By Alan Carasso
Sent off as the 11-2 fourth choice in a field of six for Sunday's Yau Ma Tei Plate, the first griffin race of the year in Hong Kong, Sunny Star (Flatter) flopped out of the gates, but came with a stinging rally inside the final 200 meters to open his account at first asking, defeating 6-5 favorite Smiling Face (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) by 2 1/4 lengths. Chancheng Prince (Carpe Diem) raced prominently throughout and stuck on gamely for third.
Sunny Star hopped in the air just as the gates flew and the son of Suzee Sunrise (Chester House) was detached from his five rivals for the opening quarter mile. Into the bit linking up with the course proper, he was taken hold of when short of room a furlong and a half from home, burst through three off the stands' side rail at the eighth pole and streaked clear (video). Sunny Star is the first Hong Kong starter for his sire.
“I expected he could jump out together with the other horses, but he missed the kick a little bit–[jockey] Vincent [Ho] said it was because he sat down in the gate,” said winning trainer Francis Lui, who also saddled Chancheng Prince. “My horse is more mature than the others, his gallops have been very competitive. It's a good start and I think we'll stick to the griffin races for now.”
Consigned by Brookdale Sales to the 2017 Keeneland November Sale, Sunny Star was knocked down for $90,000, but was RNAd for $40,000 at Fasig-Tipton October the following fall. Mark Dwyer's Oaks Farm Stables prepared the colt for last year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up sale, where he was hammered down to agent Dwayne Woods for 55,000gns ($75,635). He earned roughly $62,500 for his victory Sunday.
A half-brother to Grade III-winning turfer Golden Brown (Offlee Wild), Sunny Star is out of a daughter of SW Diane's Birthday (With Approval), dam of French Group 3 hero Arcadia's Angle (Aldebaran).
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