Columbia winner Doc Boy to run in Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland

Mike Stidham was in Ocala, Fla., on Monday, inspecting some young horses he will be training in the not-too-distant future prior to attending the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s 2-year-olds in training sale scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Everything else in the world is shut down – except this sale,” Stidham said mid-morning by phone, referring to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. “It’s pretty amazing, actually.”

Stidham dovetails his periodic visits to Ocala with a check of his active string at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, where assistant Ben Trask oversees the day-to-day training. It’s an arrangement that has worked very well the last several years for Stidham, who otherwise winters in New Orleans.

In fact, it was Trask who handled most of the on-site detail leading into the March 7 Columbia Stakes, a turf race Doc Boy won with aplomb for the stable with Joe Bravo aboard.

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

“The colt was very impressive,” Stidham said. “We’re sending him this week to Keeneland for the Transylvania,” a Grade 3 race set for April 3. “Bravo couldn’t say enough good things about him.”

The Columbia was part of what has been a highly successful winter at Tampa for Stidham, whose 20-for-66 record into this week at the 2019-20 meet had him third in wins, behind Gerald Bennett (36) and Kathleen O’Connell (21). Moreover, his 30 percent win strike is highest among all trainers with at least 25 starts.

“Ben has done a great job for us,” Stidham said. “We’re lucky to have him.”

No Florida Cup for J P’s Delight

The 18th annual Florida Cup is right around the corner, but you won’t find one of the faster Florida-breds currently in training in the entries for the six-race stakes on March 29. J P’s Delight, who cruised to a four-length score over the highly accomplished Point of Honor in an overnight race on the Tampa Bay Derby undercard, is sitting it out.

“There’s really not a race for her, unless I were to run her against the boys,” said trainer Kathleen O’Connell. “But that’s probably for the better anyway. She needs more time than three weeks between races.”

Each of the Florida Cup races carries a purse of $110,000, with races divided into various categories according to age, sex, distance, and surface. The DRF Bets Sprint is a six-furlong race for older horses.

J P’s Delight, a 4-year-old filly, earned a career-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure in her latest victory to move her career mark to 4 for 5.

◗ A modest eight-race card that starts at 12:40 p.m. Eastern will kick off another four-day race week at Tampa. It will be the track’s first program whereby spectators are not permitted on the grounds, owing to the coronavirus situation.