OLDSMAR, Fla. – Hot and Heavy stamped himself as a strong contender for the $100,000 Sophomore Turf Stakes here April 2 with an impressive victory in a first-level, $21,750 allowance on the Tampa Bay Downs grass course last Saturday. Hot and Heavy, entered for the optional $75,000 claiming tag, led from start to finish in the one-mile race, scoring by three-quarters of a length over Musical America, who was bet down to 1-2 favoritism off a romping maiden win here in December. With Jesus Castanon aboard, Hot and Heavy ($18.60) built a 2 1/2-length lead through a half-mile in 47.17 seconds and completed the distance on firm ground in 1:36.18. He earned a career-best 71 Beyer Speed Figure. “I watched his races and saw that once he goes to the front himself, he’s a pretty tough horse to catch,” Castanon said. “I let him do his own thing, and when I asked him to pick it up, he went on and finished up strong.” Hot and Heavy is a son of Yesbyjimminy and a homebred for Thomas L. Croley’s Roman Hill Farm LLC. He’s won two of five starts and has earned $42,807. Hot and Heavy won a $41,320 maiden special weight race on the Laurel Park turf in his second start last September, then finished a well-beaten seventh on yielding turf in the Awad Stakes at Belmont Park. In his 3-year-old debut Jan. 4, he finished third in a first-level allowance after setting the pace. Hot and Heavy has been either first or second at the half-mile call in all of his races. Trainer Anthony Pecoraro said the Sophomore Turf, a 1 1/16-mile race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds here on Florida Cup Day, is the horse’s springtime goal, and the gelding might get one more prep race in a second-level allowance. “That’s where he’s going,” Pecoraro said. “That’s why I brought him here. He’s very easy to shut off and on, this horse. He’s a pretty nice horse, and he’s got tactical speed, which helps.”