Stormy D projects consistency in Tampa feature

Tampa Bay’s eight-race card Friday concludes with a $20,000 allowance for fillies and mares on the turf with a full, competitive field. Of the 10 distaffers in the main body of the field – there are also four also-eligibles – four of those have last-out Beyer Speed Figures between 72 and 75. Two others have broken the 70 threshold this year.

Stormy D is steady and reliable. In five starts since being acquired by owner and trainer John Rigattieri, all at Tampa, she has never missed the board, with two victories. She is coming off a third-place effort on March 29 going 1 3/8 miles on the turf; she is now cutting back to the mile distance at which she has won 3 of 5 starts. The filly, who has steadily posted Beyers of 73 in all three starts this year, has Raul Mena in the irons Friday.

Agi’s Cat drew the rail under Harry Hernandez, and is thus well positioned to use her natural speed. The filly, who faded to seventh in last summer’s Virginia Oaks after leading into the stretch, most recently finished a good second in a Tampa allowance, stalking the pace, making the lead, and being caught by a half-length by the well-regarded European import Mintd. Agi’s Cat earned a Beyer of 75 for her effort, the top last-out number in the field.

The morning-line favorite at 5-2 is Connectivity, who is making her first start for Robert Hess Jr., the fourth trainer of her career. The filly spent last year running on the New York circuit for trainer Chad Brown, winning an allowance race with a 79 Beyer and running third in another allowance with an 83, some of the best numbers in this field and against solid company. Most recently, she finished eighth in an allowance on the Fair Grounds turf for trainer Steve Asmussen in her first start in nearly five months. Scott Spieth has the call Friday.

Foggy Flight and Flighty Almighty, who add some international flavor to the field, are both also making their first starts for new barns and are coming off layoffs. Foggy Flight moved to Eoin Harty following Kiaran McLaughlin’s retirement this spring. The filly, who began her career in stakes company in Dubai, is making her second start off a layoff, having finished seventh last out at Gulfstream in her first outing in 10 months. Flighty Almighty, who was stakes-seasoned in England, is 3-1 on the morning line as she picks up Samy Camacho, one of Tampa’s leading riders, for her U.S. debut. This is her first start since August, and first for trainer Christophe Clement.

Marnie Girl made the first five starts of her career in the west, at Golden Gate and Turf Paradise. In her first outing in Florida, she finished second by a head in a Tampa allowance with a 72 Beyer.