Shivaree to skip Sunshine Sprint, face open company in Fred Hooper

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Shivaree was somewhat conspicuous by his absence from the nominations list for the Sunshine Sprint next Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but trainer Ralph Nicks says not to worry.

“He’s running the following Saturday in the Hooper,” said Nicks.

By running Shivaree in open company in the Grade 3, $150,000 Fred W. Hooper at Gulfstream, Nicks is bypassing an opportunity to keep the 4-year-old colt in Florida-bred company. The six-furlong Sunshine Sprint is one of four such restricted races to be featured here Saturday.

Shivaree was found wanting when tried in such major events as the Blue Grass and Travers last year, but after returning to peak form by winning a statebred stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs, “he deserves another shot,” said Nicks, in something like the one-mile Hooper, one of seven graded races here Jan. 23, Pegasus World Cup Day.

“Plus the distance is probably better for him, stretching out a little from the Tampa race,” said Nicks.

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The Sunshine Sprint was known until this year as the Sunshine Millions Sprint, but the “Millions” moniker has been quietly dropped as the once-opulent event founded in 2003 at Gulfstream and Santa Anita by Frank Stronach continues to fade in stature. The other three races to be run here Saturday are the Sunshine Classic, the Sunshine Turf, and the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf, with “Millions” having been removed from them, too. All are for Florida-breds and are worth $75,000, plus an additional $25,000 to the winner if he or she is registered to the Florida Sire Stakes.

Nicks still will saddle Old Time Revival – like Shivaree, a Jacks or Better Farm homebred – for the Sunshine Sprint, which could have Jackson as the favorite in what racing officials are expecting to be a medium-sized field. Jackson has six wins and six seconds from 20 career starts, all for owner-trainer Jose Pinchin.

Prospective lineups for the other Sunshine events: Noble Drama and Red Crescent, the respective one-two finishers in the Classic last year, are among a short field likely for this renewal of the Classic; Muggsamatic and Galleon Mast are top contenders in what’s shaping up as the deepest race of the series, the Turf; and Sugar Fix and Sun Summers look like the top names among at least seven likely for the Filly and Mare Turf.

New invitees for Pegasus

A new invitation list also will be issued for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf as the track seeks to attain full fields of 12 for both races. Reserve lists beyond the 12 preferred invitees will be maintained for both.

Confirmed Pegasus starters include Code of Honor, Knicks Go, Tax, True Timber, and Sleepy Eyes Todd. For the Pegasus Turf, the top names include Say the Word, Storm the Court, and the Todd Pletcher trio of Colonel Liam, Largent, and Social Paranoia.

Willy Boi wins right back

Willy Boi earned a 76 Beyer Speed Figure when keeping his record unblemished in two starts by speeding to a 2 3/4-length triumph here Thursday in a first-level statebred allowance sprint under Corey Lanerie.

Trainer Jeff Engler said “mostly tire kickers” have been inquiring into a private purchase of Willy Boi, a 3-year-old gelding by Uncaptured, adding owner Bill Cosgrove of Lea Farms is not predisposed to selling.