Revved Up favored in repeat bid
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Revved Up will shoot for his second straight win in the Chris Thomas Turf Classic, and Brushed Bayou, who has smoked through five furlongs in 55.50 and 54.93 seconds while winning her last two, tops the Lightning City Stakes. Both are trained by Christophe Clement, who will try to sweep the closing day stakes Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Revved Up, with Jose Velez Jr. riding, is part of a Live Oak Plantation-owned coupling in the Thomas. The 9-year-old veteran won 5 of 6 starts last season, including the nine-furlong Thomas by three lengths as the strong betting choice. He came back later in the year to capture the Bob Harding at Monmouth and the Grade 3 Sycamore Breeders' Cup. He ended his season on a winning note, taking the Bonnie Heath Stakes at Calder.
This February, Revved up was head and head for the lead a furlong out in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup before weakening to finish fifth behind the winner Jambalaya. He then ran seventh to the same rival in the Grade 3 Pan American Handicap at 12 furlongs, also at Gulfstream Park.
Green Lemon, third in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga last season after winning his first two starts in the United States, comes into the Thomas off a win over the local course in his first start since October. He tops the challengers to Revved Up, along with Herecomesatiger, who led into the final furlong of the Turf Classic on Florida Cup Day before settling for second behind Go Between.
In the five-furlong Lightning City, Brushed Bayou faces a tough group of fillies and mares but off her last two efforts must be considered the horse to beat. Since being outfitted with blinkers, Brushed Bayou is 2 for 2, including an entry-level allowance win while covering the five furlongs in 55.50. Last time out, she rallied from well off the pace in another turf sprint at Gulfstream Park, this time getting up in the final strides in a race run in a blistering 54.93.
Becky's Prayer, who last out just missed winning her first start since November, tops the challengers, along with Mohegan Sky, who is also shooting for her third straight win sprinting on the turf.