BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Maykomotion, a two-length winner of the $98,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore Sprint on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs, reunites with Green With MV Stable’s stakes-winning Diciassette in the $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Sprint at Gulfstream Park Saturday. This will be the first time they meet on the racetrack but the colts were raised together by breeder Dominique Damico at her Ramble On Farm in Ocala, Florida.

A field of nine Florida-bred 3-year-olds line up for the six-furlong Sophomore Sprint that is the second of six stakes, each worth $100,000, for Florida-breds on the Gulfstream program.

Both Maykomotion and Diciasette represent early success for Damico as a breeder, a lifelong hunter and jumper who transitioned into Thoroughbred breeding in 2020.

“To have two stakes winners in an early crop is very exciting,” Damico said. “When I saw the nominations, I actually took a screen shot and sent it to some of my friends.

“These are two horses that were raised in the same field. They would always play together and race like colts normally do. Now they get to do it officially. I joked wondering if they would remember one another.”

Damico said Maykomotion had to be resilient early because his dam, Maymont, died when he was just three-and-a-half or four months old according to Domico.

“[Maykomotion] was pretty self-sufficient,” Damico said. “We didn’t replace the mare at that stage—it was little bit late. So, he had to be tough. And it has definitely carried over to his racing career. He looks like he’s a tough colt.

“Diciassette was definitely a standout in the field. I would say more than Maykomotion to be honest.

“But it’s super exciting to have the two of them in the same race and I’ll be rooting for both,” Damico said.

The George Weaver-trained Maykomotion exits the OBS Sophomore Sprint where he negotiated at gate-to-wire victory, winning by two lengths ahead of Sophomore Sprint-rival Rockies Balboa in second.

 

It was the second win in three starts for Maykomotion, who won a maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs by six-and-a-quarter lengths going seven furlongs on March 7 in his second try. 

An earner of $99,000 for owners Bona Venture Stables and Bianco Thoroughbreds, Maykomotion is by Vekoma out of Maymont, by Unbridled’s Song.

He is a graduate of last year’s OBS Spring Sale where SGV/GRW as agent purchased the grey or roan colt for $160,000 out of the Niall Brennan Stables consignment. He was also a $150,000 yearling at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Edgard Zayas will ride Maykomotion for the first time and they will depart post seven.

Diciassette returns to face Florida-bred company for the first time since winning on debut in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park in July.  

He promptly graduated to face open stakes company in his second start, winning by length in the $75,000 Proud Man over a sloppy six furlongs at Gulfstream in August.

Trainer Patrick Biancone then tried him in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October. In the last start of his freshman season on October 4, he finished fourth behind eventual 2-year-old champion colt Ted Noffey.

In two races this year at Gulfstream, Diciasette was first fourth in the $150,000 Swale won by Solitude Dude at seven furlongs on January 31 then third in Fulmine’s $107,000 Hutcheson on March 14 after stumbling out of the gate. Sophomore Sprint foe-Wootun was second in the Hutcheson.

“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.”

Diciasette has won two of five career starts with one third while banking $113,962. He is by Mitole out of Im a Dixie Diva, by Henny Hughes.

Jonathan Ocasio, who rode Diciasette in all three races last year, takes over for Junior Alvarado. They have drawn post two.

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

Wootun led during the early stages of the Hutcheson, taking a length advantage through quarter-mile splits of :22.26 and :45.37. He held off Fulmine through midstretch before finishing second.

Trained by Heather Smullen for Silverton Hill, Wootun has taken one of three starts this year, winning a first level allowance race by a length-and-a-half going five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic on February 1. He was off the board when Smullen tried him on the grass for the first time, finishing seventh in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming at five furlongs.

An earner of $104,500, Wootun is by Bridlewood Farm stallion Tunwoo out of Sonhadora, by Distorted Humor and was bred in Florida by Susan and Charles Chu’s of North Andover, Massachusetts in the name of their Baoma Corp.

Wootun has post six and jockey Leonel Reyes.

A winner of a $50,000 optional claiming maiden race in his fourth career start in December at Gulfstream, Rockies Balboa made it two straight with a five-length score in a first-level allowance race racing seven furlongs at Gulfstream on January 29. He was then off the board in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth won by Commandment at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on Feb. 28 at Gulfstream before going to Tampa for the OBS Sophomore.

“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. [Maykomotion] 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.”

Rockies Balboa is trained by Dale Roman for Charles Monfort, America’s Pastime Stables, Jeffrey Bloom’s Bloom Racing Stable and Edwin S. Barker. He has won two of seven with two seconds while earning $102,465.

He is a bay son of Girvin out of Toni Ann’s Miracle, by Hear No Evil and was bred in Florida by Tonya Hunt.

Junior Alvarado rode Rockies Balboa in the OBS Sprint and returns for the Sophomore Sprint. They have the outside post nine.

Rounding out the field are Sweeping Shadow and jockey Samy Camacho, Israel Rodriguez has the assignment on My Boy Star, Langvad will be guided by Micah Husbands, Yolber Torres will take the reins on Project Pat and Trelawny will have Jose Morelos up.

Return to the April 22 issue of Wire to Wire