With the option of a Florida-bred stakes at Gulfstream Park on April 25 or an open second-level allowance Wednesday at Tampa Bay Downs, trainer Nolan Ramsey opted for the latter with Raging Fury, who looks for his second straight win at Tampa in the first race on a nine-race card. A 5-year-old gelding by Ami’s Flatter, Raging Fury has run twice in this second-level allowance/optional $32,000 condition and it’s hard not to concur with Ramsey’s assessment that his effort in defeat on Feb. 28 may have been stronger than the one in victory on March 20. In his defeat, going seven furlongs, Raging Fury stumbled at the break and was farther back than he had previously been before making a wide belated bid to finish second, 3 1/4 lengths behind Flood Zone, the winner of the 2025 Grade 3 Gotham Stakes. On March 20, Raging Fury returned to Tampa and rallied from off the pace to win a six-furlong race by three-quarters of a length. “He’s run over there twice, two good efforts, quite honestly the day he finished second might have been a little better effort,” said Ramsey, who is based at Gulfstream. “He had a bad break, stumbled, was far behind and wide, but he put in a good run. He’s been a good horse at three-quarters but with his running style now, he seems more relaxed sitting off the pace and come with a run.” Ramsey acknowledged the job jockey Cipriano Gil has done with getting Raging Fury to relax and make his best run late. :: Celebrating 100 Years of racing at Tampa Bay Downs! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “Compliments to the rider, he’s figured out how to get him to relax and come with a run,” Ramsey said “Typically he likes to make a middle move and flatten out late.” Saffie Joseph Jr. ships the Ontario-bred Souper Tuscan to Tampa following a fourth-place finish behind Rookie Card in a second-level allowance/optional $62,500 claiming effort at Gulfstream on March 1. Souper Tuscan looks like he could potentially be the main speed under Edwin Gonzalez. Wednesday’s card ends with a first-level allowance race for females scheduled for one mile on the turf. Trainer Bill Mott sends out the 3-year-old filly Consider Me First, who finished second in a maiden turf race at Tampa on Jan. 21, then won the last race on the Tampa Bay Derby card on March 7, a race that was originally scheduled for the turf but was rained off late to the dirt. Consider Me First, by Uncle Mo, is a half-sister to turf graded stakes winners Much Unusual and Big Score. Daniel Centeno will ride. Thankfulness, a debut winner at Tampa in December who finished fifth as the favorite in this condition on Jan. 18, is another 3-year-old filly in this field. She will get the services of Samuel Marin. Leon to Monmouth Sonny Leon is piling up the wins lately at Tampa as he builds momentum for a summer that will see him base at Monmouth Park. “Last year was his first year there and he was the third leading rider. I kind of see things continuing in a positive direction,” said Steve Worsley, Leon’s agent. Since the start of April, Leon has won 16 races from 48 mounts at Tampa. He rode three winners each on Friday and Sunday and was disqualified out of another victory on Sunday’s card. Leon, who won the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Rich Strike, now has 70 wins at the meet and a good chance to pass Samy Camacho for second in the meet in that category. Camacho has relocated to Gulfstream Park. Samuel Marin is the meet’s leading rider with 125 wins. “Very fortunate to have the support we have. Both of us have been working really hard and when you ride for the people we’re riding for, positive results are bound to come,” Worsley said. Five of Leon’s 16 winners the last two weeks have come for trainer Kathleen O’Connell, who after a slow start to the meet has 25 wins and is tied for fourth in the standings. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.