BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Sun Kiss, a Florida-bred full sister to multiple graded stakes winning Florida-bred Damon’s Mound, will make her first career start in a six-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga Saturday.

A homebred for Cliff and Michele Love of Friendswood, Tex., Sun Kiss has several solid works coming into Saturday including a bullet three furlongs in :36 flat at Saratoga on Aug. 2, the fastest of 14 at the distance that morning. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott, Sun Kiss also clocked four furlongs in :48.76 on July 25, ranking 18 of 60 works.

Sun Kiss is by Girvin out of the stakes-placed mare San Antonio Stroll, by Stroll. From five foals, she also produced winner Moon Mist with Girvin. The Loves sold her in foal to Ocala Stud stallion Roadster for $175,000 in August of 2023 in a Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale to Girvin’s Girls. The resulting foal is an unnamed yearling colt bred by Brad and Misty Grady, who campaigned Girvin. She also has a weanling filly by Girvin, also bred by the Gradys, and was bred back to Girvin in 2025.

Damon’s Mound, who is also owned by the Loves, has earned $773,200 from five wins, two seconds and two thirds from 15 starts. The 2023 Gallant Bob (G3) and 2022 Saratoga Special (G2) are among his four lifetime stakes victories. 

Sun Kiss will be ridden from post one by Kendrick Carmouche and is 8-1 on the morning line.

The 7-5 morning line favorite is Tennessee Belle from the barn of John A. Ortiz and the only entrant with experience.

Owned by Boyd Racing LLC, Tennessee Belle was second going six furlongs in a maiden special weight for fillies at Saratoga on July 26. Although she finished nearly four lengths behind winner Tommy Jo, Tennesse Belle was more than three lengths clear of third-place finisher Academia after rallying from fourth. 

Tennessee Belle is by Yaupon out of Belle Gallantey, by After Market and will be ridden from post six by Joel Rosario.

The most expensive entrant is the Jena Antonucci-trained Amended Dreamer, a $285,000 Keeneland September yearling who races for Late Night Stables LLC.

The bay daughter of Constitution is 8-1 in the program and will be ridden from post three by Ricardo Santana Jr.

Other fillies in the field are Run Wild with Jose Ortiz in the irons, Nonna Teresa and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Cognition will have Dylan Davis up, All About You with Luis Rivera Jr. aboard and Manny Franco rides Saratoga Party.

Return to the August 14 issue of Wire to Wire