7 Peach Flambe        Desormeaux K J 122    L
8 Bel Air Sizzle      Sutherland C 120      L

$300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint
Fillies and Mares, Four Years Old and Up – Bred in California or Florida – 6 Furlongs
Post time: 9th (5:05)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 High Resolve        Albarado R J 120      L
2 Flashover           Sutherland C 120      L
3 Marina Ballerina    Lezcano J    122      L
4 Dubai Majesty       Desormeaux K J 120    L
5 Unfolding Wish      Garcia Alan  120      L
6 Lovely Isle         Prado E S    120      L
7 Sekira              Velasquez C  122      L
8 Peisinoe            Leparoux J R 120      L
9 Mistical Plan       Castellano J J 122    L
10 Dearest Trickski   Douglas R R  122      L
11 Set Play           Marquez C H Jr 120    L
12 American County    Theriot H J II 120    L

$250,000 Sunshine Millions Dash
Three Years Old – Bred in California or Florida – 6 Furlongs
Post Time: 7th (4:07)

Post # Horse         Jockey        Weight  Med.
1 Southern Exchange   Garcia Alan  120      L
2 Backbackbackgone    Albarado R J 120      L
3 Billionaire Bob     Leparoux J R 120      L
4 Ju Jitsu Jax        Marquez C H Jr 120    L
5 Gotmymojoworkin     Garcia M     120      L
6 Echo West           Velasquez C  120      L
7 Kelly Leak          Desormeaux K J 120    L
8 Player's List       Cox A        120      L
9 This Ones for Phil  Prado E S    120      L
10 All Saint          Velazquez J R 120     L
11 You Luckie Mann    Bridgmohan J V 120    L

$1,000,000 Sunshine Millions Classic
Four-Year-Olds and Up – Bred in California or Florida – 1 1/8 Miles
10th (5:45)
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Med.

1 Finallymadeit      Nunez E O     122      L
2 Dream Maestro      Leyva J C     120      L
3 Macho Again        Desormeaux K J 120     L
4 Palladio           Albarado R J  122      L
5 It's a Bird        Leparoux J R  122      L
6 Medzendeekron      Garcia Alan   122      L
7 Dry Martini        Prado E S     122      L
8 Atoned             Decarlo C P   120      L
9 Hey Byrn           Velasquez C   120      L
10 Nima's Pad        Garcia M      120      L
11 Famous Patriot    Castellano J J 120     L
12 Delightful Kiss   Borel C H     122      L
AE On Board Again    Velazquez J R 122      L
AE Solemn Promise    Gryder A T    122      L
AE Pistol Pete Afleet Rios J M     120      L

The Pamplemousse, making his first start in a stakes race, held off odds-on favorite Square Eddie down the stretch to win Saturday’s $100,000 San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita. The one-mile stakes is the first of the year for three-year-old Kentucky Derby hopefuls at the suburban Los Angeles track. The time for the San Rafael was 1:35.31 on the all-weather surface.

The Pamplemousse picked up $60,000 in his fourth career start and second lifetime win. The gray colt has earnings of $89,280. Trained by Julio Canani, The Pamplemousse did not break his maiden until his third start to close out 2008.

The Pamplemousse returned $7.20, $3.00 and $2.20. Square Eddie paid $2.20 and $2.10, and Ryehill Dreamer paid $2.60 to show. Watch the race replay!

The home of the Kentucky Derby has a new voice — with a British accent.

Churchill Downs hired Mark Johnson as the track’s new announcer Thursday. Johnson replaces Luke Kruytbosch, who died last summer of a heart attack at age 47.

The 42-year-old Englishman won the job over four other announcers to become the voice of the track’s spring and fall meets, including the Kentucky Derby.

Johnson has been a fixture at British tracks for years, calling some of the country’s highest profile races like the Epsom Derby and St. Leger Stakes. Johnson called one week of races during the 2008 fall meet at Churchill Downs before getting the nod over four other finalists.