BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL–Grade 1 stakes-placed Romagna Mia (GB) breezed three-eighths of a mile at Palm Meadows Friday morning in preparation for a start in Tuesday’s $125,000 Via Borghese at Gulfstream Park.
Team Valor International LLC’s 4-year-old filly was timed in :39.95 over the turf course for her highly anticipated start in the Via Borghese, a mile-and-three-eighths turf stakes for fillies and mares.
“She’s been doing great,” said trainer Graham Motion, whose Via Borghese favorite has produced a strong string of five workouts at Palm Meadows for her Gulfstream debut.
Romagna Mia is coming off a three-length romp in the Oct. 22 Dowager (G3) at Keeneland in her second U.S. start. The daughter of Mastercraftsman finished third in the Beverly D (G1) at Colonial Downs in her first start in this country.
Florida-bred Coco, recently second to fellow Florida-bred Time Passage in the $90,000 Cellars Shiraz on the Gulfstream Park synthetic, is also entered for the Via Borghese.
Note: Florida-bred Picking Up Pennies went gate-to-wire under jockey Edgard Zayas to win Friday’s seventh race, an allowance optional claimer at a mile on the main track. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Picking Up Pennies, a 5-year-old son of Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude, covered the distance in 1:36.54 and finished a length-and-a-half in front of Black Belt. Favored Grade 2-winner Dynamic One, making his first start since September of 2022, was bumped leaving the gate and broke last and raced wide, finishing fifth in the seven-horse field.
