The Gasparilla Stakes

$125,000 Guaranteed 3-Year-Old Fillies 7 Furlongs

Fastest Time: 1:22.20 MOLTO BELLA (2019)

Slowest Time: 1:28.69 FROZEN DINNER (2001)

Longest Priced Winner: $141.40 SUAVENESS (2007)

Shortest Priced Winner: $ 2.80 DEVILISH LADY (2011)

Closest Winning Margin: Dead-heat ADIOS TRIPPI SPECIAL PRINCESS (2021) (2021)

Largest Winning Margin: 8 ½ Lengths ZESTY ZOE (1997)

Shortest Priced Loser: $ .50 HIDDEN CREEK (2001)

Track Condition: Fast Sloppy Good

All except 2001 1996 and 2016

Richest Purse: $125,000 2018-present

Other Notes: Opus Forty Two’s exciting Gasparilla victory was the third in the race for Daniel Centeno, more than any other jockey. Trainer Bill Mott earned his third Gasparilla triumph in 2022 with Outfoxed, a Florida-bred daughter of Valiant Minister. Fans were treated to the first dead-heat in the history of the race in 2021, with 13-1 shot Special Princess getting up in the final jump to deadlock Adios Trippi. Both winners are Floridabreds. In 2020, Florida-bred Two Sixty's neck victory in a thrilling five-horse photo finish capped a 4-for-4 day for jockey Edgard Zayas, including two stakes triumphs. Given her pedigree, Molto Bella’s Gasparilla victory shouldn’t have come as a huge surprise. Her dam is Dr. Zic, who won the 2008 Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and captured the Grade I Vinery Madison Stakes at Keeneland as a 4-year-old. Almond Roca is owned by the Chadds Ford Stable of Phyllis Wyeth, who bred and owned 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags. R Angel Katelyn enjoyed a banner 2016-2017 season at Tampa Bay Downs, winning the Gasparilla, the Sandpiper Stakes and the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies and finishing third in the Suncoast. South Africa native Gary Barber, the owner of 2016 Gasparilla winner R Girls a Charmer, is the Chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment. Irish Jasper, the 2015 winner, showed her Gasparilla victory was not a flash in the pan, winning the Belle Harbor Stakes at Aqueduct and the Grade III Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. As a 2-year-old, 2014 winner Nesso finished second in stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita before competing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The 2013 Gasparilla winner, Vitameta, is a daughter of Street Sense, winner of the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby and Kentucky Derby; her broodmare sire, Grindstone, won the 1996 Kentucky Derby. Salad Girl’s 2012 victory was the first triumph in a stakes worth at least $100,000 for jockey Angel Serpa, who was a finalist for a 2010 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.