The Super Bowl isn’t the only grudge match between teams from Florida and California this weekend.
Today, Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita – both racetracks owned by Frank Stronach’s Magna Entertainment Corp. – will host the first running of the “Sunshine Millions,” a mini-Breeders’ Cup series of eight races, worth $3.6 million in total purses, restricted to horses bred in Florida or California.
The races, alternating between the two tracks, will kick off at 3:15 p.m. EST and be run at 15-minute intervals, promising some fast and furious action. Magna paid NBC $400,000 to televise the first three races live in a one-hour broadcast (3-4 p.m.).
In addition to their usual Gulfstream simulcast, Aqueduct will offer full-card simulcasting on all 10 races from Santa Anita, while OTB will take races 2-9.
Tomorrow, the Big A and OTB will both take the full card from Santa Anita with an early 2 p.m. (EST) post.
Also beginning today, New York bettors can start playing Santa Anita’s Pick 6 on a daily basis through April 19.
Here are the horses to beat in the Sunshine Millions:
$250G FILLY & MARE SPRINT (Gulfstream): Fly Me Crazy (Jose Santos) has the home-court advantage, but she’ll have a hard time catching West Coast speedsters Madame Pietra (Pat Valenzuela) and Shameful (Jorge Chavez).
$500G TURF (Santa Anita): Music’s Storm (Kent Desormeaux) closed like a wild horse last out, gets another furlong here.
$1M CLASSIC (GP): Continental Red (P Val) is California’s best hope to beat local stars The Judge Sez Who (Cornelio Velasquez) and Best of the Rest (Eibar Coa).
$250G OAKS (SA): Atlantic Ocean (David Flores) looked good last out winning the Santa Ysabel over this track for trainer Bob Baffert.
$250G DASH (GP): Excessivepleasure (P Val) blew state-breds away in both Southern Cal starts. Supah Blitz (Velasquez) will be closing.
$250G SPRINT (SA): Disturbingthepeace (Jose Valdivia) didn’t fire in the Breeders’ Cup but won six straight before that. Giovannetti (Desormeaux) is 3-for-3 at Santa Anita, has speed to spare.
$350G FILLY & MARE TURF (GP): Cellars Shiraz (Coa) can take this gate-to-wire, but she’ll have to hold off the late charge of Maliziosa (P Val).
$750G DISTAFF (SA): Svea Dahl (Rich Migliore), trained by Belmont-based Bruce Levine, lured the Mig to the Left Coast for the mount, and she’s 2-for-6 over this track. Cee’s Elegance (Victor Espinoza) can upset.