BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mystic Lake has been installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s $125,000 Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs as the Florida-bred filly comes into the seven-furlong test off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Mazarine at Woodbine on Nov. 4.
The Gasparilla purse includes a $25,000 bonus for a Florida-bred winner and an additional $50,000 Florida Sire Stakes win bonus—both presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for C2 Racing Stable LLC and Stefania Farms LLC, Mystic Lake has drawn post one in the field of eight 3-year-old fillies and is in search of her first stakes victory.
Mystic Lake could benefit from the seven-furlong distance after she led until the final furlong in the mile-and-a-sixteenth Mazarine on the Woodbine synthetic main track before surrendering to winner Witwatersrand on Nov. 4. The daughter of Mo Town also set the pace for much of the seven furlongs in the $140,000 Glorious Song on the Woodbine synthetic on Oct. 15 before finishing second, just three-quarters of a length behind winner A Little Frisky.
Mystic broke her maiden by a length-and-a-half on the Woodbine main track going six furlongs in September in her second career start.
Out of Salty Soul, by Itsmyluckyday, Mystic Lake was bred in Florida by Peggy Costanzo and has earned $62,446 in her four career starts.
Having twice passed through the auction ring at Ocala Breeders’ Sales, Mystic Lake was first purchased by Tom McCrocklin as agent for $3,500 at the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale where she was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield. McCrocklin then pinhooked her back through the OBS March Sale where she sold for $130,000 to Turf Express Racing Partners.
Joseph has giving the riding assignment on the dark bay filly to Edgard Zayas.
Mystic Lake is one of three FTBOA-registered Florida-breds running at the $25,000 win bonus with Genuine Peril and Girvin’s Princess. Girvin’s Princess is also eligible for the $50,000 Florida Sire Stakes win bonus.
Girvin’s Princess is the 7-2 third choice in the program for trainer Kathleen O’Connell and breeder Jerry Campbell, who also owns the filly in the name of his Campbell Stables LLC.
Girvin’s Princess looks to extend her two-race win streak while racing against stakes fillies for the first time.
She defeated $25,000 maiden claiming fillies by five lengths in her second career start on Sept. 29 at Gulfstream Park before winning a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance by two-and-a-quarter lengths at Tampa Bay on Nov. 29.
Girvin’s Princess is by Girvin out of Dude’s Princess, by Double Diamond Farm’s First Dude and has earned $37,350 in her three races.
Hector Diaz Jr. will ride Girvin’s Princess from post five.
Trainer Carlos Munoz will saddle Genuine Peril, who is 20-1 on the morning line.
The grey or roan daughter of Enticed was last seen finishing fourth in the $50,000 Sandpiper won by Florida-bred Let Them Watch going six furlongs at Tampa Bay on Dec. 2 after finishing seventh in the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies Sprint won by Florida-bred Chi Chi going six-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream on Nov. 11.
Genuine Peril is out of Shoyoya, by Macho Uno and was bred by Carole A. Rio and Isabella Rio. She has one win in five starts with earnings of $42,300 for owner Valenin Jimenez and the riding assignment has been given to Jose Batista.
Genuine Peril has post seven.
Others entered are Copper Bound and jockey Antonio Gallardo, D’lightful Summer with Samuel Marin named to ride, Runaway Diva with Ronnie Allen Jr. up, Samy Camacho will ride Gorgeous Girl and Carlos Rojas has the mount on Corinth.
