Lure Him In outduels Octane in Sunshine Classic

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lure Him In and Octane put on quite a show in Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park, separating themselves from the rest of the field and battling head to head the entire length of the stretch. Lure Him In stuck his head in front of odds-on favorite Octane to upset the long-time South Florida fixture at 1/16 miles for older Florida-breds.

Lure Him In has been rejuvenated since being haltered for $40,000 by trainer Herman Wilensky for Double B Racing Stables at Del Mar on Sept. 9., returning to dirt following a steady diet of turf and synthetic races over the last two years. Now 7, Lure Him In returned quick dividends for his new connections by winning a high-priced optional-claiming race going a mile on the main track here Nov. 25.

After being out-classed and forced to race very wide from a tough post in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in his 2023 finale, Lure Him In got some class relief returning to statebreds Saturday. His last try against statebreds was a second-place finish in the Soldier’s Dancer Stakes here June 11.

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Lure Him In bided his time near the rear of the field after being bumped at the break, before unleashing a strong run outside horses around the second turn to join the pacesetting Octane approaching the stretch. Octane gamely maintained a narrow advantage for much of the final drive before ultimately succumbing in the closing strides. It was another 7 1/2 lengths farther back to The Skipper Too, who came from last to finish a well-beaten and non-threatening third.

The win was the eighth in 41 career starts for Lure Him In, a son of Khozan, and his fifth in eight lifetime tries over the Gulfstream Park main track. It was also his second stakes win, the first coming in the Sunshine Turf here in January 2022.

Lure Him In completed the distance in 1:43.22 seconds over a fast track and paid $16.20.

“In our eyes, he’s not necessarily a turf horse,” said Sam Wilensky, the son of and assistant for trainer Herman Wilensky. “He runs on anything. It was nice to get him back on dirt here and also not run 11 wide like we did in the Harlan’s Holiday.”

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