Tampa Bay course oddity involved in Endeavor DQ
OLDSMAR, Fla. – The Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs produced a blanket finish and a disqualification as an oddity involving the turf course popped up again at the worst possible moment.
In recent years, a number of runners who were leading in the stretch of turf races at Tampa had suddenly bore out or swerved to the outside as they crossed over a point on the course where the markings of mowing patterns curled coming out of the chute. There was considerable debate among horsemen as to what caused the horses to bear out, but there was little question that it was happening, and it was always near the same point on the course.
The problem seemed to lessen this season, but the course was mowed before Friday’s card, and with the mowing patterns more pronounced to the naked eye, the oddity cropped up again. The leader in the fifth race on Saturday’s card, Left Foot Slewie, bore out suddenly while crossing over the mowing pattern in that 1 1/8-mile turf race.
Unfortunately, it was a portent of things to come. Just as Hard Not to Like and John Velazquez were going to the lead in midstretch of the 1 1/16-mile Endeavour, Hard Not to Like suddenly swerved out, carrying the favored Testa Rossi with her nearing the wire. Following a stewards’ inquiry and claim of foul from Testa Rossi’s jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., Hard Not to Like was disqualified and placed second.
“Johnny said she jumped a shadow,” said Christophe Lorieul, assistant to trainer Christophe Clement.
With 16 prior starts in her career, Hard Not to Like certainly did not lack in experience or seasoning, but a local oddity confused her and cost her connections a black-type win and a big payday.
Last-to-first winning move
You can count on one hand the number of horses who have come from last to win over Tampa’s speed-favoring strip this season.
Include Betty used that last-to-first strategy to win her maiden here Jan. 3. On Saturday, she looked every inch the daughter of the stretch runner Include when she charged from as much as 18 lengths off the lead to upset the $50,000 Suncoast Stakes under Rosemary Homeister Jr.
It will be interesting to see where trainer Tom Proctor races Include Betty next. She’s a half-sister to two siblings who have wins on turf in the United States, and Proctor has a long history of success with fillies and mares on grass.