BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Second in his last three starts, graded stakes-winner Boppy O appears ready to return to winning form Saturday in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf for Florida-bred 4-year-olds and older going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass at Gulfstream Park.
A winner of the Grade 3 With Anticipation on the Saratoga turf as a juvenile in 2022 and the $102,000 Jersey Derby on the Monmouth Park grass the following year, Boppy O was a disappointing fifth in last year’s Sunshine Turf won by Forever Souper. He then finished second in his next three starts, all at Gulfstream.
He was two lengths behind Saratoga Flash going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf in an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming on Oct. 18 then was three lengths shy of winner Yamato under the same conditions but at a mile-and-70-yards on synthetic on Nov. 24. In his last race, the 5-year-old gelding was a length off winner Jerry the Nipper in the $100,000 St. Augustine overnight handicap going a mile-and-sixteenth on synthetic on Dec. 28.
“He’s come back strong,” Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said. “He’s a hard knocker. He tries hard. When things set up for him, he’s tough.”
Boppy O is by Bolt d’Oro out of Pappascat, by Scat Daddy and was bred in Florida by George and Karen Russell’s Rustlewood Farm located in Reddick, Fla. He has won three of 16 career starts with five seconds and two thirds while earning $330,330.
He was purchased by current owners Gary Barber and D.J. Stable for $145,000 out of the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale after racing for Breeze Easy and John Oxley during his first 13 starts. They purchased him for $190,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield. Casse has trained him throughout his career.
Boppy O has drawn the outside post in the field on nine and will be ridden by Edwin Gonzalez.
Casse has also entered Victory Achieved, a homebred for Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation and winner of his last three.
The 4-year-old broke his maiden in his third start going six-and-a-half furlongs on the synthetic main track at Woodbine in September and has not lost since in two starts at Woodbine.
He won a non-winners of two, $50,000 optional claiming by four-and-a-half lengths going six-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic on Oct. 24 then took a first level, $50,000 optional claiming by two-and-a-half lengths going seven furlongs on synthetic on Nov. 24.
Victory Achieved is by Street Sense out of Lady of Victory, by War Front and sports a career record of three wins and a third in five starts while earning $102,410.
Dylan Davis will ride Victory Achieved for the first time when they depart post five.
John Rowe’s Lord Eddard Stark will shorten up after winning his first stakes last out in the $108,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap going two miles on the grass on Dec. 7.
Trained by Joe Orseno, Lord Eddard Stark faces Boppy O for the second time after finishing fifth in the previously mentioned optional claiming at Gulfstream on Oct. 18 two starts back.
Lord Eddard Stark is by He’s Had Enough out of Rough Winter, by Macho Uno and was bred in Florida by Michael John Rowe of Reddick, Fla. He has won five with four seconds and five thirds while earning $233,149 in 28 starts.
Leonel Reyes will ride from post three.
Others set for the Sunshine Turf are Ninja Star and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Adios Cole with rider Tyler Gaffalione, Prevent will be ridden by Edgard Zayas, Junior Alvarado takes the call on Treasure King, If Not for Luck will have Jesus Rios up and John Velazquez rides Anamnestic.