The Sunshine Millions Sprint is a
race for
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
horses
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 milli ...
held in January at
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious race ...
in
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of t ...
or at
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...
in
Hallandale Beach, Florida
Hallandale Beach (formerly known simply as Hallandale) is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is named after Luther Halland, the son of a Swedish worker for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. It is al ...
. Half the eight races of the Sunshine Millions are run at one track and half at the other.
Open to four-year-olds and older willing to race six
furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...
s on the dirt, the Sunshine Millions Sprint is an
ungraded stakes event but currently carries a purse of $150,000. This race is also known as the Padua Stables Sprint (in 2006) as part of the eight-race
Sunshine Millions series.
In its 17th running in 2017, the series of races called the Sunshine Millions are restricted to horses bred either in
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
or in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and is the brainchild of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the
California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association, Inc., Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park, and Magna Entertainment Corporation.
Past winners
* 2016 -
X Y Jet (
Emisael Jaramillo)
* 2015 -
Weekend Hideaway (
Javier Castellano
Javier Castellano (born October 23, 1977) is a Venezuelan jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.
Castellano won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. In 2023 he won two legs of the American Tripl ...
)
* 2014 -
Ribo Bobo (
Paco Lopez)
* 2013 -
Off the Jak (Fla-bred)
* 2012 -
Soaring Stocks (Fla-bred) (
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey ...
)
* 2011 -
Amazombie (Cal-bred) (
Mike E. Smith)
* 2010 -
This Ones for Phil (Fla-bred) (
John Velazquez
John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse race, Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey ...
)
* 2009 -
Georgie Boy (Cal-bred) (
Garrett Gomez
Garrett Keith Gomez (January 1, 1972 – December 14, 2016) was an American Thoroughbred jockey who won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders' Cup races during his career.
Racing career Early career
Gomez learned to ride by watching his fath ...
)
* 2008 -
Benny the Bull
Benny the Bull, commonly known as Benny, is the mascot of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Chicago Bulls, a role he has filled since 1969."
Biography / retired versions
Benjamin T. "Benny" Bull, has been the mascot of the Chicago Bul ...
(Fla-bred) (
Edgar Prado
Edgar S. Prado (born June 12, 1967) is a retired Peruvian jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.
Prado's big break came in 1997 when he won 536 races, making him the fourth rider in history to win 500 races in one year. Much of that success was ga ...
) (
Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.)
* 2007 - Smokey Stover (Fla-bred) (
Aaron Gryder
Aaron Tod Gryder (born June 5, 1970, in West Covina, California) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
Career
At age 16 in 1986, Gryder began his career as a professional jockey in Tijuana, Mexico at Agua Caliente Racetrack. His firs ...
)
* 2006 -
Bordonaro (Cal-bred) (
Pat Valenzuela)
* 2005 - Red Warrior (Cal-bred) (
Garrett Gomez
Garrett Keith Gomez (January 1, 1972 – December 14, 2016) was an American Thoroughbred jockey who won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders' Cup races during his career.
Racing career Early career
Gomez learned to ride by watching his fath ...
)
* 2004 - Shake You Down (Fla-bred) (
Mike Luzzi
Michael Jude Luzzi (born October 27, 1969, in Wilmington, Delaware) is an American jockey. He grew up near Delaware Park Racetrack where his grandfather, trainer Buddy Raines, had a major role in raising him and his brother John who also became ...
)
* 2003 -
Captain Squire (Fla-bred) (
Alex Solis)
External links
Official site of the Sunshine Millions
Restricted stakes races in the United States
Horse races in Florida
Triple Crown Prep Races
Open sprint category horse races
Horse races in the United States
Horse races in California