Noble Drama, Red Crescent continue rivalry in Sunshine Millions Classic Preview

MIAMI – What was originally scheduled to be the biggest day of the Gulfstream Park West fall meeting will still be big. But because of Mother Nature, it won’t be quite as big as originally planned.

Saturday’s card was supposed to feature nine stakes, all for Florida-breds. That number has been reduced to five, all to be run over the main track, with the four turf stakes postponed to the following weekend as a result of all the rain that has inundated the turf course over the past several weeks.

Three of the remaining five stakes are preps for the Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park in January. Saturday’s card is topped by the $60,000 Sunshine Millions Classic Preview, which lured a field of just five older Florida-breds including defending champion Red Crescent and local division leader Noble Drama. The field also includes Garter and Tie, Quenane, and the intriguing New Jersey invader Debbie’s Passion. The distance of the race has been shortened from 1 1/16 miles a year ago to one mile on Saturday.

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Red Crescent rallied from just off the pace to a 1 1/4-length victory for trainer John Vinson in the 2019 Sunshine Millions Classic Preview. He has gone winless in six subsequent starts, including a second-place finish when beaten a head by Noble Drama going 1 1/8 miles in the Sunshine Millions Classic in January. Red Crescent has not started since finishing fifth, again behind Noble Drama, as the 2-1 favorite in the seven-furlong Benny The Bull on Sept. 6.

“We missed the Wildcat Heir, that’s why he hasn’t run in a few months, but he’s doing really well and we know he loves that track, so that should help,” Vinson said. “The cutback in distance shouldn’t make a difference. The problem is Noble Drama is so good right now. We just haven’t been able to beat him this year.”

Red Crescent will receive an eight-pound weight shift from Noble Drama off their meeting in the Sunshine Millions Classic.

“The weight shift should help, we’ve got a good post, and I expect him to be up close again this time,” Vinson said.

Noble Drama enters the race in peak form off victories in the seven-furlong Benny The Bull and one-mile Wildcat Heir, and as a result must carry high weight of 125 pounds.

“He’s gotten older and smarter and been really good to us lately,” trainer David Fawkes said.

Garter and Tie has come out on the short end in three of his last four starts against Noble Drama, with trainer Ralph Nicks hopeful he can turn the tide Saturday. He puts blinkers back on Garter and Tie.

“He’s had them on before and it made no difference, but I’m trying the element of surprise with him Saturday,” Nicks said. “Our horse runs well every time, but he still has to prove to me he’s as effective around two turns as he is one.”

The biggest name on Saturday’s card also comes out of the Nicks barn, Florida Derby runner-up Shivaree, who turns back to six furlongs to run in the $60,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint Preview. Shivaree has not started since finishing well behind winner Tiz the Law after forcing the early pace in the Travers.

“I think anything around one turn is better for him, although after he ran so well in the Florida Derby we had to give him shots in races like the Blue Grass and Travers,” Nicks said. “He’s been freshened up and coming off the bench. I think he’ll leave there running and go very well.”

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The Sprint Preview drew a field of seven and also includes As Seen On Tv, who finished far behind Shivaree in the 2019 Florida Derby, along with the multiple statebred stakes winner Jackson.

The Millions Distaff Preview is carded at seven furlongs with the field of eight fillies and mares headed by Heiressall, who finished second in this race a year ago, and the graded stakes-placed 3-year-old Sound Machine.

Nicks also will send out likely favorite Real Talk in the 6 1/2-furlong Juvenile Sprint. Real Talk ran away to a six-length victory at the same distance in his only start on Sept. 6 at Gulfstream Park.

“I think he has a chance of being a nice horse,” Nicks said. “I also think he’ll want more distance down the road. Hopefully, this will be a good spot to get our feet wet again.”

Stakes winner Poppy’s Pride and the stakes-placed Gatsby are among the key contenders.

The 6 1/2-furlong Juvenile Fillies Sprint also features an impressive debut winner in Shea D Summer, whose 71 Beyer Speed Figure is easily the best in the field. Multiple winners Sky Proposal and Briella figure as her chief rivals.