Making her second trip from Northern California to South Florida this winter, Estate of Harry Aleo’s 5-year-old Florida-bred mare Wild Promises captured the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Saturday at Gulfstream Park with jockey Aaron Gryder along for the ride, posting her sixth consecutive stakes victory for trainer Greg Gilchrist.

Gryder had Wild Promises rating comfortably in third down the backstretch of the 1 1/8 miles turf test and she took command easily when asked in the upper stretch before drawing out to win by 1¾ lengths over Gold Mark Farm’s Elusive Lady in the field of eight fillies and mares. Live Oak Plantation’s Snow Cone rallied for third, 1¼ lengths behind the runner-up.

A daughter of Wild Event, Wild Promises paid $3.40 to win while extending her streak of stakes victories, the first four in Northern California and the My Charmer Handicap (G3) last out on Dec. 13 at Calder in her previous cross-country foray. She was timed the nine furlongs on ‘firm’ turf in 1:47:82.


Winning Jockey Quotes

Aaron Gryder:

“Greg (Gilchrist) and I had a long conversation yesterday and he said, ‘Don’t you go reading the Form.’ He said just stick your nose in there and wait your turn. I wasn’t worried about having the lead because I knew we would get an opportunity to get in there. I just sneaked in behind Edgar (Prado) and got myself a nice spot. She really made her move at the half-mile pole. I never felt any pressure. How could you with a horse like this.”


Winning Trainer Quote

Greg Gilchrist:

“What can you say, she just tracked them. The race set up perfectly. I knew she didn’t have to have the lead. I figured somebody would get anxious and it worked out pretty good. She loves the grass (12-10-1-1 record). I don’t know what’s next, we’ll figure something out.”


Fractions:

23:80, 47:70, 1:11:93, 1:35:96 & 1:47:82