Boyce stays warm on, off track this winter

OLDSMAR, Fla. – After braving Chicago winters for most of her 20 years as a trainer, Michele Boyce decided to head south to Tampa Bay Downs this year. Her decision was a big plus for horseplayers as the Boyce stable has been one of the bright new additions to the racing scene here.

This season, Boyce has saddled seven winners from 30 starters, a solid 23 percent. The stable contains an interesting mix of young runners and veterans, topped by Super Soldier, a shifty turf router who wired a tough field on grass in his first local start and then was an early factor in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes before fading to 10th.

Obviously, the opportunity to train without weather interruptions as well as being able to go to work without three layers of clothing was enticing to Boyce and her crew. The trainer, who raced and bred horses with her former husband, the late Neal Boyce, earlier in her career, said Sunday that it was a move she had contemplated for years. After talking with fellow trainer David Hinsley and his wife, Boyce finally came south.

“The Hinsleys had been urging me to come to Tampa for several years, but moving an outfit from Chicago to Florida is not an easy task,” she said. “I finally made the decision to go ahead with the move, and I’m thrilled I did. It’s a great place to stable, the track’s a fabulous surface to train over, the turf course is fantastic, and my horses have really flourished here. As for me, well, I bought a house here, so I guess you can say I’ve fallen in love with this area.”

Super Soldier has been in Ocala, Fla., for a bit of freshening along with Saint Leon, who last raced in the Tampa Turf Dash. Boyce said they will see action when she returns to Arlington later this year. She also sent out the promising maiden Ruffolo to finish second in his turf debut last Saturday. Ruffolo has shown some talent in his first two starts here.

Bennett nears 3,500 wins

Gerald Bennett posted a training double Saturday and is just one victory short of his 3,500th career win. Bennett has six horses entered for Wednesday’s program. He ranks 19th on the all-time list for career wins by a trainer. Dale Baird leads that list with 9,445. Steve Asmussen is the leader among active trainers with 6,994 victories.