Tampa Bay: Times adjusted for Florida Oaks, Endeavour due to Trakus error

Tom Cooley Photography

Joel Rosario wins his first of two Grade 3 turf stakes on the card with favored Tapicat in the Florida Oaks.

The 3-year-old filly Tapicat and 5-year-old Brazilan-bred mare Old Tune ran fast Saturday winning a pair of Grade 3 turf stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. But not as fast as the timing clock indicated.

Due to an error by Trakus, the electronic tracking and timing company used by the track, Tampa Bay Downs announced Sunday that the fractional and final times for both stakes have been revised.

Upon further review, the Trakus charts, Teleview times, and hand-held times were in agreement, but the posted display times that were announced ontrack and published by Equibase before the discrepancy was discovered late Saturday night were incorrect.

Instead of setting a course record for 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes, as was announced after the race,Old Tune officially ran the distance in 1:41.48, 1.22 seconds off My Lordship’s 2006 stakes record and almost two seconds slower than Legs Galore’s still-standing track record of 1:39.65, set in the 1999 Tampa Bay breeders’ Cup.

The fractional times for the Endeavour have been revised to 24.07 seconds for the quarter-mile, 48.05 for the half, 1:11.84 for six furlongs, and 1:35.56 for the mile.

In the Grade 3, $150,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, Tapicat’s revised time of 1:41.89 remains a stakes record, eclipsing the 1:43. 30 mark of 2012 winner Dixie Strike. Saturday was only the third time the Florida Oadks has been run on the turf. The revised fractional times for the Florida Oaks are 24.41,  48.59, 1:12.11, and 1:35.94.

Tapicat went to the front at the start of the Florida Oaks and made every pole a winning one to post a 2 3/4-length victory.

Under a confident ride by Joel Rosario, Tapicat cut out quick fractions of 48.59 seconds for the half and 1:12.11 for six furlongs, and then drew off to a comfortable lead a furlong out before cruising home as a decisive winner.

The win was the third straight for Tapicat ($3.80), who is trained by Bill Mott and owned by Besilu Stable. Kittten's Dumplings was second, a neck in front of Wave Theory.

“She broke one step slow and took a little bump from a horse inside, but she was quickly able to regain her position and only needed three or four strides to get back in the race,” said Mott. “She’s had three races this winter and I kind of planned on not running her right back. I suppose we will have to consider if we want to take a chance on the synthetic in the Ashland at Keeneland.”

The win earned Tapicat $60,000 and ran her career earnings to $118,100.

Endeavour: Old Tune's fast time no course record       

Old Tune made her U.S. debut a winning one in the  Endeavour Stakes.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and making her first start since April 2012, Old Tune, ridden by Rosario, contested a hot pace through an opening six furlongs of 1:11.84, shook clear into the stretch, and then held a safe margin over a host of runners late for a 1 3/4-length victory.

“It’s a credit to her ability to run that fast after getting pressured on the front end and to finish up like she did,” said Pletcher’s assistant, Jonathan Thomas. “At no point was she able to get a breather. God willing, you will be hearing big things from her the rest of the year.”

Appealing Cat emerged from a four-horse photo for place, a neck in front of Last Full Measure.

The 9-5 favorite, Dealbata, finished in a dead heat for ninth in the 12-horse field.

Old Tune earned $90,000 for her efforts while taking her seventh win from 13 career starts.

- additional reporting by Joe DeVivo