Sunshine Millions Classic far softer spot for Awesome Slew

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After taking on graded stakes company in each of his last five starts, Awesome Slew will begin his 4-year-old campaign against much softer competition when he faces statebred company for the first time in Saturday’s $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic is the richest of five stakes for Florida-breds on a 12-race program that begins at noon Eastern. Purses for the Sunshine Millions series, which began in 2003, were originally set at $900,000 when the 2016-17 stakes schedule was unveiled but were slashed to just $600,000 this month due to a conflict between the Florida breeders and the local horsemen’s group.

Distance could prove the great equalizer in the Classic. None of the eight members of the lineup has ever won going nine furlongs.

Awesome Slew is one of only two graded stakes winners in the Classic, having cruised to a wire-to-wire, seven-length victory in the Grade 3 Smarty Jones last September at Parx. He has made two subsequent starts, finishing fifth after setting the pace in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby before closing out the season with a third-place finish behind Stanford and Keen Ice in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday.

“It’s a good spot for him running against statebreds,” said trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. “We were playing catch-up with him last year, but he really seemed to improve the second half of last season, he’s training great, and I think he’ll really hit his stride this year.”

Piloting tried restricted company for the first time last month in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview and ran a good second behind another Plesa-trained Florida-bred, the multiple stakes winner Mr. Jordan, while posting a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94. Piloting won a pair of optional-claiming races here after being transferred to trainer Mark Casse’s barn during the spring.

“His last race was really good, and he’s trained well since,” said Casse. “Obviously, we’ve got to beat Mrs. Weber’s colt [Awesome Slew]. He’s the class of the race. He’s running a little farther than in the past, but he’s doing well.”

Uncle Vinny seeks his first victory since winning the Grade 3 Sanford via a stewards’ disqualification during the summer of his 2-year-old campaign at Saratoga in 2015. He proved no match for Awesome Slew, finishing a distant ninth, in the Smarty Jones.

Hy Riverside also gets some much-needed class relief after finishing fifth, beaten 7 3/4 lengths on both occasions, in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope and Harlan’s Holiday in his last two starts. He had won back-to-back races before finishing fourth behind Piloting in the Classic Preview.

We’re All Set won 4 of 8 starts a year ago, including the restricted Sea of Grass overnight stakes here in June, but like the others, he is a question mark at 1 1/8 miles. He is coming off an even fourth-place finish when trying the distance for the first time six weeks ago in the Claiming Crown Jewel.

Joshua’s Comprise, Nauset Beach, and Tiger of Wales complete the field.

Sunshine Millions Classic, Race 12

KEY CONTENDERS

Awesome Slew, by Awesome Again

Last 3 Beyers: 97-98-97

◗ He will break from the extreme outside and be ridden for the first time by Javier Castellano, who will have to work out a trip from what can be a tricky post with the short run to the first turn. Post 8 has yielded just three winners from 54 starters at 1 1/8 miles on the main track here since Jan. 1, 2011.

Piloting, by Tapit

Last 3 Beyers: 94-86-85

◗ He figures to be forwardly placed from the outset.

“He’s going to be on the lead or very close to it,” said Casse, “although he will be running a little farther than he has in the past.”