Her attempt to connect didn’t go as planned, but ultimately, it was irrelevant.
In his second race with two turns, Grade 3 winner Mythical, a descendant of Arrindell, withstood early pressure from Love Like Crucy and held off a late challenge from 30-1 longshot Dare Greatly, the favorite, in Saturday’s $300,000 My Dear Girl stakes at Gulfstream Park.
The fillies’ races My Dear Girl and the $300,000 In Reality (both 1 1/16 miles) marked the 44th running of the $1.2 million Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association Florida Sires Stakes series for horses sired by certified Florida stallions.
Mythical, the favored horse at $2.20, holds a record of one win and nine losses; this marked his fifth win in six races and fourth stakes victory. He rebounded impressively from his first career defeat with a striking victory at Susan’s Girl in the series’ second round on October 18th. This was his first competition against a state-bred horse, where he quickly built a solid reputation and settled comfortably.
In a change from her usual style, Mythical broke sharply, maintaining steady pace with regular jockey Emisael Jaramillo, and was pressured early by Love Like Lucy through the first quarter in 22.81 seconds before taking over the lead.
Trainer Jorge Delgado remarked, “I didn’t want her to lead early. Her best races are when she runs relaxed and comes from behind, which I hoped for today. There was too much early pressure, so she was a bit tired, but she showed great heart.”
He added, “If she had eased through the first quarter, she might have finished stronger, but that’s racing. I believed she was the best in this race, and it would have taken something major to beat her.”
Love Like Lucy faded as she tried to keep up, with Jaramillo slowing the pace to a half-mile in 46.58 seconds. Meanwhile, Dare Greatly made a late surge from the far outside under Rajiv Maragh entering the stretch.
Brian Cohen of Arrindell commented, “She started quickly, wanting to change pace. The jockey worked to calm her down, and she managed well. The second quarter was just about right for her; she showed her class today.”
Mythical controlled the final stretch decisively, completing the race in 1:45.39 on a fast track. Dare Greatly finished 15¼ lengths ahead of Win Bet Only, followed by Love Like Lucy, Bayou Brigid, and Lady Chance.
Jaramillo has given his best in every Mythical start, which include wins in the four-and-a-half furlong Graduation at Gulfstream in April, the five-and-a-half furlong Tremont at Saratoga against colts, and victories in the six-furlong Adirondack (G3) and Susan’s Girl stakes. Combined, her five wins total 26 lengths.
“There were two plans,” Jaramillo explained. “Initially, I planned to come from behind once others led, but because she jumped out so well, I went with Plan B—to lead from the start. It was tough to slow her down in the first turn because she had so much speed; that was the challenge in the race.”
Mythical, a daughter of St. Patrick’s Day out of the Brethren mare Laironi, is expected to begin her 2026 season in the $150,000 Forward Gal (G3), a seven-furlong race on January 31st. This is the first stakes race for 3-year-old fillies on dirt at the Championship Meet, followed by the $200,000 Davonadale (G2) and the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
Trainer Delgado said, “We’ll consult with Brian and his father to decide the best path for the filly. I think she can handle two turns. She’s still learning and doesn’t always get the best trip, but when she does, she runs better.”
Delgado noted, “Few horses can maintain 22 seconds and 46 seconds under early pressure. Two years ago, Ventornato, a special horse, ran two turns here and lost, which is common for young horses running two turns for the first time. I’m just grateful she finished first and bounced back strong.”
The My Dear Girl stakes honor the 1959 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly from Florida, a successful broodmare backed by Frances Genter, who later won the Kentucky Derby (G1). Her most notable offspring was In Reality.
(Fan Take) This victory by Mythical highlights the emerging talent in Florida’s breeding program and underscores the promise of young fillies adapting to longer, more challenging races. For horse racing fans, it signals exciting potential for the upcoming season and the thrill of witnessing future stars in the making.
