by Mike Curry

McCann’s Mojave seized command on the far turn and streaked away from Grade 2 winner Sweetnorthernsaint to steal the spotlight with a three-quarter-length victory at odds of 33.90-to-1 in the $1-million Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-year-old Memo (Chi) horse, the oldest of 12 Classic contenders in the feature race on the Sunshine Millions card for Florida- and California-bred horses, broke alertly and stalked pacesetter Get Funky through a half-mile in :46.91.

Positioned in perfect stalking position by jockey Frank Alvarado along the backstretch, McCann’s Mojave powered to the lead entering the far turn and quickly was joined by Sweetnorthernsaint, who was sent off as the 1.90-to-1 favorite.

“I wanted to be right there [on the pace],” Alvarado said. “When he’s in front, he’s a gamble. He’s not going to let anyone pass. He keeps going. He’s a fighter and has a big heart.”

The duo dueled into the lane before McCann’s Mojave determinedly shook free, drawing clear in the stretch and holding off a late bid from three challengers to prevail in 1:49.89 over a fast main track for trainer Steven Specht and owners-breeders Alix Nikke Hunt and Mike Willman.

Summer Book closed eagerly to edge Grade 1 winner Silver Wagon by a half-length in the final strides. Dry Martini finished another neck back in fourth.

Sweetnorthernsaint, who was sent off as the 5.50-to-1 favorite while finishing seventh in the 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), garnered much of the attention leading up to the Sunshine Millions Classic.

The Sweetsouthernsaint gelding, trained by Michael Trombetta for owners Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos, drew the outside post in the 12-horse field and his chances were severely compromised when he broke sluggishly and was hung wide entering the first turn.

Sweetnorthernsaint gained good stalking position in third on the backstretch and surged ahead to confront McCann’s Mojave on the turn but flattened out in the stretch to finish a non-threatening fifth.

“He went into this race doing very good,” Trombetta said. “Ramon positioned him very well, but he just didn’t have it today. All that matters now is that he comes back all right and lives to fight another today.”

McCann’s Mojave, winner of the 2004 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2), improved to ten wins from 24 starts and increased his earnings to $1,174,955. He joined Specht’s barn in November and entered off a two-length victory in the Union Square Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on December 26.

“The biggest pot I’ve ever won before was a $150,000 [California] Cup race, and that horse paid over a hundred dollars [to win],” Specht said.

California-bred McCann’s Mojave is out of Joni U. Bar, by Nordic Prince.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times daily news editor