Damon's Mound Becomes Millionaire in Florida Cup Sprint

Hosting the Florida Cup March 29, Tampa Bay Downs put the homegrown heroes of the Sunshine State in the spotlight for six $110,000 races. It proved a fitting stage for a milestone moment accomplished by Cliff and Michele Love's homebred Damon's Mound, who became racing's newest millionaire with a hard-fought victory in the Sprint Stakes. A dual graded stakes winner trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 6-year-old son of Girvin's reputation preceded him and led to odds of 3-5, which would pay $3.20. However, the victory would not be handed over easily. From the jump, Damon's Mound would be challenged to a head-and-head duel by J J Brevan Stable's Chrome Ghost through fractions of :22.29 and :44.86. Chrome Ghost looked as though he may sneak away in the stretch, but Junior Alvarado got Damon's Mound in gear to surge ahead in the final 16th to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:08.88 for 6 furlongs. Grade 3 winner Flood Zone would finish third. The victory was the eighth in 20 starts for Damon's Mound, who began his career and won the 2023 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) in the barn of trainer Michelle Lovell, and pushed his career earnings to $1,018,405. Other winners on the day included Live Oak Plantation's Uncle's Gold in the Turf Classic and Souper Zonda in the Distaff Turf Stakes; Bona Venture Stables and Blanco Thoroughbreds' Maykomotion in the Sophomore Stakes; Ray Huelsman and Keith Anderson's Mr Mo's Magic in the Sophomore Turf Stakes; and Magic Cap Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch, Castle Gate Farm, BAG Racing Stables, John Reinhardt, and Turf Express Racing’s Tessellate in the Sophomore Fillies Stakes.