Mythical Odds-On Favorite FHBPA Sophomore Fillies Sprint

Rockies Balboa Sure Could Use a Break in Sophomore Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A graded-stakes winner at 2, Mythical will use Saturday’s $100,000 Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association Sophomore Fillies Sprint at Gulfstream Park as a steppingstone to future graded-stakes engagements.

“This race came up. It makes sense It’s six furlongs, and she can stay right here,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “I feel like she is going to have her best moment.”

Mythical has been installed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite for the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies that will be featured on Saturday’s program along with five-other $100,000 stakes for Florida-breds.

“She’s getting better and better. She’s maturing mentally,” Delgado said of the Arindel homebred filly with five stakes victories from eight starts to her credit. “I know she’s one of the best fillies in the country right now.”

Mythical made a name for herself from the very start of her career last year when she 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 daughter of St. Patrick’s Day 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 bounced back to run six furlongs in 1:09.50 to win the Any Limit by two lengths last time out at Gulfstream.

“She had a bad start (in the Forward Gal). She just had a bad day,” Delgado said. “She bounced back to win her last race. She is training really good right now.”

Edgard Zayas will return from New York to Gulfstream to accept the return mount aboard Mythical.

Magic Cap Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch, Castle Gate Farm LLC, Turf Express Racing Inc and John Reinhardt’s Tessellate, a two-time winner of open stakes, enters the Sophomore Fillies Sprint coming off a 4 ½-length romp in the seven-furlong Sophomore Fillies for state-breds at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained daughter of McKinzie won at first asking in a state-bred maiden special weight last July before making five open-stakes appearances in a row, including back-to-back victories in the 6 ½-furlong Juvenile Fillies Sprint at Gulfstream and the seven-furlong Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs. After finishing sixth in the Forward Gal, she came back to win the seven-furlong Sophomore Fillies for state-breds at Tampa Bay Downs last time out.

Joseph will also be represented by MyRacehorse Thoroughbred Acquisition’s Love Like Lucy, who finished second in a six-furlong state-bred allowance last time out following a fourth-place finish in the Gasparilla.

Micah Husbands is scheduled to ride Tessellate, who is rated second at 7-2 on the morning-line, for the first time, while Edwin Gonzalez has the call on Love Like Lucy.

Thorough Crowd and Mr. CPA Racing’s Unfaithful will run in the Sophomore Fillies Sprint coming off a troubled-but-promising fourth-place finish in the six-furlong Xtra Heat at Laurel Park Feb. 4. According to the Equibase chart, the daughter of Vino Rosso was ‘pinballed’ at the start of the six-furlong sprint before making a strong wide run to come up just a length short of victory.

The Ethan West-trained filly broke her maiden at Mahoning Valley by 12 lengths after finishing second in her first two races at Belterra Park and before checking in a close-up third in a Fair Grounds optional claiming allowance at six furlongs.

Junior Alvarado ventures from Keeneland to Gulfstream to rid Unfaithful Rosa and runners in four other stakes Saturday.

D J Stable LLC and Robert Contran’s Winplaceandshow withstood a race-long challenge for the lead from Love Like Lucy in her last race before prevailing by a head. The Joe Orseno-trained daughter of Win Win Win.

Leonel Reyes has the call aboard Winplaceandshow.

Flying Finish Farm Inc’s Flowko, trainer Mary Lightner’s Tosca, and Paula Capestro’s La Chismosa, and The Elkstone Group LLC’s Don’t Do It Lucy round out the field.

Rockies Balboa Sure Could Use a Break in Sophomore Sprint

Charles Monfort, American Pastime Stables, Bloom Racing Stable, and Edwin Barker’s Rockies Balboa sure could use a break in Saturday’s $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

The Dale Romans-trained son of Girvin had to settle for second last time out in the seven-furlong OBS Sophomore for state-breds at Tampa Bay Downs after failing to get away from the gate cleanly

“He stumbled out of the gate last time. He’s usually faster and closer to the pace,” Romans said. “If he breaks clean, he should be in a little better position.”

The Sophomore Sprint, a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds, is one of six stakes for Florida-breds on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park program.

Rockies Balboa won a 6 ½-furlong maiden optional claimer and a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance back-to-back during the Championship Meet before being given a chance around two turns in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2), in which he set the pace for a half-mile before faltering to ninth behind Commandment. He came back to finish second behind Maykomotion last time out.

“The horse that beat him last time is in there, but he kind of got an easy trip on the lead because we didn’t break,” Romans said. “Hopefully, we can put a little pressure on him.”

Junior Alvarado has the return mount aboard Rockies Balboa, who is rated third on the morning line at 9-2.

Bona Venture Stables and Bianco Thoroughbreds’ Maykomotion broke cleanly from his rail post position in the Sophomore on his way to a front-running two-length triumph over Rockies Balboa.

The George Weaver-trained son of Vekoma, who is Saturday’s 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine, had previously broken his maiden by 6 ¼ lengths going seven furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs. He debuted with a weakening sixth-place finish behind Jackson Hole at six furlongs in his debut at Gulfstream in December.

Edgard Zayas, back from New York for Saturday’s program, has the call.

Green With MV Stable’s Diciassette returns to Florida-bred competition Saturday following four straight open-stakes appearances. The Patrick Biancone-trained son of Mitole followed up a debut victory against state-breds last July with a victory in the six-furlong Proud Man at Gulfstream and a troubled fourth behind Ted Noffey in the two-turn Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. Rated second at 2-1 on Saturday’s morning line. Diciassette raced evenly to finish fourth in the seven-furlong Swale in his 2026 debut prior to checking in third in the six-furlong Hutcheson after a troubled start.

“He’s doing well. In his last race, he stumbled badly and grabbed a quarter,” Biancone said. “He’s doing good now, and we’re expecting a good performance.”

Jonathan Ocasio, who rode Diciassette to victory in his first two starts before a fourth-place showing in the Breeders’ Futurity last year, returns aboard the Biancone trainee for the first time this year.

“It was a very simple choice. He’s ridden him before and won with him before,” Biancone said.

Silverton Hill LLC’s Wootun, who has won two of three starts in Florida-bred company, enters the Sophomore Sprint off a runner-up finish in the Hutcheson, 2 ¼ lengths clear of Diciassette. The Heather Smullen-trained son of Tunwoo had beaten Florida-breds previously with a front-running victory in a 5 ½-furlong sprint on Tapeta.

Leonel Reyes, who guided Wootun to a dominating maiden score last year the only time they have teamed, has the mount Saturday.

Phils Racing Stable LLC’s Sweeping Shadow, AOM Racing Stables LLC and Pedro Brito’s My Boy Star, Steven Friedfertig and Shining Stable’s Langvad, Winners Win and Mark Parkinson’s Project Pat, and trainer Jose Pinchin and Michael Bernard’s Trelawny round out the field.