Brassy tries turf in Saturday feature, and her pedigree backs up the move

The majority of the 10 races on the first Saturday card of this Tampa Bay Downs meet have drawn double-digit fields. The nominal feature, the eighth race, is no exception. A full field of 10 fillies and mares has been entered for the $21,250 conditioned allowance going a mile on the turf.

Samy Camacho got off to a fast start in pursuit of another riding title at Tampa, piloting three winners on Wednesday’s opening-day card. He is partnered with the Godolphin homebred Brassy for the Saturday feature, for fillies and mares who have never won a race other than maiden, claiming, or starter, or who have never won three races. Brassy, trained by Eoin Harty, makes her first start on turf, although she is bred to like the surface.

:: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program.

Brassy won a maiden race on Woodbine’s synthetic track in her second start, and then finished fourth in a first-level allowance on the dirt at Keeneland. The Medaglia d’Oro filly is a full sister to Bueller, who was a winner in France, and a half-sister to Comedy School, a winner in England. Their granddam, Caress, is a multiple graded stakes winner on the turf, and this is the immediate family of turf graded stakes winner Lucullan.

Brassy rallied from well off the pace in her maiden win, and might need some speed to develop ahead of her to close into on Saturday. The likely pacesetter is Ella’s Island, who won a maiden race at Tampa earlier this year. Ella’s Island has shown speed while winning two of her three most recent outings, all at Monmouth Park, but is stepping up from claiming company.

Keeping her from getting loose on the lead could be Twirling Star, who won a five-furlong maiden race in her most recent outing by pressing the pace, and the versatile Pugilist, who has shown the ability to flash speed when required. Inedatequila, the winner of three straight claiming races while on or near the lead, is the first of two also-eligibles, and would certainly join the front-runners if she draws in.

Pugilist, who is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line for trainer Jose Delgado, is looking to break back into the win column after a long drought. She has posted four runner-up finishes from six starts this year, including a second in the Mary Todd Stakes in February at Gulfstream Park.

Stormy D, owned and trained by John Rigattieri, comes in fresh off a solid summer competing in starter handicaps at Monmouth Park, finishing first, third, and second in her last three starts. In her runner-up effort, which came on Sept. 26, she posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 79. That is the highest last-out number in this field, besting Pugilist’s most recent figure, a 76.