Quijote ($48.60) surges in Sunshine Millions Sprint
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The old adage “pace makes the race” was one of the first things that came to mind after Quijote took advantage of an early duel between Ray’swarrior and the odds-on X Y Jet to register a convincing 3 3/4-length triumph in Saturday’s $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream Park.
X Y Jet, making his first start since winning the Grade 3 Smile Sprint here June 30, and Ray’swarrior laid it all on the line during the early stages of the six-furlong Sunshine Sprint, the two battling eyeball to eyeball through early fractions of 21.09 and 43.54 for the opening half-mile.
The grueling pace took its toll, with Quijote, who rated near the rear of the field in the run down the backstretch, finishing full of run down the center of the course under Irad Ortiz Jr. to readily overtake the leaders at midstretch and win going away.
Ray’swarrior, who ran a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure to beat $30,000 claiming foes in his last start, held on bravely for second money, finishing three parts of a length in front of Sweetontheladies. X Y Jet, a winner of his last five starts locally, staggered home a tiring fourth with a disappointing Reason to Soar and outsider Springmeier completing the order of finish.
Quijote was transferred to trainer Georgina Baxter by his owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, late this fall. The win was the eighth in 24 career starts for the Florida-bred son of Pomeroy who finished a distant fifth behind X Y Jet in the 2018 Sunshine Sprint.
Quijote completed the distance in 1:09.98 over the fast track and paid $48.60.
“I could see they were going really, really fast up front and the plan was to take him in the clear and let him finish,” Baxter said. “And Ortiz (Irad) rode him perfect.“
“I tried to keep him in the clear. I knew there was going to be some pace, so I just rode him with confidence and tried to wait as long as I can,” Ortiz said. “When I turned for home, I hit him and my horse responded really well and they started coming back to me."
