At 6, Damon's Mound sharp as ever for Gulfstream Park Sprint
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Damon’s Mound may not be the horse he was at 2 and 3 when winning prestigious Grade 2 races like the Saratoga Special and Gallant Bob. But at the age of 6, he is still good enough to come into Saturday’s $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint off a pair of stakes victories and as the likely favorite in the six-furlong fixture for older horses on the main track.
Damon’s Mound had early success with trainer Michelle Lovell before being transferred to Bill Mott’s barn following a nearly 13-month layoff that began after his fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita in December 2023. Damon’s Mound has won 3 of 7 starts with Mott, capturing the last two renewals of the Sunshine Sprint for Florida-breds, along with the Grade 3 Bold Ruler at Aqueduct in his 2025 finale.
Damon’s Mound led at every call in his 2026 debut to become the first horse to ever win back-to-back runnings of the Sunshine Sprint, edging away to a 2 1/2-length decision despite racing in the deepest part of the racetrack near the inside for much of the trip. In so doing, he matched the 90 Beyer Speed Figure he posted while winning the race for the first time in game fashion one year earlier.
“The old campaigner has got a lot of miles on him, but he still gives it a good go every time you take him over there,” said Mott. “His final work for the race was very impressive, and he’s 2 for 2 here, so I’d say he likes this racetrack.”
Damon’s Mound posted a bullet half-mile in 48 seconds flat at Payson Park on Feb. 14, the fastest of 90 works at the distance that morning. He can move within less than $1,000 of becoming racing’s newest millionaire if he wins Saturday.
Those looking to upset the likely favorite can make a case for any number of his seven rivals, including Con Compania. He turns back to a sprint after forcing the pace to midstretch and then faltering to finish sixth going 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday on Dec. 20. The outing was the first for Con Compania since being purchased privately and turned over to trainer Bobby Dibona last fall.
Con Compania has won three times in eight tries since coming to the U.S. from his native Chile last winter. His most recent victory came in gate-to-wire fashion in a one-mile overnight handicap here on Oct. 18 for former trainer Amador Sanchez. Con Compania earned a lifetime-best Beyer, a 94, going 6 1/2 furlongs a couple months ago when defeating a strong field of optional-claiming and allowance foes that included the sprint stakes winner Shaq Diesel.
“The last race was just too far for him, but I think it should set him up nicely to run a big race cutting back to six furlongs on Saturday. He won a lot of races at that distance before he came here from Chile,” said Dibona. “He’s working well and I love the outside post for him. He should either be on the lead or close to it, in hand and in good position to engage at some point.”
The Gulfstream Park Sprint will be a family affair with Riley Mott bringing Beeline back to his favorite track off a troubled third-place finish against high-priced optional-claiming and allowance competition last month at Tampa Bay Downs. Beeline began his career with back-to-back victories locally, including a game nose decision in the six-furlong Hutcheson in just his second lifetime start two years ago.
The remainder of the field includes Wound Up and Great Navigator, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector earlier in the session; Jack’s Promise, a very game allowance winner in his only previous start at the meet; the multiple stakes winner Rolando; and Ajaayb.
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