BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Epona’s Hope seemed to have two lengths on her rivals before the bell on the starting gate stopped ringing then romped home to win the $108,000 Captiva Island at Gulfstream Park. It was the second straight stakes victory and third consecutive win for Epona’s Hope, who in addition to the $61,380 in winner’s prize money, took down $8,000 in Florida-bred bonus money presented by Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Jockey Joel Rosario fired Epona’s Hope out of post five and the 4-year-old daughter of Ocala Stud’s Adios Charlie had daylight on the field immediately as recent optional claiming-winner Bandonarun and Florida-bred R Harper Rose gave chase from posts two and one respectively.
Epona’s Hope stretched her lead to four lengths around the turn while blistering through a :21.02 quarter-mile split as Bandonarun and 3-5 favorite Just a Care (Ire) tried to keep up in second and third. Epona’s Hope was well clear down the stretch while clipping off a :43.04 half mile then easily held off Just a Care to win by a length-and-a-half in :54.78 on the firm turf. Bandonarun was another neck back in third followed by Dancing Duchess, Weekend Rags and R Harper Rose. Tiger Belle (Ire) was scratched.
“She’s quick,” Rosario said. “She’s fast, and she likes doing what she’s doing. She goes faster and faster. She’s a nice filly.”
Trainer Edward Plesa Jr. noted however that Epona’s Hope is dual threat of both speed and tenacity.
“She’s a hard filly to catch and even when they do catch her, she digs in and gives it that extra effort,” Plesa said. “It looked like that [Just a Care] was going to run on by her but if you watch the gallop out that horse never got by her. She’s got the guts and determination that you want to see in a Thoroughbred. We’re just lucky to have her.”
Epona’s Hope paid $6.80 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
It was the second straight time Epona’s Hope and Just a Care produced the exacta going five furlongs on the Gulfstream turf after the former won the $135,000 Lady’s Turf Sprint by a head at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 8.
Owned by Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing LLC and Laurie Plesa, Epona’s Hope won a second condition, $62,500 optional claimng at the same distance on Jan. 12.
“Anytime you think something and you’re validated, that’s a great feeling,” Plesa said. “It’s a great feeling with her for lots of reasons. Certainly, the ownership is a big part of it. The Glassmans were [here] today with their daughter and grandchildren, so that was great. Leon Ellman, great, and my wife’s pretty great, too. It’s just nice to be right. It was our day today.”
Epona’s has now won half of her 12 career starts with a second and three thirds with earnings of $364,118.
She is the fourth Florida-bred winner of the Captiva Island and second in three years. Other Florida-bred winners were Stone Silent in 2023, A Bit of Both in 2021 and Blue Bahia in 2018.
Out of Florida-bred Trippi mare Alotofappeal, Epona’s Hope was bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, Edward Wiest and William J. Terrill. Interestingly, on the same day in 1997, the Wiest-bred Captain Bodgit won the Florida Derby (G1).
The current owners purchased Epona’s Hope at Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company during the 2023 March Sale of 2-year-olds in training—paying $295,000 out of the Ocala Stud consignment.
(Epona’s Hope’s Under Tack Video)
Epona’s Hope is the third Florida-bred stakes winner out of Alotofappeal, who also produced 2022 OBS Sophomore-winner King Cab with Noble Bird and 2011 Blue Mountain-winner B C’s Train, by Silver Train. Alotofappeal also produced graded stakes-placed Schivarelli, by Montbrook; graded stakes-placed Talk Logistics and stakes-placed Sonoma Crush, both by High Cotton; and stakes-placed Big Rings, by The Big Beast. Among her 13 foals are 10 winners from 12 starters and an unnamed yearling filly by Ocala Stud stallion Roadster. She was bred back to Roadster in 2024.
Alotofappeal is a half-sister to stakes-winner and stakes-producer Special Report, by Notebook; stakes-winner Miss Diane by Montbrook; stakes-placed, stakes-producer Secret Brook, by Montbrook; stakes-placed Favre, by Montbrook; and graded-stakes producer Cutoffs, by Notebook, the dam of Grade 3-placed Stopspendingmaria.
Alotofappeal was bred in Florida by Diane Dudley and is a fourth generation broodmare from the longtime J. C. Dudley Florida breeding operation going back to the Tri Jet mare Tri Argo, foaled in 1982. Tri Argo goes back an additional generation of Florida bloodlines to her dam, Hail Proudly, by Francis S., bred by Bonnie M. Heath.
Return to the March 15 issue of Wire to Wire
