Bold Chieftain and jockey Russell Baze wove through tight traffic to complete a wild rally and beat Palladio by a neck as heavy favorite The Usual Q.T. faded to last in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic on Saturday at Santa Anita.
Bold Chieftain earned $275,000 for the win, his 15th in 35 starts, 14 of them with Baze in the irons. The horse has earned a lifetime total of $1,406,411. The purse for the previously million-dollar Classic was cut in half and the Sunshine Millions was reduced from eight races to six amid economic woes.
Bold Chieftain paid $12.20, $4.80 and $4. Palladio paid $6.60 and $4.40. The longest shot in the field, Unusual Smoke, was third and paid $13.40 to show.
