Trainer Steve Klesaris doesn’t run very often at Tampa Bay Downs, but when he does, it usually is wise to pay attention. Klesaris has two wins, a second, and a third from his last five starters at Tampa, dating back to December 2024. His lone starter at this winter’s meet, Play Free Bird, won a low-level claiming race last month. On Wednesday, Klesaris, who is based at Gulfstream Park in the winter, ships in Authentic Wave for a starter allowance for 3-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs that serves as the feature on a nine-race card. Authentic Wave began her career with two subpar efforts, which prompted Klesaris to drop the daughter of Authentic into a $25,000 maiden-claiming race, in which she finished second on Oct. 12 at Gulfstream. After that race, Klesaris equipped Authentic Wave with blinkers and she responded with two wins. She beat maidens by a half-length on Nov. 16 and then looked stylish winning a condition similar to this by 6 1/4 lengths on Dec. 28. :: Celebrating 100 Years of racing at Tampa Bay Downs! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “Mentally, she just came around and the blinkers give her a little more focus,” Klesaris said. “A lot of times with babies, you want to give them a couple of tries to learn what they’re doing before you slap the hood on them. But I think she’s just maturing mentally and physically.” Speaking specifically of her last race, Klesaris said, “I can’t say it was a stellar field, but the way she did it was very impressive.” Jockey Samuel Marin, who rode 10 winners last week to boost his total to a meet-leading 59 victories, rides Authentic Wave from post 2. Authentic Wave will likely be second choice behind Ridgie, a daughter of Neolithic who won three consecutive races before finishing third in the Gasparilla Stakes. Two starts back, Ridgie won this same condition, beating two horses who came back to win their next starts, albeit for $20,000 claiming tags. In the Gasparilla, Ridgie raced wide down the backstretch, then was bumped in between horses in midstretch and finished three lengths behind repeating winner Tessellate. “It was a rough trip for her. The jock lost his whip. I think we could have been second,” trainer Maria Bowersock said. “She came out of it in good shape.” This will be Ridgie’s fourth race in 54 days. “She’s a very feisty, good-feeling filly,” Bowersock said. “You always take a chance when you’re coming back quick in races like that, but she’s doing good, training well. We’re pleased with her going into the race.” Prancin Inthe Dark was one of the horses Ridgie beat on Dec. 6 who came back to win a $20,000 maiden-claiming race. She was claimed out of that race by Jon Arnett, who has won with four of his last 18 starters after beginning the meet 0 for 46. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.