Allen aboard two impressive winners

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. was aboard two of the most impressive winners at Tampa Bay Downs last week, as Emyvale Court and Muggsamatic both rallied to take turf routes to close out last Friday’s card.

Emyvale Court prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths in a second-level allowance/optional $32,000 claimer. The 4-year-old Stormy Atlantic filly now has three wins and four runner-up finishes from 11 starts and $93,310 in earnings. Trainer Tom Proctor declined to comment on the horse’s performance, saying he refuses all media requests as a rule.

“She finished great,” Allen said. “I knew she had one good kick because I worked her in the morning. She gives you a good three-eighths kick. She relaxed really well early, and when I made my move, she just kicked in and kept on going.”

In August at Delaware Park, Emyvale Court won a first-level turf allowance, with Conscription third. Conscription was an impressive winner here Dec. 10, rallying to take a first-level allowance route by one length. Further improvement by those fillies would make them candidates for the Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on turf here Feb. 11.

Muggsamatic, a 2-year-old colt by Any Given Saturday, won a $21,750 starter optional-claiming race by a neck for his third win in his past four starts. Trained by Kathleen O’Connell, he’s won three of six career starts and has earned $51,900. O’Connell said the horse’s major springtime goal is the $100,000 Sophomore Turf, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds here on Florida Cup Day, April 2.

“He’s a really nice horse, and longer will be better for him,” O’Connell said.

◗ The highlight of Wednesday’s 10-race card is race 8, a third-level allowance/optional $75,000 claiming race for fillies and mares going one mile on turf. The major players in the field of 10 are Notte d’Oro for trainer Christophe Clement and Queenofthepalace for trainer Jim DiVito.

Notte d’Oro will be making her first start since finishing eighth in the Grade 3 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland in October. She won two minor stakes on turf last year but is winless in six starts, all stakes races, this year. Queenofthepalace most recently finished third in a Keeneland turf allowance in October.