Tampa Bay Downs: Prospective tries to regroup in Pasco Stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. – A group of 10 aspiring 3-year-olds will attempt to pass their first test on a road that could lead to the Tampa Bay Derby when they go postward in Saturday’s $100,000 Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Pasco is co-featured on the card with the $100,000 Gasparilla Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Both races are seven furlongs.

The Pasco is the first of three stakes for 3-year-olds at Tampa Bay Downs. The next race for the division is the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 4. The Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby will be run at a mile and a sixteenth on March 10.

One horse worthy of a long look in the Pasco is Prospective. Owned by John Oxley, who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos, Prospective will be making his first start since finishing last of 13 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. While Prospective’s BC race was disappointing, trainer Mark Casse said it wasn’t the first time the colt had fooled him.[bc_video_id:241951:]

“He really puzzled me that day,” Casse said. “He had trained so well up to that race I really thought he would run well and he just didn’t show much. The only thing I can point to is the fact the track was deep at Churchill last fall and I had several horses who came off the Polytrack at Woodbine and ran poorly there.

“Truthfully, except for his last race, he’s been somewhat of an overachiever for me. I have a couple of others for Mr. Oxley who train better in the morning but he overachieves in the afternoon. He’s been training well at Palm Meadows and acts like he’s starting to get his act together. Hopefully he’ll race well Saturday as we’re pointing for the Sam Davis and Tampa Bay Derby down the line.”

Prospective had won two straight, including the Grade 3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine, leading up to the BC Juvenile. He will face several interesting foes in the Pasco, including For Oby, who was beaten a nose in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid at Gulfstream Park last time out, Burning Time, winner of the Foolish Pleasure Stakes at Calder in September, and Adirondack King, winner of his last three outings at Parx, including the Elser Memorial Stakes.

Pasco Stakes, Post Time: 4:40 ET Saturday

Purse: $100,000; 7 furlongs

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	ML Odds
	Adirondack King	J. Servis	S. Elliott	4-1
	Spirit Amour	R. McElroy, Jr.	B. Pedroza	30-1
	Angelofdistinction	D. Pita	P. Morales	12-1
	Seven Kind	M. Azpurua	J. Garcia	8-1
	Moroccan Brew	D. Ward	R. Feliciano	15-1
	For Oby	P. Maestre	J. Delgado	5-2
	Burning Time	D. Fawkes	F. Jara	5-1
	Prospective	M. Casse	L. Contreras	7-2
	Talented Whiz	E. Poxon, Jr.	F. De La Cruz	20-1
	Wildcat Creek	E. Plesa, Jr.	A. Serpa	10-1