Big-field Saturday card saves best for last

Entries have been something of a struggle for the Tampa Bay Downs racing office during much of the 2019-20 meet, but a welcome exception to that rule presents itself Saturday. Full fields are the norm, with 98 horses (including also-eligibles) having been entered on an eight-race card that starts at 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

The best of those races make up the late daily double. Race 7 is a $20,000 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track, while the race-8 finale is another $23,000 leg in the popular Tampa Turf Test series.

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Legacy Azteca, reclaimed from his last start by leading trainer Gerald Bennett, looks like the horse to beat in race 7. In race 8, Hope Again, a narrow winner the last time many of these turf veterans convened in the Tampa Turf series four weeks ago, could come a slight favorite again when stretching out from 1 1/8 miles to 1 3/8 miles.

A no-spectator policy and a multitude of other precautionary measures remain in effect at Tampa in Oldsmar, Fla. Sunshine and a high of 87 are in the local forecast for Saturday.

◗ Kent Sweezey, like many of his training brethren at Tampa, is taking a wait-and-see attitude in regard to where he will ship his stable when the meet effectively ends May 3. Sweezey has had a solid meet with 13 winners.

“I’d normally go to Monmouth Park, but nobody really knows when this is going to end,” said Sweezey in regard to the coronavirus situation. “I’ve got 35 horses here and six over at Gulfstream Park, so I’d probably want to try to move as many over there that I can, assuming nothing changes. This has been tough on everybody.”

◗ Carlo Vaccarezza ended nearly seven years as a year-round Florida trainer by winning with his last starter before moving. Little Guy, ridden by Raul Mena, won the seventh race Thursday at Tampa, paying $14.60.

Vaccarezza is moving to Lexington, Ky., where he will maintain a foothold in the racing industry while making plans to open a new restaurant. Based on the Atlantic Coast, Vaccarezza has won 119 races since turning to training after having been known best as the owner of $3.5 million earner Little Mike.

◗ The late pick five Thursday returned $17,144.15 when Inca Princess, a 45-1 shot, was up to win the last of eight races by a head. There were just three 50-cent tickets sold on the winning combination of 3-6-2-4-12.