News Hy Riverside Puts Nose Down to Win Sunshine Millions Classic Over Nauset Beach January 22, 2017 News Hy Riverside Puts Nose Down to Win Sunshine Millions Classic Over Nauset Beach January 22, 2017 By: Jared Welch twitterfacebooklinkedinemail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jose Ortiz made the most of his weekend in South Florida, urging on Hy Riverside ($8.80) to victory by a nose in Saturday’s Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park. The skills that made Ortiz a finalist for the Outstanding Jockey title at Saturday evening’s Eclipse Award Dinner in the Sport of Kings theater was put on full display during the running of the 1 1/8-mile finale of the Sunshine Millions Day program. Ortiz rated the 5-year-old gelding between horses around the first turn and along the backstretch as Nauset Beach showed the way, stalked by Piloting and Awesome Slew, the 3-5 favorite. Rounding the turn into the stretch, Ortiz cut the corner aboard Hy Riverside and set him down for the long stretch drive. The Antonio Sano-trained gelding kicked in gamely to put his nose down at the wire to narrowly prevail over a brave Nauset Beach, a 30-1 outsider in the field of eight Florida-breds. “Antonio told me to warm him up good. He said try to put him close to the pace, and he will give you a run at the three-eighths pole. At that point I didn’t want to go around because I felt like I had a lot of horse. I wait, wait, wait, and made my way through a hole, and my horse was very, very brave,” said Ortiz, who led the nation with 351 wins last year. “I knew I was there, but I wasn’t sure about the head bob. He gave me everything he had.” Hy Riverside ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.39 to register his first stakes victory. Nauset Beach and jockey Paco Lopez finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Awesome Slew and Javier Castellano. Hy Riverside, who registered back-to-back optional claiming allowance victories at Gulfstream in August, finished fifth in the Harlan’s Holiday (G3) and the Hal’s Hope (G3) in his first two starts of the Championship Meet. “The horse is a good horse. The horses are here to run, and Antonio said if the horse is good, run him,” said assistant trainer Jesus Prada, who saddled Hy Riverside in the absence of Sano, who was in Tampa Saturday. “In the first moment, I thought he lost, but on the replay, I thought he won. The jockey rode an excellent race. When he took him inside, it was very good. He is an excellent jockey.” Source: Gulfstream Park
Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Florida Derby & Arkansas Derby | Blinkers Off 712 The Racing Dudes preview the two major 2025 Kentucky Derby… Read More
Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, and Sweet 16 PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 232 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the Arkansas… Read More
Louisiana Derby 2025 Preview and Saturday Rapid-Fire Picks | Blinkers Off 711 The Racing Dudes preview and give picks for the $1… Read More
Fair Grounds Preview & FREE Pick 5 Bets | The Magic Mike Show 584 The Magic Mike Show guys preview Fair Grounds Race Course… Read More
March Madness BRACKET Reaction & PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 231 Aaron and Papa Dude react to the NCAA men’s basketball… Read More
Get Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial & Santa Anita Derby Picks in Betting Bible Get the 2025 Blue Grass Stakes Betting Bible, featuring the EXACT race-by-race wagering… Read More
Blue Grass Stakes Picks and Preview 2025 | Kentucky Derby Prep Race Aaron previews the 2025 Blues Grass Stakes at Keeneland &… Read More
Santa Anita Derby Picks and Preview 2025 | Kentucky Derby Prep Race Aaron previews the 2025 Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita… Read More
Wood Memorial Picks and Preview 2025 | Kentucky Derby Prep Race Aaron previews the 2025 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct & gives… Read More
Field of Seven Set for Saturday’s 101st Running of the $1.25 Million Toyota Blue Grass LEXINGTON, KY – WinStar Farm, CHC Inc., Pantofel Stable and Wachtel… Read More