The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association will be hosting the opening leg of the Florida Sunshine Stakes on Saturday morning, Nov. 1 at the Sunshine Meadows Equestrian Village in Delray Beach, Florida.

The eight-race program gets underway at 11 a.m. and will feature 15 two and three-year-old trotters and pacers competing over the one-mile oval for $14,750 in total purses.

Some of the top contenders include Its Margaritatime (sired by Lockkeeper), who will start from post two in the third race trot for two-year-old colts and geldings. Co-owned by breeder/trainer/driver Marshall Makin with Rebeccca Glassford, Its Margaritatime sports five wins in 11 starts this year with earnings of $66,389 from competing on the Michigan fair circuit.

The sixth race trot is headlined by Nola Christian (sired by Stormin Normand), who enters on a three-race winning streak at Ohio's Northfield Park for owner/breeder/trainer Thomas Casey. The three-year-old trotting filly has won six of her eight starts this year. She will be driven by Mike Wilder.

Wilder also has another live drive in the fourth race as McHungry (sired by Stay Hungry) goes to post in the event for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings. McHungry is trained by Dan Altmeyer, owned by Altmeyer Wilder Racing, Hutchinson Harness, David Wills and Jean Allred and was bred by the Sergent Stables. He has been competing in the Pennsylvania stakes with one win in 1:53.3 in a Stallion Series leg at Harrah's Philadelphia and earnings of $54,142.

U.S. Hall of Famer John Berry will again be the track announcer for the races.

Admission and parking are always free at Sunshine Meadows. Fans are urged to bring their own lawn chairs.

(With files from USHWA)