As he advanced odds-on favorite Romagna Mia towards pacesetter Tass at the top of the Gulfstream Park stretch in Tuesday’s $125,000 Via Borghese Stakes, jockey John Velazquez, looked behind him once to the left and then to the right.
It was as if he was saying goodbye to the competition.
Once straightened away in the lane, Velazquez asked Romagna Mia to run and she pulled away impressively to record a seven-length victory in the Via Borghese. Tass, forwardly placed early by Javier Castellano, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Viva La Red.
Miss Yearwood finished fourth followed by Coco and Maman Joon. Indicia and Sensitivity both were scratched.
The Via Borghese, originally carded for 1 3/8 miles on turf, was one of four scheduled turf races Tuesday transferred to the Tapeta surface due to overnight rain.
The surface switch didn’t worry trainer Graham Motion, who breezed Romagna Mia several times over the synthetic track at his base at the Fair Hill training center in Maryland.
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“She breezes very well on it at home and I certainly didn’t mind the extra eighth of a mile,” said Motion, referring to the distance change to 1 1/2 miles over the Tapeta surface.
Romagna Mia, a daughter of Mastercraftsman owned by Team Valor Racing, was coming off a three-length victory in the Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland. She was also a Group 2 winner in Italy.
Tuesday, Velazquez had Romagna Mia in fourth early on while Viva La Red and Tass set out for the early lead. Viva La Red conceded the front to Tass, who was in control for the opening mile, run 1:40.54.
The field began to bunch up entering the far turn, and Motion, briefly, was a little concerned. Then he saw Velazquez start to look behind him.
“When I saw him looking around, I felt like he had a ton of horse,” Motion said. “The Tapeta can dull their turn of foot a little bit; it takes them a little while to get going.”
Romagna Mia covered the 1 1/2 miles in 2:28.69 and returned $3.80 to win.
Motion said the Grade 3, $150,000 La Prevoyante going 1 1/2 miles on turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 27 is the likely next spot for Romagna Mia.
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