Gulfstream: Sunshine Classic Draws Defending Champion Lure Him In

By David Joseph —-

Sunshine Classic Draws Defending Champion Lure Him In

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – C2 Racing Stable, Double B Racing Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch and Mach 1 Stables’ Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Lure Him In is entered to make a title defense as he chases an elusive ninth career victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park.

The 22nd running of the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Classic for Florida-bred 4-year-olds and up and 23rd renewal of the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf for Florida-bred fillies and mares 4 and older scheduled for one mile on the grass co-headline an 11-race program that begins at 12:20 p.m.

Based at Gulfstream with trainer Sam Wilensky, the 8-year-old Lure Him In last visited the winner’s circle following his determined head victory over Grade 3-winning millionaire Octane at odds of 7-1 in last year’s Sunshine Classic.

That victory came after running ninth in the 2023 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) against a field that included Octane, Group 1 winner O’Connor, millionaire Ny Traffic and Grade 2 winner Steal Sunshine.

“Going a mile and a sixteenth with the short first turn, we ran in the Harlan’s Holiday and we were pushed wide the whole time with him,” Wilensky said. “They got a big field for this one, but I feel like if he brings his ‘A’ game he should be tough.”

Lure Him In ran four times last spring and summer for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., three of them in graded company, before returning to Wilensky after running fifth in an optional claiming allowance on the Del Mar turf in August. Both his comeback races have been a mile at Gulfstream, finishing third in his return Nov. 22 and fourth to Sunshine Classic rival Secret Chat after chasing the pace in a similar spot Dec. 20.

“Obviously the other day wasn’t his best performance. [Jockey] Edwin [Gonzalez] said he kind of got stuck on the rail and it was really, really deep. He’s a big, heavy horse and he doesn’t really like that,” Wilensky said. “We like our post position and we’ll be ready to roll.”

Gonzalez returns to ride from Post 3 in a full field of 12 at co-topweight of 122 pounds.

“Secret Chat beat us the other day, but it’ll be interesting going two turns this time,” Wilensky said. “Lure Him In is a horse that has to be up there and involved. He doesn’t really come from out of it well, so hopefully we can get that trip.”

My Purple Haze Stables’ 5-year-old homebred Khozeiress also returns from last year’s Sunshine Classic where he encountered trouble both out of the gate and on the first turn and wound up sixth. It was the first time finishing worse than third in nine career tries at Gulfstream, including four wins.

“He likes Gulfstream a lot,” trainer Terri Pompay said. “He’s training really good and he’s a Florida-bred, and it just seemed the right spot to put him in. We ran him at Monmouth in the longer spots versus [going] three-quarters, seven-eighths where the pace was faster and he couldn’t close off it. He seems a lot better when he can run longer and you can kind of get him where you want him in the beginning, and then he still has some kick because he can relax a little more.”

Khozeiress won one of six starts last year and spent the summer facing the likes of Grade 1 winners Subsanador and Tapit Trice and Grade 3 winner Dean Delivers and stretches back out to two turns after running third in the seven-furlong FSS Marion County Dec. 14 at Tampa Bay Downs off a four-month layoff.

“We try to manage him the best we can and space his races out. He’s a classy old horse and he’s coming in fresh. We hope that we did the right thing and hope that he runs good, because he’s feeling good. Coming from Tampa that track tends to get them a little fitter. Horses that run off Tampa on to Gulfstream seem a little fitter than vice versa. Hopefully it all works out,” Pompay said. “He’s no cinch in there, but he has the back class and he’s doing really good right now.”

Luiz Saez rides Khozeiress from Post 2.

Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. entered the trio of Souper Watson, racing first off a $25,000 claim Dec. 6 at Woodbine, and three-time winners One Sharp Cookie and Holiday Pay. Secret Chat and Awesome Train, both riding two-race win streaks; Marion County winner Big Martini; Power Humor, Shaq Diesel, Belts ‘n Brooks and Lightning Tones complete the field.

Great Venezuela Tests Streak in Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf

Orlyana Farm’s 4-year-old homebred filly Great Venezuela puts a four-race win streak on the line as she goes after her first career stakes victory against seven rivals including Grade 2 winner Maryquitecontrary, entered to make her first start on grass, in the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf.

Great Venezuela drew outermost Post 8 in her first stakes attempt since finishing third after setting the pace, beaten a length, in the 2023 Wait a While going 7 ½ furlongs on the Gulfstream turf. The daughter of Neolithic was a perfect 4-0 in 2024 including a 2 ½-length optional claiming allowance on the grass Oct. 19, and is 6-for-8 lifetime with five wins on the all-weather Tapeta.

Maryquitecontrary, a 6-year-old Rodney Lundock homebred mare, is a five-time stakes winner over Gulfstream’s main track including the 2023 Inside Information (G2) that has made her last two starts in overnight handicaps on the Tapeta, dead-heating for second in the Awesome Banner and finishing seventh in the Key West. She ran second or third five times in eight starts last year without a win.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is represented by the pair of Love Mami Love and Beach Ready. Co-owned by Ten Twenty Racing and Joseph, Love Mami Love has registered back-to-back half-length victories going one mile on the turf at Gulfstream, the most recent coming Dec. 15.

“She’s a filly that needs to really be covered up,” Joseph said. “She needs to be covered up the whole way. When she does find daylight she doesn’t find much, so she needs to get the right trip and both of her last two races she got really good trips from the riders. Hopefully she can work out a similar trip this time.”

Tyler Gaffalione gets the return call from the rail on Love Mami Love, who went winless with five seconds and a third in 2023 before going 4-for-7 with two thirds last year.

“She’s always picked up checks but found it hard to find the winner’s circle, and recently she’s gotten better at that,” Joseph said. “Her numbers are improving so that’s why we’re giving her a chance. She looks like she should be competitive in this spot again.”

Bart Voloshin’s Beach Ready is a six-time winner from 20 starts, three of those coming since being claimed by Joseph for $16,000 in September 2023. The 5-year-old Treasure Beach mare has earned five of her victories on the Tapeta.

“We’re just giving her a try,” Joseph said. “A mile is probably better for her. The race didn’t look like it was coming up overly tough and we figured she deserved the chance to see if she can get it done.”

Ashima, a winner of two straight, Princess Bettina, Parallel and My Sunny Valentine are also entered.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com and visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.