BY MICHAEL COMPTON

Fresh off a five-and-a-half-length maiden special weight score at Tampa Bay Downs on March 29, Florida-bred My Boy Star sprung an 8-1 upset over a competitive field in Saturday’s $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park in his stakes debut.

Ridden by Sonny Leon, My Boy Star broke alertly and grabbed the early lead in the six-furlong fixture. Well in hand racing in the two-path down the backstretch, My Boy Star received pressure from Sweeping Shadow along the inside while clicking off fractions of :22.07 and :45.28. He shrugged off that foe around the far turn before Rockies Balboa took a swing at the leader at the head of the lane. My Boy Star had plenty in the tank, however, and surged clear through the stretch to win comfortably by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

“I knew he was fast. Before he even had his first start, I was working him every day at Tampa Bay Downs,” Leon said. “For some reason, I had other mounts and didn’t ride him. Lucky for me, I didn’t have a mount in this race.”

My Boy Star stopped the clock in 1:12.73 and paid $18.20 to win.

 

My Boy Star is campaigned by A.O.M. Racing Stables LLC, and Pedro Brito Brito and trained by Alejandro Olais Mendieta. The latter bred My Boy Star in the Sunshine State with Maria Elena Villegas. The $58,200 winner’s share of the FHBA Sophomore Sprint Stakes purse increased My Boy Star’s bankroll to $104,500 and improved his record to two wins and two thirds in four starts. My Boy Star is by Bucchero out of the Florida-bred Adios Charlie mare My Sarasota Star, a seven-time winner and earner of $230,120 for Mendieta.

Runner-up and race favorite Rockies Balboa stalked the pace throughout under Junior Alvarado, loomed boldly on the far turn but could not match strides with the winner late. Rockies Balboa held second by a half-length from a re-rallying Sweeping Shadow who finished third. They were followed in order by Diciassette, Langvad, Trelawny, Maykomotion and Wootun.

-Gulfstream Park Publicity contributed to this report.

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