NEED HELP

[v j stauffer]

Before the Sunshine Millions there was a day of racing at Gulfstream Park which pitted California horses vs Florida Horses.

Of course it was along the same lines as Sunshine Millions but this one had team point totals, cheerleaders and post parades that sounded like prize fight introductions.

Does anybody remember what this challenge day was called?

Thanks.

V J S

[RacingFan1992]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=20030124&id=APYrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_GwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5008,2051307&hl=en

This might help. I don't think there was a formal name for the series.

[freehouse2002]

Its always been called the Sunshine millions, but the format got changed I belive two years ago due to FL breds running right thru the Calbreds year after year. That's why its a statbred series now at each respective track.

freehouse2002

[Ruffian1]

If it's not the Sunshine Millions, it might be this:

In the mid 90's Bobby Umphrey created the June Jam which later became the Summit of Speed.

He got big name Cal. trainers to ship to Fla. and run in sprints.

Ron McAnally and Gary Jones sent horses because of the friendship Bobby had made with them while he was at Hollywood as well as others.

Bobby helped create other events in Florida as well.

He helped create the Senior Triple, Juvenile showcase, Rocket Man Stakes, and more, but my all time favorite was the starter handicaps for greys and roans only. We laughed so hard about that back in the late 70's when he was asst. racing sec. at laurel under Lou Raffetto , the concept brought tears to our eyes. Years later when he had the chance to do it, he did.

One of my dearest friends. I loved that guy. I sure do miss him.

[tanner12oz]

I think it was still the sunshine millions

[cj]

It was the Sunshine Millions and the races were split between Gulfstream and Santa Anita and the races were for Cal Breds and Florida Breds.

[JimG]

It was the Sunshine Millions and the races were split between Gulfstream and Santa Anita and the races were for Cal Breds and Florida Breds.

That's what I recall, and as an aside the NHC final day used to coincide with this day of races.

[jimmy m]

I also remember a made up series for claiming horses back in the 80s called the Final 14 I think, I really am stretching the memory on this one.It may have been between No and So cal breds.Ran both at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows.One thing I do remember was that the winner at Bay Meadows was a good price and was disqualified with Don or Ron Frazier aboard[again really digging deep in memory bank] for not carrying the Proper weight. This was during the real early days of simulcasting.All I can remember is my Late father throwing his form and tickets every where which was strange because he never showed emotion at the track.Im sure the old timers would remember better.

[illinoisbred]

I also remember a made up series for claiming horses back in the 80s called the Final 14 I think, I really am stretching the memory on this one.It may have been between No and So cal breds.Ran both at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows.One thing I do remember was that the winner at Bay Meadows was a good price and was disqualified with Don or Ron Frazier aboard[again really digging deep in memory bank] for not carrying the Proper weight. This was during the real early days of simulcasting.All I can remember is my Late father throwing his form and tickets every where which was strange because he never showed emotion at the track.Im sure the old timers would remember better.
That would've been Ricky Frazier...and the horse was the good Illinois-bred Tex's Zing.

[jimmy m]

It obviously was not for cal breds then if the winner was a Illinois bred.I ment Cal breds based in No Cal and So cal because of course there are no such thing as no cal and So cal breds.

[illinoisbred]

It obviously was not for cal breds then if the winner was a Illinois bred.
No...but I think you are correct. This race at Bay Meadows was the finale of some sort of a nationwide series of races where horses earned points.

[Fager Fan]

It was the Sunshine Millions and the races were split between Gulfstream and Santa Anita and the races were for Cal Breds and Florida Breds.

Bingo. Wasn't long ago so surprised it isn't remembered.

[v j stauffer]

That would've been Ricky Frazier...and the horse was the good Illinois-bred Tex's Zing.

It was Ricky Frazier. The horse's name was Alijebaa or something like that.

This was one time at GP. The thing I most remember was each TEAM had cheerleaders that ere assigned to each horse and walked to the post parade with them.

[illinoisbred]

It was Ricky Frazier. The horse's name was Alijebaa or something like that.

This was one time at GP. The thing I most remember was each TEAM had cheerleaders that ere assigned to each horse and walked to the post parade with them.
Right. I was confused. Tex's Zing,beaten a nose,was put up after the dq.

[OTM Al]

That's what I recall, and as an aside the NHC final day used to coincide with this day of races.
This is correct. I qualified in 2007 and the guy that won had a big hit in one of those races that put him over the top in what was a pretty low scoring year.

[v j stauffer]

Turns out it was in fact called the Sunshine Millions. It was run under a different format in 2003.

That's what I was trying to remember.

Thanks for the help.

[Fager Fan]

http://www.drf.com/news/gulfstream-park-sunshine-millions-restructured

The Sunshine Millions began in 2003 and was run under the same format for 9 years. It stopped being CA versus Fl in 2012 after CA got beat in each of the first 9 years and didn't want to participate again (get beat again).

[bdownes]

I seem to remember that California and Florida had team names but I can't remember their names.

[Cholly]

I seem to remember that California and Florida had team names but I can't remember their names.

plus they had cheerleaders in skimpy outfits!

I seem to recall the California horseman killed the two state/track format so that purse money coming from SA could be redirected to allowance races with 5-horse fields.

[mountainman]

If it's not the Sunshine Millions, it might be this:

In the mid 90's Bobby Umphrey created the June Jam which later became the Summit of Speed.

He got big name Cal. trainers to ship to Fla. and run in sprints.

Ron McAnally and Gary Jones sent horses because of the friendship Bobby had made with them while he was at Hollywood as well as others.

Bobby helped create other events in Florida as well.

He helped create the Senior Triple, Juvenile showcase, Rocket Man Stakes, and more, but my all time favorite was the starter handicaps for greys and roans only. We laughed so hard about that back in the late 70's when he was asst. racing sec. at laurel under Lou Raffetto , the concept brought tears to our eyes. Years later when he had the chance to do it, he did.

One of my dearest friends. I loved that guy. I sure do miss him.

A great official who freely offered assistance to a fledgling stakes recruiter attempting to prey on HIS horse population. RIP, Bob. And sweet dreams, too.

[Psychotic Parakeet]

It was definitely the Sunshine Millions. I remember going to the inaugural one and watching the audience more interested in the provocatively-dressed dancers than the horses (reiterating what Cholly said above).

[Vince Bruun]

You might be thinking of the Super Track Racing Series that debuted at Gulfstream Park in 2001. This was two years prior to the inaugural Sunshine Millions in 2003.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/24/sports/horse-racing-roundup-team-concept-may-be-adopted.html