Tampa Bay Downs: Centeno returns to challenge leading rider De La Cruz
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Fernando De La Cruz has started the Tampa Bay Downs meeting on a tear, winning 16 races through the first six programs of the meet, which began Dec. 4, while winning at a blistering 39 percent clip. But news out of Maryland may have a profound effect on the De La Cruz express. Daniel Centeno, who won four straight riding titles at Tampa from the 2006-07 meet through the 2009-10 meet, is returning to ride at Tampa Bay Downs.
Centeno has been a force here whenever he has ridden on a regular basis or hasn’t been sidelined with injuries. He had originally indicated he would stay up north and ride primarily on the Maryland circuit this winter, but those plans have changed. Jockey agent Mike Moran, who handled Centeno’s engagements the latter part of the meeting here last season, said Centeno told him he could start naming him on horses for this coming Saturday, Dec. 21.
It will be interesting to see if Centeno will be able to mount a serious challenge to De La Cruz and just how hard it will be for him to get going at this meeting after coming in late. It will also be interesting to see how trainer Jamie Ness will divvy up the business on his runners. Ness, who is also off to a quick start this meeting with six winners, has used Centeno quite a bit in the past but has ridden De La Cruz on eight of the 10 horses he has started this meeting, and De La Cruz has been aboard all of Ness’s winners this season.
De La Cruz was hit with a five-day suspension for careless riding that ends on Thursday.
Scace bouncing back
Trainer Lynn Scace, whose roots date back to the rough-and-tumble world of New England racing back in the days of Lincoln Downs and Narragansett Park, had a subpar meeting here last year, winning only 10 races after ranking among the leaders in the local standings for a number of years.
But Scace, who came out of Rhode Island, has come out of the gate running, winning with four of her first five starters at the meet, including Palace Barista, a first-time starter who won the nightcap on opening day to the tune of a $125.40 payoff.
Bowersock sends out talented pair
Maria Bowersock has a 10-horse outfit, and the trainer said prior to the opening of this meeting that her stable was well balanced and included some runners with talent.
It looks like she may be right.
Saturday, Bowersock sent out two of those runners with some good results. In the mile and 40-yard sixth race, Bowersock’s 2-year-old filly Suits My Fancy, whom she claimed for $30,000 at Keeneland two races back, couldn’t handle the heavily favored Spangled Banner but turned in a very good effort to finish second. Then in the ninth race she sent out High Native Fly to post a very impressive win over a tough group of allowance sprinters.
High Native Fly covered the six furlongs in a very quick 1:10.21 and may be seen next in one of the local sprint stakes. Bowersock’s partner Ronnie Allen Jr. rode both Suits My Fancy and High Native Fly, and he won two races on the Saturday card.