BY BROCK SHERIDAN
In a race that lists millionaires Nightmare Affair, Imperial Hint and Extravagant Kid among its winners, the $100,000 NYRABets Sprint features Cliff Love’s Damon’s Mound attempting to join the seven-figure club Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs.
The six-furlong Sprint for 4-year-olds and older, is one of six stakes—all for Florida-breds—on the 23rd edition of the Florida Cup. All six Florida Cup stakes feature a $10,000 bonus to the winner if eligible for the Florida Sire Racing Incentive program.
Damon’s Mound is the 4-5 morning line favorite for this year’s edition of the Sprint and the William Mott-trained 6-year-old spots career earnings of $948,405.
A winner of two of his last three starting with a half-length success in the six-furlong Bold Ruler (Grade 3) during the Belmont at Big A meet in November, Damon’s Mound was next two-and-a-half lengths the best in the $75,000 Sunshine Sprint versus Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on January 17. His lone defeat in that span came last out when second to Jack’s Promise in the $105,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint (Listed) on February 21, a race in which he started a step slow and raced five-wide around the turn.
Damon’s Mound has won seven of 19 career starts with three seconds and two thirds. He is out of San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll and was bred in Florida by Love and his wife Michele Love, who live in Friendswood, Texas.
Junior Alvarado rides Damon’s Mound for the tenth time, including his last three, and they have post five.
Graded stakes-winner Flood Zone appears dangerous for trainer Brad Cox after handily winning a second level, $32,000 optional claiming at Tampa Bay Downs over a good seven furlongs in his last race on February 28.
As a 3-year-old last year, Flood Zone appeared to be on the Road to the Kentucky Derby after a three-and-a-half-length victory in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct in March. Owned by Wathnan Racing, the nom de course of the Emir of Qatar, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Flood Zone was next sent to Dubai for the Group 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse in March, but finished seventh behind winner Admire Daytona (Jpn).
Flood Zone had a difficult time getting back on track in two subsequent races last year, finishing seventh in the $239,000 Maxfield at Churchill Downs in June and fifth in the $103,000 Petromalo Mile at Colonial Downs on August 9. But he now appears sharp after winning the aforementioned optional claiming in his first start this year.
Flood Zone is by Frosted out of Curls for Girls, by Curlin and was bred in Florda by Al Figliolia Westburystables. His career record stands at three wins with a second in seven starts with earnings of $254,665.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the first-time mount from in the inside post and they are 5-2 on the morning line.
Trainer Patrick Biancone tries to find a winning spot for Classic of Course, who returns to the main track after his last two races on grass. The 4-year-old son of Awesome of Course was fourth in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf for Florida-breds on January 17 and fifth last out in the $105,000 Silks Run (Listed) sprinting five furlongs.
Classic of Course celebrates the anniversary of his only stakes victory, a three-quarters of a length victory in last year’s $158,000 Cutler Bay over seven-and-a-half furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream Park on March 29.
Classic of Course is owned by Biancone in partnership with Amy Dunne, who bred the 4-year-old gelded son of Awesome of Course with her husband Ciaran Dunne. Classic of Course has earned $407,841 from four wins with three seconds and fourth thirds in 19 starts.
Out of the Honor Code mare Alma Mater, Classic of Course will be ridden from post two by Rajiv Maragh and they are 8-1 in the program.
Rounding out the field are Chrome Ghost, El Principito and Nothingsubtle.
Return to the March 27 issue of Wire to Wire
