Moms Choice brings sharp turf form into Sunday feature
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Horses sired by Kitten’s Joy have dominated North American turf racing this year, racking up $9.1 million in earnings on grass. Moms Choice could add just a bit to that total in the featured eighth race at Tampa Bay Downs on Sunday, a first-level optional $75,000 claiming race covering a mile.
The race offers a $23,000 purse and could provide an early look at contenders for the Grade 3 Florida Oaks on grass here March 12. A full field of 10 juvenile fillies was entered in the race, with a major contender, the Bill Mott-trained Insta Erma, the lone horse on the also-eligible list.
Moms Choice, trained by Larry Rivelli, should attract solid support from bettors after finishing a close second in the $300,000 Encore Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Kentucky Downs in September. She led most of the way in that seven-furlong turf race before coming up a length short to the pace-pressing Ruthless Quality. Last out, Moms Choice was nosed out on the wire by Miss Otis in an optional $75,000 claimer that was rained off the Churchill Downs turf last month.
RACE 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Moms Choice (Last 3 Beyers: 64-52-67)
◗ Will have E.T. Baird aboard for the first time. He and trainer Rivelli have combined to win at a 35 percent clip in 2014-15, though the return on investment isn’t quite profitable at $1.90.
◗ The 68 Beyer Speed Figure she earned for winning her debut sprinting on Polytrack at Arlington Park is the second-highest in Sunday’s field.
Insta Erma (Last 2 Beyers: 75-64)
◗ Earned this field’s highest Beyer for winning a $75,000 maiden-claiming race on the Belmont Park turf last out Oct. 15.
Spinamiss (No Beyers)
◗ The 2-1 morning-line favorite, this Irish-bred filly will make her North American debut for trainer Todd Pletcher after finishing a well-beaten fourth in the Group 3 Japanese Racing Association Tyros Stakes in Ireland in July for trainer Paul Deegan.
Missalaney (Last 3 Beyers: 63-54-22)
◗ She was entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes but will run in this race, trainer David Hinsley said. In her only turf start, she romped by 4 1/2 lengths in a $25,800 maiden special weight race at Hawthorne in October. Missalaney most recently rallied to finish third, beaten a half-length, in the same race that Moms Choice exits.