The Sun Shines on ‘Image

When the bidding reached $240,000 for Southern Image a couple of years ago, trainer Mike Machowsky’s clients took pause. But Machowsky was able to get them to forge ahead, and now they’ve got a horse who has won a Grade I race and a $1-million race, all within a month at Santa Anita.

Southern Image, bought at a Florida auction for $300,000 in March 2002, won the Grade I at Malibu on opening day, then rebounded Saturday for a three-length victory in the $1-million Sunshine Millions Classic in front of 18,888.

“I’ve been the underbidder on some pretty good horses many times,” Machowsky said. “I didn’t want this one to get away.”

Southern Image knocked off favored Midas Eyes in the Malibu, and on Saturday he beat another of trainer Bobby Frankel’s best colts, Peace Rules, who finished fourth as the even-money choice. Southern Image, ridden by Victor Espinoza, paid $8.20 as the second choice. He ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47 3/5, earning $550,000 to send his purses to $781,600.

Frankel scratched Midas Eyes from the Classic, which was the last of eight Sunshine Millions races -- half of them run at Gulfstream Park -- worth $3.6 million. Only Florida-breds, like Southern Image, and California-breds are eligible, and nationally the results have little impact. But Machowsky feels that Southern Image has the talent to eventually compete with the best horses anywhere, and his short-term goal is the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on May 31.

Before the Sunshine Millions, Machowsky discussed with the six owners of Southern Image whether they should run Saturday or in the Strub Stakes on Feb. 7. The Grade II Strub, first run in 1948, is one of the cornerstones of Santa Anita, but it’s worth only $300,000.

“The Malibu was a Grade I race,” said Tom Kagele, one of Southern Image’s owners, “but a million bucks is a million bucks.”

Excess Summer was the pace-setter through hearty fractions of :22 2/5, :45 3/5 and 1:09 2/5 for the Classic, and gamely hung on for second place, five lengths ahead of The Judge Sez Who, a 44-1 longshot. Peace Rules was another half-length back.

“He was strong when I didn’t want him to be strong,” jockey Jerry Bailey said of Peace Rules, who had never run on dirt at Santa Anita. “He absolutely turned the bridle loose turning up the backside, and he never got back into it again. He very much resented trying to lay off the pace.”

Southern Image, fifth after a quarter of a mile and third through four furlongs, overtook Excess Summer at the top of the stretch.

“My horse was focused and he cooperated,” Espinoza said. “Going from seven-eighths of a mile to a mile and an eighth was a big step for him. As soon as I got my position out of the gate, he relaxed. I was lucky that I had so much horse left at the end. I think we are going to have a good, long future with this horse.”

Espinoza is undefeated in three tries with Southern Image. Last year, after not running as a 2-year-old, the colt broke his maiden on his first start, ran third in the San Vicente for Kentucky Derby prospects and then ran only one more time -- winning at Del Mar in August -- because of a bruised foot and other injuries.

Florida-breds will inevitably dominate the Sunshine Millions the way the program is structured, because Florida’s breeding industry is one of the best in the country. Florida-breds won seven of eight races last year, in the Millions inaugural, and they won six of eight on Saturday. The California-bred exceptions were Silent Sighs, winner of the $250,000 Oaks at 1-5 for trainer Julio Canani and jockey David Flores at Gulfstream, and Valentine Dancer, who won the $500,000 Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita. In other races at Gulfstream:

* Secret Request, ridden by Eibar Coa, sprung a 74-1 upset by three-quarters of a length in the $500,000 Distaff.

* Shake You Down, one of the country’s best sprinters and the 3-5 favorite, won the $300,000 Sprint by three lengths.

* Proud Man came from ninth place to win the $500,000 Turf by a half-length.

At Santa Anita, Mooji Moo, one of Corey Nakatani’s three victories on the day, paid $37.40 after winning the $300,000 Filly & Mare Sprint; and Saint Afleet survived a five-horse battle to the wire to beat Cheiron by a head in the $250,000 Dash.

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The Santa Anita stewards, hoping to schedule a hearing for Pat Valenzuela, have not heard from the jockey, who was suspended indefinitely on Friday for failing to appear for a drug test. Three of Valenzuela’s scheduled mounts on Saturday won with other jockeys, including Valentine Dancer, who was ridden by Jon Court.... At the Fair Grounds, Fire Slam, who is owned by Stan Fulton, won the $100,000 LeComte Stakes, a prep for the Louisiana Derby. Favored Polish Rifle ran fifth.