Pleasant Acres stallions knock it out of the park again
Saturday, July 15, 2023 will go down as another of those magnificent days when Pleasant Acres stallions hit a grand slam. There were no less than four winners yesterday, two by Bucchero and two by Amira’s Prince, the latter pair both bred by Joe and Helen Barbazon.
BUCCHERO – The 2-year-old filly Bucchera broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park in her third try, scoring by half a length under Hector Diaz after battling for the lead throughout the 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta surface. She paid $5.20 after getting the distance in 1:06.48, and collected a check for $24,600. The $20,000 OBS October purchase became Bucchero’s 26th winner of 2023.
A little while later, Beauty of the Sea, who didn’t race at two, gave Bucchero his first stakes-winner, extending her winning streak to three straight. She won by a head in the $104,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes at Monmouth Park with Jairo Rendon, clocked in 1:02.68 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass, just 1 1/2 seconds off the course record. The filly bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds paid $28.20, and the $60,000 winner’s check raised her five-race total to $118,960. At the same time, her sire moved up from seventh to sixth on Florida’s leading sire list with progeny earnings of $1,032,953.
AMIRA’S PRINCE – Three scratches reduced the field to four in a $25,000 starter allowance at Monmouth and Our Fantasy proved to be much the best, winning the mile and one-sixteenth test by nearly four lengths after making a wide, sweeping move on the turn with Samuel Marin aboard. The 6-year-old mare bred by the Barbazons collected $15,000, and her career total soared to $279,694 on an outstanding record of 9-9-9 in 40 starts. The $50,000 OBS April 2-year-old paid $5.60 for her third victory of 2023.
At Gulfstream, Pluma Roja, who had lost nine straight, broke that streak with a 3 3/4-length score and paid $38.60. His previous victory came on Dec. 14 of last year and he paid $58 that day. The 4-year-old gelding was clocked in 1:45.99 for the mile and one-sixteenth over the Tapeta course, and earned $12,200.