Strong undercard features Hawksmoor's swan song in Hillsborough

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Racing fans will have plenty to keep themselves busy as the hours and minutes tick down to the Tampa Bay Derby on Festival Day. An outstanding slate of supporting events will lead directly into the premier race of the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Downs meet, with the Grade 2 Hillsborough being particularly noteworthy among the four secondary stakes on tap here Saturday.

Here follows a closer look at each of those races:

Hillsborough (race 9)

Chad Brown has absolutely dominated the filly-mare turf division in recent seasons, and there’s every indication that trend will continue in 2019. The three-time reigning champion trainer will send out the uncoupled duo of Rymska and Onthemoonagain in the $225,000 Hillsborough while saving some of his more accomplished players in the division such as Sistercharlie, Uni, and Rushing Fall for upcoming races in Kentucky and New York.

And yet there’s a sentimental alternative to the Brown steamroller in this 21st running of the 1 1/8-mile Hillsborough: Hawksmoor, a last-out winner of the Grade 3 Endeavour and an earner of more than $1.1 million, all for the Lael Stables, will make her 24th and final career start before being bred to Kitten’s Joy.

“She’s been in very good form,” said trainer Arnaud Delacour. “She deserves a chance to go out a winner. I’m happy to run her one last time. We are hoping for the best.”

Hawksmoor (post 2, Joe Bravo) rallied from off the pace in the Endeavour but has tended to be a pace-pressing type for most of her career. The 6-year-old mare might well face late challenges here from either of the Brown runners, with Onthemoonagain (post 8, Jose Ortiz) being fresh from a five-month layoff and Rymska (post 7, Irad Ortiz Jr.) having the benefit of a tightener in the Suwannee River last month at Gulfstream Park.

Fringe contenders in a solid cast include Get Explicit, Goodyearforroses, and Phantom Opening.

Florida Oaks (race 10)

Brown and the Ortiz brothers also loom ominously over the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks with La Feve and Blowout, both of whom figure to attract their fair share of wagering action when a field of 11 3-year-old fillies goes postward in this 1 1/16-mile turf race.

La Feve (post 1, Irad Ortiz Jr.), a French-bred, had a useful North American debut when third in the Sweetest Chant last month at Gulfstream. Blowout (post 7, Jose Ortiz), a British-bred owned by Peter Brant, closed stoutly to win at first asking in a Jan. 23 maiden turf route over the local course.

Foremost among the opposition to the Brown duo is Concrete Rose (post 5, Julien Leparoux), who turned heads in winning her first two starts, including the Grade 2 Jessamine at Keeneland, prior to fading to eighth behind the Brown-trained Newspaperofrecord in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The Twirling Candy filly shows eight works at Palm Meadows since early January for trainer Rusty Arnold.

Outside possibilities in the 36th Florida Oaks include Stellar Agent, third at 71-1 in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf for Jorge Abreu, as well as New Orleans shippers Winter Sunset and Elsa, the one-two finishers in a Fair Grounds turf stakes last month.

Challenger (race 8)

Flameaway, who upset the likes of Catholic Boy in winning the 2018 Sam F. Davis at Tampa, will have Jose Ortiz aboard when he breaks from post 1 in a field of just six older horses in the 28th running of this 1 1/16-mile race.

Trained by Mark Casse, Flameaway is one of three speed horses in the $100,000 Challenger, so early strategy could prove especially critical. He’s liable to face off through the opening stages with Killybegs Captain, who upset the star sprinter Imperial Hint in winning the six-furlong Pelican here last month, and Jay’s Way, a Gulfstream shipper who has become a two-turn stalwart among older Florida-breds and now picks up Irad Ortiz Jr.

Late-run options include Reride, making his first start since being privately purchased, and Bourbon Resolution, a last-out allowance winner at Gulfstream.

The Challenger leads off a 50-cent pick four ending with the Tampa Bay Derby.

Columbia (race 7)

There’s no decisive favorite in a field of 11 3-year-olds in the third running of this $75,000 turf race set for a mile, although bettors might ultimately side with Digital Age (post 8, Irad Ortiz Jr.), if only because of the Brown factor. The Irish-bred colt was an odds-on maiden winner here seven weeks ago in his only start.

English Bee and Proliferate, the one-two finishers in a key allowance race on Jan. 19 at Gulfstream, are among a handful of contenders in a well-matched opening leg to the 50-cent all-stakes pick five.