Rymska delivers as favorite in Hillsborough Stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Rymska bided her time along the inner rail before angling out with an explosive stretch run Saturday in winning the 21st running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Rymska led a one-three finish for trainer Chad Brown in the 1 1/8-mile turf race while making amends for her defeat four weeks beforehand as a 1-5 favorite in the Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park. She returned $5.20 as the favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares after finishing in 1:49.18 over firm turf.

Hawksmoor, making her 24th and final start, led from the start but was no match in the final furlong when finishing two lengths behind Rymska. Hawksmoor did narrowly hold off the other Brown trainee, Onthemoonagain, for second.

Rymska, a 5-year-old French-bred mare by Le Havre, now has won four graded turf stakes and seven of 13 overall starts. She is owned by a four-way partnership that includes Madaket Stables.

The triumph was the fourth in the Hillsborough for Brown, who has dominated North America’s filly-mare turf ranks in recent years. His prior winners were Zagora (2012), Stephanie’s Kitten (2015), and Fourstar Crook (2018).

Flameaway ($5) wins Challenger

In a victory remarkably similar to his most recent triumph 13 months beforehand in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa, Flameaway fought back along the rail after momentarily surrendering the lead to win the $100,000 Challenger. The gritty effort broke a seven-race losing skein for the 4-year-old colt.

“That’s the way he does it,” said Mark Casse, who trains Flameaway for owner John C. Oxley. “He’s a real fighter when he puts his mind to it.”

Immediately on the lead in the 1 1/16-mile race after a sharp break from his rail post under Jose Ortiz, Flameaway was passed from the outside by Killybegs Captain as the pair turned for home in the 28th Challenger. But under strong handling, the colt responded to prevail by a half-length, finishing in 1:41.89 over a fast track. He returned $5 as the favorite in a field of six older horses.

Digital Age ($4.60) wins Columbia

It took the entire length of the stretch to do it, but Digital Age was up in the final jump of the $75,000 Columbia to prevail in a three-horse photo, remaining unbeaten in two career starts for owner Klaravich Stables and Brown.

“He broke a step slow out of there, so I didn’t panic,” said winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. “He got his stride, and he was taking me pretty good down the backside. I let him be him after that. He’s a nice horse.”

Global Access, a 38-1 shot, held an open lead into the final furlong of the third running of this one-mile turf race, but Forever Mo took over with about 70 yards to go, after which Digital Age flew past them both on the outside, winning by a head when finishing in 1:36.58. The Irish-bred colt returned $4.60 when favored in a field of nine 3-year-olds and coming off a successful debut in a Jan. 19 race over the Tampa turf.