X Y Jet, Mr. Jordan Among Stars on Sunshine Millions Day

If you’re a fan of quality state-restricted stakes races, then you won’t want to miss Sunshine Millions Day this Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Four stakes races for Florida-breds are scheduled to be run, though interestingly the richest race of the day—the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes—is the first stakes race on the card. The favorite in the nine-furlong race will almost assuredly be the six-year-old gelding Mr. Jordan, who won the Millions Classic Preview Stakes two starts back by 11 ½ lengths. Trained by Eddie Plesa, Jr., Mr. Jordan has been a bit inconsistent throughout his career but is dropping in class following a strong runner-up effort in the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream last month, and a repeat of that run would make him tough to beat. His stiffest challenges could come from Richard the Great, who finished just a neck behind Mr. Jordan in the Harlan’s Holiday, and Jay’s Way, who beat the talented J Boys Echo in an allowance race at Gulfstream last month.

The second stakes race of the day is the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf, an 8.5-furlong event that has drawn a deep field of experienced stakes competitors. Enterprising  is 0-for-5 at Gulfstream Park but figures to be the favorite based on a body of work that includes multiple graded stakes wins, a neck defeat in this race last year, and a recent victory in the Millions Turf Preview Stakes two months ago. But he could face stiff competition from Galleon Mast, runner-up in the Millions Turf Preview and never out of the trifecta in twelve starts at Gulfstream.

The $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf has attracted ten starters, including the multiple graded stakes winner Starship Jubilee, who is 6-for-11 at Gulfstream Park. Bonita, who won two stakes races over the Gulfstream turf course last summer, should also be in the mix.

Rounding out the stakes action is the $100,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint at six furlongs on the main track. , a veteran stakes competitor that recently returned from a long layoff to win the Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) over this track and distance, should be a clear choice to win, though the lightly-raced Bold Envoy has won two of his three starts for trainer Todd Pletcher and looks like an interesting up-and-comer with plenty of early speed.

Post time for the first race of the day is 12:00 p.m. Eastern.