Trainer Todd Pletcher is armed and ready with three runners for the second annual East vs. West showdown in the Jan. 24 Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream and Santa Anita Park. Smok'n Frolic, Music's Storm and Pick'em are all on schedule for races on the program. The 3-year-old Chapel Royal will sit out the Sunshine Millions Dash.
"Of the ones that are going, all three are on schedule and training well," said Pletcher. "Chapel Royal just won't be ready. His race is at Santa Anita, but even if it was in China he just wouldn't be ready."
Dogwood Stables' Smok'n Frolic will look to defend her title in the $500,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Distaff. In addition to her victory in this race last year at Santa Anita, the daughter of Smoke Glacken was second in the Rampart Handicap (gr. II) and won the Next Move Handicap (gr. III) at Aqueduct last March.
Music's Storm heads into the $500,000 Franks Farms Turf looking to avenge a nose defeat in last year's version. The 5-year-old was second most recently in the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup at Calder behind fellow Sunshine Millions probable, Stormy Roman.
Pick'em is a lightly raced son of Valid Expectations in search of his first stakes victory in the $300,000 Padua Stable Sprint. He was second in the Jack Dudley Stakes at Calder against fellow Florida-breds last time out.
Pletcher said each would have workouts over the next two Sundays in final preparations for their Sunshine Millions assignments.
