Hades Attempts to Sustain Momentum in Sunshine Classic

Rivals Include Past Champions Lure Him In, Lightning Tones

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran’s Grade 3 winner Hades, fresh off his first victory in 22 months, looks to keep the momentum going when he returns to face state-breds for the first time since his juvenile campaign in Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park.

The 23rd running of the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Classic for Florida-breds 4 and older shares top billing on an 11-race program with the 24th renewal of the $75,000 Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf for older state-bred females scheduled for a two-turn mile on the grass.

First race post time is 12:20 p.m.

When he last raced against Florida-breds, Hades romped to an eight-length allowance victory in just his second start as a prelude to what would be a career-best triumph five weeks later in the Holy Bull (G3), his sophomore debut. The now 5-year-old gelding went 11 starts over the next two seasons without another win before breaking through with an optional claiming allowance triumph Dec. 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.

In between Hades ran fifth in the Florida Derby (G1), placed in five stakes including a second to Grade 1 winner Domestic Product in the Dwyer (G3), and crossed the wire first but was disqualified to second for interference in the 1 1/8-mile Tackleberry overnight handicap last summer at Gulfstream.

“It worked out perfectly last time. We sent him up there to get that race into him running two turns. He won and he came out of it great, and he’s ready for this. We’re looking forward to a good race,” trainer Joe Orseno said. “He’s got the talent, it was more of a confidence booster we were looking for at Tampa.

“We’d like to see him put two races together. That’s what we’re hoping for,” he added. “His biggest win came here, and he’ll get the two turns, and it looks like there’s just enough speed in the race that maybe he can get a good trip. You just can’t relax on him. You’ve got to keep after him, so he’ll have something to run at.”

Rated at 9-2 on the morning line, Hades will break from Post 2 in a field of six with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard for the first time. Three of Hades’ four career wins have come in seven tries over Gulfstream’s main track.

“This is a solid group of Florida-breds that looks competitive,” Orseno said. “If Hades is Hades, he’s supposed to go out there and run his race.”

Among his rivals are a pair of former Classic winners in Lightning Tones and Lure Him In, who are attempting to join Mucho Macho Man as the only horses to win the race more than once. Mucho Macho Man was victorious in 2012 and 2014, the latter following his signature victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Owned and trained by Jose Castro, Lightning Tones (Post 5, 5-2) is the defending champion having rallied from last after hitting the starting gate to register a 1 ¼-length decision last winter. It was his second of three stakes wins, following the 2023 Carry Back and preceding the 1 1/16-mile Black Diamond Cat overnight handicap Aug. 30, again in last-to-first fashion. He subsequently placed in successive handicaps, the Mr. Jordan in October and Finallymadeit in mid-November.

BAG Racing Stables, Double B Racing Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch and Mach 1 Racing’s 9-year-old gelding Lure Him In (Post 4, 8-5) has the most experience, wins and purse earnings of his rivals with a record of 11-11-9 from 56 starts and a bankroll of $720,753. He has not raced since finishing second behind Grade 2 winner Steal Sunshine in the Finallymadeit.

“He’s doing phenomenal,” trainer Sam Wilensky said. “He’s a horse that’s run out of conditions pretty much. There was no real intention to take almost two months off but it’s just kind of the path with a horse like that. We saw this race and figured it was a good spot for him. He couldn’t be doing any better. It’s honestly shocking at 9 years old to act the way he does. He loves it.”

After placing three times with one win in eight 2024 starts, Lure Him In enjoyed a resurgence last year with three wins, two seconds and a third in eight races, winning at Tampa and Colonial Downs before capturing the Wildcat Red overnight handicap last June at Gulfstream. One of his defeats came to the likes of Fierceness and Journalism in the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar.

Lure Him In won the Sunshine Turf in 2022 and the Classic in 2024, getting up by a head over subsequent Grade 3-winning millionaire Octane at odds of 7-1. Edwin Gonzalez is named to ride.

“At one point I thought there might have been some regression, especially in comparison to the numbers from the first time I had him, but I think I’d be wrong on that. I don’t see any regression at the moment,” Wilensky said. “At 9 years old how many horses are out there winning stakes let alone still racing? It would be really awesome to do it again. He’s probably the coolest horse I’ve ever been around, he really is. The horse has run 60 times almost and I bring him to the paddock to school and he bounces around like it’s his first time, like he’s a baby.”

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was unsure whether he would run Neoequos (Post 6, 3-1), unraced since finishing sixth in the six-furlong Gallant Bob (G2) Sept. 20 at Parx. The 4-year-old stakes winner has tried two turns three times, finishing third in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby last winter and 13th in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Pure Class (Post 1, 20-1), the 2024 Sophomore Stakes winner racing first off the claim for trainer Laura Cazares, and Awesome Train (Post 3, 6-1), runner-up in a pair of overnight handicaps last summer and fifth in the 2025 Sunshine Classic, complete the field.