Drop a Hint wins Minaret, Bank On Shea takes Pelican

OLDSMAR, Fla. – A couple of photo finishes had the Tampa Bay Downs crowd buzzing when twin sprints for older horses led off the stakes action on a busy Festival Preview card Saturday. Both six-furlong races were run over a fast main track and were decided in the final strides.

Drop a Hint wins Minaret

Gulfstream Park-based trainer Herman Wilensky swept the top two spots in the 41st Minaret when Drop a Hint reeled in her stablemate, My Destiny, just before the wire.

Drop a Hint rallied from well off the pace in a field of seven to be along in time, returning $14 after finishing in 1:10.48. The 5-year-old mare was ridden by Antonio Gallardo, who was spilled four races earlier on the turf course and suffered a head laceration. Gallardo eventually cleared concussion protocol when taking off a couple of interim mounts.

“The highs and the lows,” Gallardo said. “I’m thankful that I’m okay. This just makes it even better.”

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“She gave me everything she had,” said Edwin Gonzalez, who rode My Destiny.

Both Drop a Hint and My Destiny are owned by the trainer’s son, Sam Wilensky. This was the first stakes win for Drop a Hint, who now has won 3 of 20 overall starts. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Into Mischief was claimed for $25,000 in January 2020 and had four other trainers before Wilensky assumed her care last winter.

The two favorites, Night Cap (9-5) and Quinoa Tifah (5-2), rounded out the order.

Bank On Shea takes Pelican

Following a protracted stretch duel, Bank On Shea finally edged off from the 3-5 favorite, Baby Yoda, to prevail by a neck in 1:09.61.

Waiting just behind a front-end duel that involved Baby Yoda and a couple of others, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. drove Bank On Shea through a rail opening at the top of the stretch – and from there the battle was joined. Baby Yoda, ridden by Irad’s brother, Jose, appeared to have a momentary edge in midstretch before Bank On Shea battled back nearest the rail to capture the 38th Pelican. The winner paid $9.60 as second choice in a field of seven.

“He broke a step slow and I was able to save some ground,” Irad Ortiz said. “The hole was open, so I go for it. It worked out good. The other horse came back on us a little at the end but I was hoping we had it.”

Bank On Shea, a 5-year-old horse by Central Banker, is based on the Atlantic Coast with trainer Carlos David. The New York-bred now has won five of eight starts, with this being his first open stakes attempt following two wins for prior trainers in statebred stakes.

Baby Yoda now has been defeated in all four races he has run since earning a 114 Beyer Speed Figure in a Saratoga allowance victory last September.