O'Connell steps Flash Frozen up against winners

Maybe running a horse for maiden $32,000 claiming isn’t a sign that you believe a horse has talent, but trainer Kathleen O’Connell does believe in Flash Frozen.

“I’ve always liked the horse, he’s just been a really slow learner,” O’Connell said. “I thought it would be until he was 4 that he’d ever get a gate card.”

Flash Frozen got his gate card in time to make his debut at 2 last month, overcoming a less-than-ideal trip to win at Tampa Bay by a head. Wednesday, Flash Frozen meets winners for the first time in a $32,000 starter on the Tampa turf in which six of the eight entrants are coming off victories.

In his debut, at this same mile distance, Flash Frozen – one of two first-time starters in the field – broke slowly and was near the back of a 10-horse field. He was wide around first turn, made a strong middle move, then jockey Antonio Gallardo had to wait. Swinging to the three path for the stretch, Flash Frozen advanced to the leaders and despite lugging in, prevailed by a head over the favored Thingamabob.

“I was glad Antonio was very determined,” O’Connell said. “The horse didn’t know what he was doing and I didn’t know if he was as determined as Antonio. I think he’s a diamond in the rough, hopefully he keeps moving forward.”

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Emmett, trained by Jose D’Angelo, is a two-time winner, including a victory in this same condition on Dec. 21 when offered for the $32,000 claiming price. Despite the victory, D’Angelo is removing blinkers while also adding Lasix for the first time.

Ozzy, who was favored but finished fourth in the race Emmett won, is one of two in this field sent out by trainer John Terranova. Calvin’s Ride, who won a maiden $16,000 claimer on Dec. 21, is the other.

Sinetic is in from Maryland, where he won his last two starts at Laurel, though both were at 5 1/2 furlongs. In August, he was beaten a neck by Spice Bag in a maiden $30,000 claimer sprinting at Colonial. Spice Bag, trained by Mike Dini, is making his first start since then in this same spot.

Raydar Control won his debut by 6 1/4 lengths sprinting on dirt for maiden $25,000 claiming on Christmas Eve. Trainer Dennis Ward, who is 4 for 8 at the meet, now tries him on the turf first time.

Ransom Money, a maiden special weight winner over Presque Isle’s synthetic track, is stretching out in this spot while being offered for the $32,000 claiming price.

Naughty Rascal eyes Davis

Veteran trainer Gerald Bennett believes Naughty Rascal will be better going longer distances, a theory he will likely test in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Tampa on Feb. 8.

In Saturday’s seven-furlong Pasco Stakes, Naughty Rascal finished second, a length behind Owen Almighty, the heavy favorite. But Naughty Rascal was elevated to first after the stewards disqualified Owen Almighty from first and placed him fifth for interfering with Rookie Card at the three-eighths pole.

Naughty Rascal, ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, was sitting just off the pace of those two horses when Rookie Card had to be taken up sharply by Junior Alvarado. At that point, Naughty Rascal latched onto and ran with Owen Almighty into deep stretch before the latter edged clear.

“The race might have turned out different if [Rookie Card] had stayed in the race. He has much more speed where he could have put more pressure and we could have sat longer,” Bennett said. “We had to move too soon and they were going in 44 [seconds] for the half.”

Bennett said from what he’s seen from Naughty Rascal in his first six races, and the colt’s pedigree, suggests he should handle more distance. Naughty Rascal is by the obscure sire Rogueish, a son of Into Mischief who won his only career start in a sprint. He is out of a mare by Smarty Jones, the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner.

“Every time I’ve run him, he never tires, he always wants to keep going, he’s very competitive that way,” Bennett said. “In his breeding, on the mother’s side he’s got Smarty Jones, who even though he didn’t do much as a sire, he won races going long.”

The Sam Davis is the first of two races at Tampa that award its top five finishers qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) toward the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

In the Sam Davis, Naughty Rascal is likely to again meet Owen Almighty. Though Owen Almighty was stripped of his victory, trainer Brian Lynch felt the race was a good first start back for a horse who hadn’t run since a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Iroquois in September. Owen Almighty’s 87 Beyer Speed Figure and Naughty Rascal’s 85 were career bests for both horses.

◗ Irad Ortiz Jr. was handed a three-day suspension by the Tampa Bay stewards for his ride on Owen Almighty, according to a Tampa racing official. Ortiz will serve his days on Jan. 19, 22, and 23, according to agent Steve Rushing.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.