Bennett's 4,000th win launches him to top of standings
Still basking in the glow of reaching a huge milestone, Gerald Bennett got started on his next target by simultaneously climbing to his familiar position atop the local trainer standings at Tampa Bay Downs last week.
Bennett, the leading trainer each of the last six years at Tampa in Oldsmar, Fla., saddled two winners last Wednesday to become just the 14th trainer in North American racing history to win 4,000 races. Since then, he has been overwhelmed by congratulatory calls, texts, shout-outs, handshakes, and backslaps.
“Racing is a small world,” said Bennett, a 77-year-old native of Nova Scotia, “but you’d be surprised by how many people you get to know.”
Bennett went winless with his first 19 starters at the 2021-22 Tampa meet but begins this week on a 4-for-12 streak, enough to lead all trainers in wins. Four others have three wins.
Bennett, whose first win came in 1976, got No. 4,001 when Probably Grace took the second race Friday. He has been gracious in crediting his clients and staff for what he says is a humbling accomplishment.
“It’s just hard work, keep getting up,” he said. “Now, try for 5,000.”
Big fields on Wednesday
All nine Wednesday races at Tampa are for maidens or claiming horses, so there is no designated feature on the card, which starts at 12:20 p.m. Eastern. Still, there are big fields, with five of the nine attracting 10 or more entries.
With no rain in the local forecast early this week, a fast main track and a firm turf once again are highly likely. Through the first nine dates at the meet, which began Nov. 24, the main track has been fast every day and zero races have been forced off the turf.
Tampa began with a three-day schedule (Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays) but will extend to four days when Sundays are added next week (Dec. 26). Also, racing will be held Dec. 23 to make up for Christmas Day (Dec. 25) being dark. There will be racing on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24).
Rowland, 18, gets first win
Madeline Rowland notched her first victory as an apprentice when booting home Sancocho to a 3 1/2-length score in the third race last Friday. Rowland, 18, was greeted with the traditional dousing by her fellow riders after winning with her ninth mount.
Rowland grew up in northern Maryland as the daughter of the late steeplechase trainer Paul Rowland, who conditioned a number of top jumpers prior to his 2012 death, including Preemptive Strike for much of the standout gelding’s 41-race career.
“Every race I’ve ridden, before I leave the jockeys’ room, I talk to my dad,” Rowland told track publicity. “Because even though I don’t have him here with me, at least I can count on him to look out for me.”
◗ There’s a five-week break in stakes action at Tampa following a pair of $100,000 Florida-bred stakes last Saturday. R Adios Jersey stayed unbeaten in six starts by winning the City of Ocala and Shivaree was a repeat winner of the Marion County. The next stakes are the Pasco and Gasparilla on Jan. 15.
◗ Samy Camacho starts the week with a slim lead atop the jockey standings with 11 winners, followed closely by Pablo Morales (9) and Hector Diaz Jr. (8).