BY BROCK SHERIDAN

A rivalry from last year’s FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes resumes Sunday when Win N Your In and R Morning Brew face off again in the $110,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs. However, morning line favoritism goes to the George Weaver-trained Bella Cleopatra, set at 3-1 in the competitive field of eight Florida-bred 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs.

The Sophomore Fillies is one of six stakes on the Florida Cup program—all for registered Florida-breds with purses of $110,000 each, including the ESMARK Turf Classic, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore, the Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf, the NYRABets Sprint and the Equistaff Sophomore Turf. Each purse includes $10,000 in bonus money for Florida Sire Stakes-eligible runners. Established in 2003, this year’s Florida Cup has attracted 59 entries in the six events.

Florida Cup Day is also FTBOA Member Day in the North tent featuring a buffet starting at 11:30 a.m. The event is free to FTBOA members with an FTBOA member card and a guest. First post is 12:15 p.m. 

In last year’s Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park, R Morning Brew got the jump on Win N Your In by winning the $100,000 Desert Vixen division going six furlongs on Sept. 7. Win N Your In was third.

 

But Win N Your In rebounded to take the second leg of the lucrative series, winning the $200,000 Susan’s Girl by four-and-a-half lengths after seven furlongs on Oct. 19 with R Morning Brew coming in third.

 

With a victories in a July maiden special weight and in the $95,000 Sharp Susan in August, Win N Your In finished last year with three wins in six starts with two seconds. 

Trained by Carlos David, Win N Your In has yet to return to the winner’s circle in two starts this year, finishing third in the $82,000 Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 11 and fifth in the $121,000 Ruthless at Aqueduct on Feb. 1.

Win N Your is owned by Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston and has earned $238,950 in her career. Johnson purchased the daughter of Ocala Stud stallion Win Win Win for $12,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where she was consigned by Francis and Barbarba Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield. She is out of Hello Rosie, by Yes It’s True and was bred in Florida by Marion G. Montanari.

Win N Your In is 9-2 on the morning line and will be ridden from post six by Luis Saez.

Averill Racing LLC’s R Morning Brew is looking for her first win of the year in her second start after finishing third in the $102,000 Any Limit going six furlongs at Gulfsteam Park on March 16.

R Morning Brew has won two of five career starts with two thirds while banking $140,900. She is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Curlin’s Honor out of Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured and was bred in Florida by Dori Morgan Hyatt.

She too is an OBS graduate as Averill paid $30,000 to get her out of last year’s Spring Sale where she was consigned by Rivera Training and Sales.
(R Morning Brew’s Under Tack Video / Walking Video)

R Morning Brew is 7-2 on the morning line and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has given the riding assignment to Edgard Zayas. They will depart from post seven.

Bella Cleopatra enters the Sophomore Fillies off a solid two-and-a-half-length score against first level allowance fillies bred in Florida going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 1. Owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, Steve Adkisson and Campeche Stables, she had two starts last year including a third in the Juvenile Fillies Sprint against Florida-breds going six-and-a-half furlongs on Nov. 16.

 

Bella Cleopatra was a $15,000 purchase by Madel Consuelo Gonzalez at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. She was pinhooked through last year’s OBS March Sale but did not meet her reserve. She has won two of three career starts while earning $76,200.
(Bella Cleopatra’s Under Tack Video)

Javier Castellano will guide Bella Cleopatra from post eight.

Rounding out the field are Frida with jockey Samuel Marin, Hector Diaz Jr. rides Hey Cookie, Spirited Boss has Samy Camacho named to ride, La Gioconda will have Paco Lopez up and Vuela Paloma has Daniel Centeno taking the call.

Return to the March 29 issue of Wire to Wire