Miz Mayhem, Vision Perfect account for meet's first stakes

Miz Mayhem rebounded from a subpar last outing with a mild upset Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the $100,000 Lightning City, the second of twin five-furlong turf races that kicked off the 2018-19 stakes schedule at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.

Given a terrific stalking trip by Edgard Zayas after breaking from the inside post, Miz Mayhem zoomed to the front after straightening for home, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over Smiling Causeway when finishing in 55.37 seconds over a course rated firm. She returned $19 to win.

Broadway Run was third, while Morticia, the 11-10 favorite in a field of 12 fillies and mares, could do no better than fourth.

Miz Mayhem is trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. for his wife, Laurie. The 3-year-old filly reeled off five straight wins from February to July, the last three in stakes, before finishing eighth as the favorite in her most recent start at Belmont Park in September. Duly regrouped by Plesa at his Gulfstream Park base, the homebred daughter of Yesbyjiminy rebounded in superb fashion in defeating perhaps the most difficult set of rivals she has faced yet.

The Lightning City followed its twin brother, the $100,000 Turf Dash, by about an hour. Vision Perfect ($3.20), confidently ridden by Antonio Gallardo, was a clear winner in 55.15 seconds when rebounding off a 13th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint four weeks beforehand.

Tricks to Doo was second, 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner and another half-length before longshot American Sailor in a field of eight.

Vision Perfect, a 6-year-old horse by Pollard’s Vision, is trained by Jason Servis for Mr Amore Stable. He now has won 3 times from 7 starts this year, with prior wins coming in the Silks Run at Gulfstream and the Grade 3 Parx Dash.

The complexion of the Turf Dash was dramatically altered just prior to its scheduled start when Pay Any Price, who was the even-money favorite at the time, broke through the gate and ran off without Zayas. Pay Any Price, a winner of his four previous starts, subsequently was scratched, further disappointing his connections who were still stinging from the 8-year-old gelding being excluded from the BC Turf Sprint. The race was delayed about 10 minutes.