Sunny and Eighty turned out a bright performance Tuesday, June 6 at Running Aces. The Indiana sired gelding won by the smallest of margins in the four-horse photo.
Sunny and Eighty and Rick Magee return to the winner’s circle Tuesday, June 6 after winning a four-horse photo at Running Aces.
Three horses left gamely for the lead while Sunny and Eighty and Driver Rick Magee eased off the lead, getting away in sixth. Just B Talking and Dean Magee kept Jewels Dragon and Jacob Cutting and Bettor’s Promise and LeMoyne Svendsen out heading to the quarter before Bettor’s Promise crossed over to snag the lead in :28.0. As soon as Bettor’s Promise cleared, Sunny and Eighty pulled out and began the long trek forward.
Sunny and Eighty led the outside flow in first over fashion to the half in :57.1 and three quarters in 1:25.3, joining Bettor’s Promise for the journey around the final turn.
In the stretch, Sunny and Eighty looked to stall momentarily as horses behind Bettor’s Promise dipped to the inside to challenge and horses behind Sunny and Eighty moved to the outside. Four horses were looking for the wire in the end with Sunny and Eighty getting the final call by a nose in 1:54.4. Bettor’s Promise finished second with Jewels Dragon finishing a head back in third.
Sunny and Eighty paid $12.40 for the win. The Always a Virgin four-year-old is owned by A Piece of the Action LLC of California. Peter Karras, William Tortoriello and Thomas Spathies bred the gelding, who is trained by Quentin Schneider.
It was the second win of 2023 for Sunny and Eighty. Overall he has won 10 races in 36 starts with more than $51,000 on his card. His career best of 1:52.0 was taken as a three-year-old at Hawthorne. Sunny and Eighty started off his career at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield under the direction of Richard Schrock. He has raced one time in Indiana in a leg of Indiana Sires Stakes action as a two-year-old and has since traveled to Kentucky, The Meadowlands, and then to Running Aces. He is a half brother to Mudville, who is currently racing and has a mark of 1:51.0 and $117,000 on his card. The family has a two-year-old in 2023 named Joy in Mudville.
In other Running Aces action, Kamara and Jacob Cutting scored a win in the upper conditioned pace, going for a purse of $9,000. The Rockin Image four-year-old experienced broken equipment after the start but continued on, taking the lead at the half in :56.1. Kamara fended off late challengers for the win in 1:54.0, three-quarters of a length over He Grins Again and Luke Plano. Mystery Dragon and Todd Warren finished third.
Kamara paid $11.00 for the win. He is owned by Greg Gardner of Michigan and trained by Darryl Cutting.