Mythical Cruises to Easy Score in Sophomore Filly Sprint

Leon Guides My Boy Star to Sophomore Sprint Victory

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Arindel’s Mythical asserted her abundant class and talent in the $100,000 Sophomore Filly Sprint Saturday at Gulfstream Park on her way to an easy 5 ½-length score and sixth stakes victory in nine career starts.

The six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old Florida-bred fillies was one of six Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association stakes for Florida-breds on Saturday’s Gulfstream program.

Sent to post as the 1-9 favorite, Mythical was a step slow at the break and tracked dueling pacesetters Flowko and Love Like Lucky on the backstretch and into the far turn before effortlessly taking control three-wide heading into the homestretch turn under Edgard Zayas. The Jorge Delgado-trained filly lengthened that lead through the stretch with no need for encouragement

“At the break, somebody leaned on her, so she wasn’t too sharp from the gate, but after that everything was smooth,” Delgado aid. “She was the best filly in the race and she’s one of the best fillies in the country.

Zayas, a perennial leading rider at Gulfstream who recently switched his tack to Aqueduct, returned to South Florida to ride the graded stakes-winning daughter of St. Patrick’s Day.

“She’s not like a huge filly, but she has a very big heart. I’m happy to ride her. I’m happy for her owners, Alan and Brian (Cohen), and Jorge has done a really good job with her,” Zayas said. “Hopefully this year she shows she can probably win a Grade 1.”

Mythical followed up an 8 ½-length debut victory at Gulfstream last April by beating the boys in the 5 ½-furlong Tremont and scoring a 3 ¼-length triumph in the Adirondack (G3), both at Saratoga. The homebred filly went on to finish fifth in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga after setting a pressured pace before concluding her juvenile campaign at Gulfstream with back-to-back front-running Florida Sire Stakes scores in the $200,000 Susan’s Girl and $300,000 My Dear Girl.

Mythical came up short in her 2026 debut at Gulfstream Jan. 31 in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) following a slow start and setting a pressured early pace. She entered Saturday’s stakes with a two-length victory in the March 14 Any Limit at Gulfstream, where she ran six furlongs in 1:09.50.

“I think she’s one of the best fillies in the country, and she’s getting better, too,” Delgado said. “

Mythical is likely to run next in the $175,000 Jersey Girl, a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies, June 4 at Saratoga.

“We’re probably going to go to Saratoga. She’s won two stakes at Saratoga,” he said.

Mythical ran six furlongs in 1:11.13 while giving Arindel homebreds back-to-back stakes scores. Arindel’s Tank captured the $100,000 Turf in the previous race.

La Chimosa finished second, 5 ½ lengths ahead of Flowko.

__Leon Guides My Boy Star to Sophomore Sprint Victory __

A.O.M. Racing Stables LLC and Pedro Brito Brito’s My Boy Star took command of the $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Sprint right from the start of the six-furlong sprint for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and continued on to a 2 ¼-length front-running victory Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The 3-year-old son of Bucchero, who was coming off a sharp 5 ½-length maiden special weight triumph at Tampa Bay Downs under Israel Rodriguez, was a pick-up mount from Sonny Leon Saturday morning.

“I knew he was fast. Before he even had his first start, I was working him every day at Tampa Bay Downs,” Leon said. “For some reason, I had other mounts and didn’t ride him. Lucky for me, I didn’t have a mount in this race.”

Alejandro Mendiata-trained My Boy Star ran six furlongs in 1:11.01 under Leon, who four years ago rode Rich Strike to an upset victory in the 2022 Kentucky Derby (G1).

“This time of year brings back a lot of memories for me,” Leon said. “It is history.”

Rockies Balboa finished second, a neck ahead of Sweeping Shadow.