Joya Real new face on turf-sprint scene
Double Secret and You Bought Her finished first and second in last year’s Lightning City Stakes, but neither is favored in Saturday’s optional-claiming prep for the $100,000 Lightning City, which is scheduled for Dec. 19.
The 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s featured ninth race is Joya Real, who has never run at Tampa but has been earning steady paychecks in turf sprints in the Northeast for trainer Kathleen DeMasi and owner Pewter Stable.
Joya Real will have Daniel Centeno aboard for the first time when she breaks from post 5 in a field of 10 fillies and mares ages 3 and up. The $28,000 race covers five furlongs on turf. The longshot Kaiser’s d’Light and the also-eligible R. D. Special are in for the $100,000 tag.
Joya Real has finished in the money in 10 consecutive starts since the beginning of 2014, including wins on the Monmouth Park grass course in the $58,800 Fort Monmouth in August 2014 and the $60,000 Blue Sparkler last August. Mostly recently, the 6-year-old mare closed strongly to be the runner-up for the second straight year in the $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap at Parx Racing on Sept. 7, two lengths behind the front-running Richies Sweetheart.
“She’s doing well and really hasn’t missed a beat,” DeMasi said. “She’s one of those fillies that doesn’t mind having some gaps in her races. Certainly, she’s been tough at five-eighths. This turf course might play a little bit different than the ones in the Northeast, so we’ll have to see about that, but she just seems to bring her ‘A’ game wherever you take her.”
Double Secret, who won the Lightning City by 3 3/4 lengths on the front end last year, is one of two horses entered by trainer Adolfo Exposito, along with the longshot Imperial Secret, who is making her stakes debut. Double Secret most recently was a close second in a $36,630 starter allowance on the Tapeta synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs on Sept. 7.
Imperial Secret comes off a two-length score in a third-level allowance at Presque Isle in September.
You Bought Her is winless in six starts on turf but has raced more recently than many of her rivals, having scored by two lengths in a $100,000 optional claimer on Keeneland’s main track Oct. 18 for trainer David Hinsley.
KEY CONTENDERS
Joya Real (Last 3 Beyers: 90-87-83)
◗ The 90 Beyer Speed Figure she earned in the Turf Amazon is the highest last-race mark in this field, and trainer DeMasi shows a profitable $2.14 return on investment in turf races over the past five years.
Double Secret (Last 3 Beyers: 72-70-65)
◗ Earned a career-high 95 Beyer in winning last year’s Lightning City, her lone win from six turf starts.
Gift Receipt (Last 3 Beyers: 69-88-89)
◗ Has had an early lead in 17 of her 19 career starts and has finished in the money in three of her four races on the Tampa turf.
Fascinate (Last 3 Beyers: 76-83-79)
◗ Hasn’t started since July but won both of her starts on the Tampa grass in front-running fashion by a combined 10 lengths.