BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Squeezed back in the turn by 6-5 favorite Mystic Lake, Ms. Bucchero would not be deterred, tenaciously coming back in the stretch to win by a length-and-a-half in the $125,000 Sugar Swirl (Listed) at Gulfstream Park Saturday. Ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz Jr., Ms. Bucchero took her second stakes of the year and won for the fourth time in her last six starts. The six-furlong Sugar Swirl featured six fillies and mare, 3-year-olds on older, five of which were bred in Florida, including Ms. Bucchero.
Mystic Lake returned to Gulfstream off four straight stakes victories at four different tracks with five added-money triumphs total this year and looked on her way to number six during the early stages of the Sugar Swirl. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione had her on the lead immediately from post five before Ms. Bucchero began to apply pressure to her inside heading into the far turn after a comfortable :22.48 first quarter mile. Florida-bred Win N Your In ranged up to challenge Mystic Lake while three-wide midway around the turn when Mystic Lake shifted to the inside, forcing Ortiz to check Ms. Bucchero and drop back two-and-a-half lengths.
Mystic Lake took a narrow lead on Win N Your In out of the turn but left room for Ms. Bucchero, who cut the corner on the rail and went after the two leaders again. Mystic Lake, Win N Your In and Ms. Bucchero went by the eighth pole three across the track before Ms. Bucchero suddenly shook off her challengers to win in 1:09.47 on the fast track. Florida-bred Nic’s Style ran on late to get second with Mystic Lake another length-and-a-half back in third. Win N Your was a fourth followed by Florida-bred R Morning Brew and Kiss Me Slow.
“She checked there for a second and I thought we were in a little trouble,” assistant trainer Colton Moore said. “She just came back and fought. She has been training like I’ve never seen her train before. She’s why you come here every single day and do this.”
Ms. Bucchero paid $8.80 to win.
A winner of a top condition, $62,500 optional claiming in her last start on Oct. 24 at Gulfstream, Ms. Bucchero book-ended her year with stakes victories, beginning 2025 by taking the $100,000 What a Summer at Laurel Park on Jan. 18. She was also second to Factorbella in the $100,000 Regret over good track at Monmouth Park in July and fourth in an upper-level allowance race at Laurel on Sept. 6.
Ms. Bucchero is by Bucchero out of Give Glory to God, by Mutakddim and was bred in Florida by Pamela Edel. Edel also trained the two-time winning Give Glory to God. Ms. Bucchero is a half-sister to Florida-bred stakes-winner Red Crescent, by Overdriven, winner of the 2019 Millions Classic Preview at Gulfstream Park West. Give Glory to God has four starters, all winners, from five foals.
Ms. Bucchero has now won 10 of 19 career starts with four seconds and earnings of $457,300.
Ms. Bucchero is the 82nd Florida-bred winner of an open stakes race in 2025. She is the third consecutive Florida-bred winner of the Sugar Swirl. A dozen Florida-bred fillies and mares have won 13 runnings of the Sugar Swirl including Mystic Lake in 2024, Spirit Wind (2023), Lady’s Island (2019, 2020), Pomeroy’s Pistol (2011), U Can Do It (1998), Chaposa Springs (1996), Si Si Sezyou (1993), Spirit Fighter (1991), Funistrada (1988), One Fine Lady (1987) and Sugar’s Image (1986).
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