Lightening Larry leads all the way in Sunshine Sprint Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – As expected, Lightening Larry set the pace after breaking from post 1 in the six-furlong Sunshine Sprint Stakes. But instead of hugging the inside fence, jockey Jose Morelos kept Lightening Larry out about four or five paths off the rail, a strategy that was no accident and that ultimately led to a wire-to-wire, 2 1/2-length victory over longshot Cajun’s Magic in the second of two stakes restricted to Florida-breds decided Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Lightening Larry, winless since upsetting the Grade 3 Chick Lang on May 21 at Pimico, controlled the Sunshine Sprint Stakes throughout. He repulsed a bid from defending champion Gatsby, who ranged up menacingly to his inside into and through early stretch, before ultimately pulling away to a convincing victory. Cajun’s Magic lagged well off the early leaders, swung wide with his bid turning for home, and finished best of all while never menacing the winner.
Gatsby, who posted a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure winning the 2022 Sunshine Sprint, weakened to be third. He was followed in order by Legal Deal, Boca Boy, Legend’s Can’t Die, and Unsociable.
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Lightening Larry, a 4-year-old son of Uncaptured, is owned by Lea Farms LLC. He completed the distance over a slow and tiring main track in 1:12.61 and paid $7 as the tepid favorite.
“I never lost any confidence in this horse, sometimes they have bad days and sometimes things go their way,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “I have no doubt about how great he is and he showed it today.”
Delgado said he was concerned about how slow the track was playing in the unseasonably cold and windy conditions here Saturday, especially for a speed horse like Lightening Larry.
“I went out on the track before the race and went on every line trying to find the best path,” Delgado explained. “I told him just stay in the four or five path, it doesn’t matter who comes on the rail, just let him come because he’s going to die in there. I felt that was the best spot on the track and in the end it worked out.”
Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf: Sweet Dani Girl takes grass debut
Earlier in the day, Sweet Dani Girl made a very auspicious grass debut, repulsing a strong bid from Sugar Fix into the stretch before holding safe a late rally by Mona Stella, the somewhat surprising 9-5 favorite, to capture the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf.
Sweet Dani Girl, idle since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs on May 6, quickly sprinted clear under jockey Joel Rosario who celebrated his 38th birthday on Saturday. Sweet Dani Girl briefly relinquished the lead to longshot Crystal Coast on the second turn, quickly regained command after six furlongs, repulsed a determined try by Sugar Fix through midstretch, and then had enough left to withstand a final rally by Mona Stella.
Mona Stella, racing without blinkers for the first time since her career debut and bet down from her 10-1 morning line to be the 9-5 favorite, raced wide and continued with good determination to wear down Sugar Fix to be second-best.
Sweet Dani Girl is trained by Carlo Vaccarezza for his son Nicholas and the J and J Stable. The 4-year-old daughter of Jess’s Dream paid $8 after completing a mile over the firm and speed-favoring course in 1:35.57.
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