Tampa Bay Downs

Carpe Diem points to Blue Grass following Tampa Bay triumph

Marty McGee|Mar 08, 2015

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Carpe Diem exited his five-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in good fashion, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning from his Palm Beach Downs winter base. The Giant’s Causeway colt most likely will be pointed to the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, an April 4 race in which the Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Ami’s Flatter also might race next, according to his trainer, Josie Carroll.

Carpe Diem, owned in partnership by Stonestreet Stables and WinStar Farm, was making his first start in more than four months when dominating the annual marquee race at Tampa Bay Downs as the even-money favorite. He earned a career-high 98 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.60 over a fast track.

All but two of the eight Tampa Bay Derby starters were vanned late Saturday back to their respective Miami-area training bases. Ami’s Flatter, who was treated with first-time Lasix and wore blinkers for the first time in the race, “seemed to come back really well,” Carroll said from Palm Meadows.

“We’ll think about the Blue Grass,” said Carroll. “We’ll keep him here a couple weeks and make a decision.”

Carpe Diem earned 50 points toward eligibility to the May 2 Kentucky Derby. Ami’s Flatter (89 Beyer) earned 20 points.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Tampa Bay third-place finisher Divining Rod (10 points), one of the two locally based starters (with My Johnny Be Good), will be monitored closely for his quarter cracks to determine his next start, said trainer Arnaud Delacour. The colt raced with bar shoes on both front hooves when setting the pace before finishing 7 1/2 lengths behind Carpe Diem.

“Obviously, his feet are the thing,” said Delacour.

Ocean Knight was easily the biggest disappointment in the race when finishing seventh, beaten 29 lengths, as the 17-10 second choice. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin was hard-pressed for an excuse, given how well Ocean Knight had performed in winning the Sam F. Davis over the Tampa surface in his prior start.

“He seems fine out of the race,” McLaughlin said early Sunday. “We will look him over closely.”

My Johnny Be Good, last of eight after pressing the pace, had been under consideration beforehand for the March 28 United Arab Emirates Derby, “but I don’t think that’s a good idea anymore,” said trainer Eoin Harty.

◗ Stephanie’s Kitten’s racing career looked as though it may have been over when owners Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey took her to last fall’s Fasig-Tipton fall mixed sale, but when she failed to reach her $4 million reserve the Ramseys decided to race her another season. On Saturday, Stephanie’s Kitten burst through along the inside and blew past the leaders late to take the Grade 3, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes and notch her ninth win from 20 starts. Ball Dancing finished second in the nine-furlong turf race, giving trainer Chad Brown a top two sweep.

Stephanie’s Kitten, 6, earned a Beyer figure of 97.

◗ General a Rod, who raced in all three legs of last year’s Triple Crown, made his first start for Todd Pletcher in the $60,000 Challenger Stakes, winning the 1 1/16-mile race with a 104 Beyer figure.

◗ Consumer Credit bested Quality Rocks in January to take the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park, but Quality Rocks turned the tables Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks. Jose Lezcano, former leading rider at Tampa, rode Quality Rock for trainer Tom Proctor. She earned a Beyer figure of 89.

◗ Tampa reported ontrack attendance on a warm, overcast Saturday afternoon at 10,115. All-sources handle was $10,587,183, with $816,901 of that bet ontrack.

– additional reporting by Doug McCoy

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