English Law gets back on turf after pair of solid seconds
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English Law won’t be found at the top of trainer Mark Casse’s deep roster of 3-year-old turf runners, but he does look well spotted to get a win Wednesday in a first-level allowance race that serves as the feature on the eight-race program at Tampa Bay Downs.
In his last visit to Tampa, in this same condition on Feb. 2, English Law was beaten 1 3/4 lengths by High Beta, a 3-5 shot trained by Chad Brown. English Law came back to run second in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race over Gulfstream’s Tapeta track. The horse that beat him, Bakers Street, came back to run fourth, beaten 3 1/3 lengths in the Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream.
English Law, to be ridden by Cipriano Gil, is entered for the $75,000 optional-claiming tag in this 1 1/16-mile race.
The degree of difficulty of this race could hinge on what trainer Kathleen O’Connell does with Flash Frozen. This gelding by Frosted is a perfect 4 for 4, though three of those wins have come in the same starter allowance/optional $32,000 claiming level. O’Connell said Wednesday she’s not sure Flash Frozen will run in this spot.
“I’ve tried to take little steps. He doesn’t break from the gate good, that’s just him. I didn’t think we were ever going to get him okayed from the gates to be honest with you,” O’Connell, the leading trainer at the meet with 46 wins, said. “His attention span is next to nothing.”
Flash Frozen has overcome his bad gate habits with a strong stretch kick that has carried him to four victories. He may have been his most professional last time out, when after getting away slowly and racing wide early, he was able to save ground down the backstretch and rally along the rail to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
“He’s learning,” O’Connell said. “I was proud of that fact that he did exhibit some gumption. He’s got a lot of raw talent, it’s just putting it all together. He’s like the kid in school that could be a star [but] he’s not applying himself the way he should.”
Antonio Gallardo is named on Flash Frozen, who drew post 2.
Peace Cloud figures to be a forward factor under Hector Diaz Jr. He was a front-running winner of a one-mile maiden race on Feb. 21 for trainer Tim Hamm and was likely over his head when he finished last in the Columbia Stakes on March 8.
Lastabitlonger, a gelding by Vekoma, will be trying turf for the first time in this spot. He has finished second twice in this condition going a mile on dirt for trainer Chad Stewart.
Fully Authorized won this condition when not offered for the tag in December. He is back on turf after two tries, one long, one short, on dirt for trainer Mike Dini, who won two more races on Sunday and now has 28 wins at the winter meet.
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