BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Buccherino won for the sixth time in seven starts at Parx Racing, including three stakes, with an impressive length-and-a-half victory in the $150,000 Parx Sprint Saturday. Owned by Tom and Kathy Lamont of Clearwater, Fla., in the name of their Happy Tenth Stable, Buccherino emerged from a three-horse speed battle to win against eight other 4-year-olds and older going six-and-a-half furlongs.
Buccherino gave jockey Paco Lopez his fourth win and third stakes victory on the day including a win on Florida-bred Mad House in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob.
Buccherino had to fight much of the way between Maximus Meridius on the rail and fellow Florida-bred Damon’s Mound to his outside while clipping off fast quarter-mile fractions of :22.03 and :44.40. Buccherino stuck a head in front with a quarter mile to the finish then had to fight off Maximus Meridius for another furlong before he drew off in deep stretch to finish in 1:15.41. Full Moon Madness came on from seventh to finish in a dead heat for second with Maximus Meridius as Damon’s Mound was another neck back in fourth. Hold My Bourbon, Caramel Chip, Florida-bred Bernie’s Mitts, Bump N Run and Twenty Four Mamba completed the order of finish. Dropline, Going Up, My Buddy B and Twisted Ride were scratched.
In winning his second consecutive stakes at Parx after taking the $75,000 State Representatives Sprint on Aug. 19, Buccherino paid $6.80 to win.
He also won the 2024 Salvatore M. DeBunda Sprint at Parx in August of last year. The Parx Sprint was his third stakes victory of the year overall having won the $100,000 Mr. Prospector going six furlongs at Monmouth Park on May 26.
Buccherino is trained by Alfredo Velazquez and earned $85,200 to increase his career revenues to $471,800. He has now won half of his 16 lifetime starts with two seconds and three thirds.
Bucherino is by Bucchero out of Bellimbusto, by Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude. He was bred in Florida by Sergio Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock located in Morriston, Fla. Blue River Bloodstock consigned Buccherino to the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training where Happy Tenth bought him for $75,000.
Bellimbusto has produced two winners from two starters and five foals including a winning full-sister, Miss Bellimbusto. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly, Moza Bella, by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Leinster; an unnamed yearling colt by Ocala Stud stallion Colonel Liam; and a weanling filly by Verifying, who also stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions. Bellimbusto was bred back to Verifying in 2025.
Buccherino is the 61st Florida-bred to win an open stakes race in 2025.
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