BY BROCK SHERIDAN
The Florida-bred pair of Stonehedge LLC homebred Sunny Breeze and C2 Racing Stable LLC, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Practically Dark are among 11 sophomores entered for the $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint set for six furlongs at Mahoning Valley Race Course Monday. Both travel to the Youngstown, Ohio track after making their last start in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob, won by fellow Florida-bred Bentornato at Parx Racing on Sept. 21.
Sunny Breeze and Bentornato went at each other from the start of the Gallant Bob, racing heads apart early before Bentornato prevailed by a neck to win ahead of Sunny Breeze in second.
Trained by Edward T. Allard, Sunny Breeze has shown promise from the start, winning his first three career starts, including the $99,000 Concern going seven furlongs at Laurel Park on July 28. He then finished third to winner and Florida-bred Buccherino in the $75,000 Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint at six-and-a-half furlongs at Parx on Sept. 24 in his last race before the Gallant Bob.
Sunny Breeze is by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze out of Love My Sunshine, by Ocala Stud’s new resident Khozan. He has won three of five career starts with a second and a third with earnings of $192,950.
Jaime Rodriguez will ride Sunny Breeze from post five and they are 10-1 on the morning line.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. sends Practically Dark to Ohio hoping for improvement on finishing sixth in the Gallant Bob and fourth in the DeBunda Sprint.
In his two starts prior to the DeBunda, the gelded son of Practical Joke won a maiden special weight by four lengths in June then took a first level, $25,000 optional claiming on July 28, both going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Those have been his only wins in seven career starts with a second and a third and earnings of $105,180.
Practically Dark is out of the Midnight Lute mare Midnight Magic and was bred in Florida by Dr. Carolin Von Rosenberg DVM.
C2 Racing Stable purchased him for $310,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton Digital Lothenbach Dispersal of Horses of Racing Age Sale in February after Practically Dark finished second in the maiden special weight at Fair Grounds in his first lifetime start.
Drayden Van Dyke travels from his base at Gulfstream Park to ride Practically Dark from post six and they are 20-1 on the morning line.
The 5-2 program favorite is Book’em Danno, winner of the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga Race Course in June. He also won the $110,000 Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park in July and most recently finished second to Brunacini in the Grade 3 Perryville at Keeneland on Oct. 19.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Book’em Danno from post 11.
Rounding out the field for the Steel Valley Sprint are Maximus Meridus with jockey Frankie Pennington, Jaime Torres rides Save the Trees, Henro will have Rafael Bejarano in the irons, Glengarry with Luis Saez up, Flavien Prat rides World Record, Epic Ride will carry Edgar Morales and Code Omaha has Arcelio Flaco taking the call.
