BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Happy Tenth Stables’ Buccherino looks to end 2026 with his fourth stakes victory and fifth win of the year in the $75,000 Blitzen Stakes, a seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds and older at Parx Racing Wednesday. Trained by Alfredo Velazquez, Buccherino will be joined in the field of eight by fellow Florida-breds Sunny Breeze and Global Steve.
Buccherino will have the benefit of his favorite racing surface at Parx where he has won six with a third in seven lifetime starts including two stakes this year.
The 4-year-old colt won in consecutive starts the $75,000 State Representative’s Sprint by nearly three lengths on Aug. 19 and the $150,000 Parx Sprint by a length-and-a-half on Sept. 20, both over six-and-a-half furlongs at Parx. In one start since, he was second to Florida-bred Damon’s Mound in the six-furlong Bold Ruler (G3) during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct on Nov. 2.
He began 2026 strong on May 5, racing for the first time in eight months after recovering from a foot injury. He won an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming by nearly three lengths at Parx on May 5 then traveled to Monmouth Park to take the $100,000 Mr. Prospector by a length-and-a-half on May 26, both going six furlongs. Next, he was a close second to Full Moon Madness in the $100,000 Alapocas Run at Delaware Park in June and fourth in the $102,000 Wolf Hill Stakes on the grass at Monmouth Park in July before returning to Parx for the State Representative’s Sprint.
Buccherino has won eight of 17 career starts with three seconds and three thirds while banking $506,800. He is by Bucchero out of Bellimbusto, by First Dude and was bred in Florida by Sergio Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock. Tom and Kathy Lamont of Clearwater, Fla., purchased Buccherino under their Happy Tenth banner for $75,000 out of Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock consignment at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale.
Angel Cruz, who last rode Buccherino in 2023, winning an optional claiming in two starts, will be aboard for the Blitzen. Buccherino is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line and has drawn post five.
Stonehedge LLC homebred Sunny Breeze faces Buccherino for the fourth time in the Blitzen. He was third behind winner Buccherino and runner-up Maximus Meridius, the 5-2 morning favorite Wednesday, in the 2024 Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint at Parx and outran a third-place Buccherino when second to Florida-bred juggernaut Bentornato in the 2024 Gallant Bob (G2) at Parx. Sunny Breeze was also fourth in this year’s Alapocas Run.
Sunny Breeze exits a fifth behind Blitzen rivals Twisted Ride and Dropline in an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming going six-and-a-half furlongs at Parx on Dec. 8.
Trained by Edward Allard, Sunny Breeze has three wins, a second a three thirds in 11 career starts with earnings of $216,540. He is by Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze out of Love My Sunshine, by Khozan.
A 4-year-old gelding, Sunny Breeze is 8-1 in the program and Angel Rodriguez will guide him from post seven.
The lightly raced 3-year-old colt Global Steve makes only his third start this year and first since finishing seventh in the $150,000 Carle Place Stakes during the Belmont at Big A meet on Oct. 19.
Trained by Robert Reid Jr. for Cash is King and LC Racing, Global Steve was undefeated in two starts as a 2-year-old including a length-a-half victory in the $75,000 Future Stars Stakes at Parx on Dec. 30, 2024. Earlier this year in February, he was sixth in the Listed Withers over a sloppy seven furlongs at Aqueduct.
Global Steve is by Bucchero out of A Rosefor Isabelle, by Hard Spun and was bred in Florida by Lance Colwell. An earner of $78,675 in his four races, Global Steve was purchased by LC Racing for $60,000 out of the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-year-olds in training where he was consigned by Two Oaks Equine.
Reid has not named a rider on Global Steve, who has post six and is 15-1 in the program.
Others in the Blitzen are Maximus Meridius with Mychel Sanchez named to ride, Howgreatisnate and jockey Julio Hernandez, Abner Adorno has the call on Dropline and Silvestre Gonzalez rides Paradise Valley.
Return to the December 30 issue of Wire to Wire
