Bailey’s Final Ride
For a couple of seconds in mid-stretch, it looked as though Jerry Bailey’s career would have a perfect ending, that even-money favorite Silver Tree would win the Sunshine Millions Turf after an ground-saving expert ride. If only he hadn’t been briefly blocked before squeezing daringly through a narrow hole along the rail, because on the outside, longshot Miesque’s Approval was in the clear and charging to the lead. The 48-1 shot beat Silver Tree by three-quarters of a length.
“You’re either a hero or a goat. I guess I’ll go eat hay tonight,” Bailey said after. “I think Silver Tree was probably the best horse … But it didn’t open up in time for me. I played the hand that was dealt me. It just wasn’t enough.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly the fairy tale ending was it,” said Silver Tree’s trainer, Bill Mott. “But it was close.”
Shut out on both his mounts in the Sunshine Millions, Bailey retired with 5,893 wins in a 31-year career. His last came aboard the filly Shakespearesister in a $33,000 allowance race on Friday at Gulfstream.
More: “I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been … Hell, I never expected to get out of New Mexico” … “There were tears all around until Bailey was asked if it upset him that he did not visit the winner’s circle for the 5,898th time. ‘Yeah, it does,’ he said, stopping in his tracks. ‘I know Silver Tree was probably the best horse in the race.'”
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Lava Man, winless since taking last year’s Hollywood Gold Cup, came back into form to win the Sunshine Millions Classic. “He finally ran like he had been training,” said trainer Doug O’Neill.
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Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo may make his first start in eight months in the Strub Stakes at Santa Anita next Saturday.
