Let The Sunshine In

Sunshine Millions weekend is upon us, but there are still questions as to whether the Santa Anita surface will be functional by race day or if the California half of events might have to be cancelled (or moved somehow); Steve Specht, trainer of McCann’s Mojave, suggested an alternative:

“I pushed to have it at Golden Gate; maybe they should have listened,” said Specht, who also is at Santa Anita this week. “They know they got a major problem with this track, and horses have shipped in from all over the country, and they might have to cancel. It’s a joke. This isn’t a matter of trying to beat the other guy; it’s a matter of will they even run. There is no miracle cure; it’s a screwed-up mess.”

And for another special ‘well done,’ check out Magna’s Sunshine Millions website which 1) does not render properly in Firefox and 2) features an article about last year’s pre-entries on its front page. Well played, sirs.

But provided all the surface issues are worked out, it should be an exciting weekend of racing; Nashoba’s Key is back in the Filly & Mare Turf and speedster Georgie Boy is featured in the Dash. If my iPod’s picks are anything to go by (and they usually are not, but there you are), he should be unbeatable — why else would it have played ‘Georgie Boy’ by Jack L[ukeman] so many times? Ginger Punch makes her 2008 debut as well. Don’t forget to check the TBA homepage for all your Sunshine Millions PP needs.

For your general amusement, I include my picks for the day:

Sprint (Gulfstream)
Cobalt Blue
Benny the Bull
Storm in May

F&M Sprint (Santa Anita)
Tiz Elemental
Shaggy Mane
Cher Ami

Oaks (Gulfstream)
Phantom Income
American Country
Billie Bob

F&M Turf (Santa Anita)
Nashoba’s Key
Quite a Bride
Snow Cone

Distaff (Gulfstream)
Ginger Punch
Leah’s Secret
Peach Flambe

Dash (Santa Anita)
Georgie Boy
Afleet Rumor
Winsome Charm

Turf (Gulfstream)
Icy Atlantic
Soldier’s Dancer
War Monger

Classic (Santa Anita)
Diamond Stripes
McCann’s Mojave
Gottcha Gold

In news beyond the Sunshine Millions, Asiatic Boy is back in a big way; you can catch video from his race over here. Cacique added to his family’s legacy this week with a little help from an Irish mare; his first reported foal is a colt. Last weekend, his full brother Champs Elysees became the latest of Hasili’s offspring to win here in the US as well as in Europe. Three-year-old Raise the Flag is next up, and there’s a yearling filly in the bunch as well.

Finally, as to the Barbaro art, well, think of it this way — imagine the uproar had the artist in question gone in a more Damien Hirst direction…