Sunshine State Stakes begins at Sunshine Meadows

Pompano Beach, FL, Nov. 2, 2022 – The Florida harness racing Sunshine State stakes season begins on Saturday, November 5 as the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Assocaition (SBOA) presents its 2022 class for two-year-olds with the sophomores capping an excellent eight race program at Sunshine Meadows.

Some of the two-year-olds will be making their initial career starts luring many of the sports top drivers with Mickey McNichol, Mike Simons in action, expected to be joined by Kevin Wallis and Wally Hennessey in short order.

In the juvenile event for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Easy As That, a gelded son of (Tarver Hanover), has yet to win in four career starts but has been race timed in 1:55.4 while finishing his mile in :28.2.

Flying For Trev, a son of (Domethatagain), has three qualifiers under his girth—all under 1:58—and looks to kick off his career with a win.

Both Easy As That and Flying For Trev are trained by Tony Dinges with Dinges driving Easy As That while turning the lines on Flying For Trev over to Andy Santeramo.

Dinges also has a pair in the two yea-old filly pace with Prairie Special (Royel Millennium) and Prairie Lynx (Royel Millennium)

Both of these fillies are showing big potential as Prairie Special has a 4-0-3-0 scorecard with her lines also showing a 1:57.1 qualifying win at Tioga Downs. Prairie Lynx already has two wins, the fastest in 1:56.1 in her most recent start at Vernon Downs.

Once again, Dinges will handle Prairie Special and Santaramo will pilot Prairie Lynx.

In the three-year-old division for pacing fillies, last year’s two-year-old Super Night champion, Come On Spank Me (Tellitlikeitis), returns to Florida attempting to repeat and retain her crown.

Now owned by Weaver Bruscemi along with Burke Racing, Come On Spank Me has been racing at Hoosier Park with success, lowering her 1:54f mark last season to 1:52s this semester.

Her main rival appears to be Prairie Merida, (Royel Mellinnium) who beat her to the winner’s circle on two occasions last season.

In the trot for three-year-old colts and geldings, Prince of Sussex (Creatine), who annexed the “crown” last season with dominating performances throughout the season, looks to repeat and comes into the action with a reduced mark of 1:58f.

Post time for the Sunshine State Stakes at Sunshine Meadows is 11:00 a.m.

For Saturday’s race entries, click here.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink