Tampa Bay Downs: Purple Egg, Cor Cor use different styles to take opening-day stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Purple Egg ran down heavily favored Brave Dave in deep stretch to come away with a hard-earned length victory in the $75,000 Inaugural Stakes, the co-feature on opening day of the Tampa Bay Downs meeting.

Under strong handling by Roberto Alvarado Jr., Purple Egg ralllied outside into the furlong grounds of the six-furlong stake for 2-year-olds and collared Brave Dave in the final 40 yards.

The win was the third straight for Purple Egg and follows tallies at Monmouth Park and Parx Race Track.

Trained by Jane Cibelli, Porple Egg covered the distance over a fast racing strip in 1:09.93.

Capital City finished third, another length back, with Falling Sky fourth. Purple Egg paid $6.40

* In the co-featured $75,000 Sandpiper, Cor Cor notched her second straight career win when she cut out blistering early fractions and then had enough left to hold off several late challengers for a half-length win in the 2-year-old filly sprint.

Trained by Joan Scott, Cor Cor ripped off a quarter of 21.95 seconds and half of 44.40. She held a daylight lead into the final furlong before drifting out late under Scott Spieth. A Smoke Glacken filly, Cor Cor had enough left to hold back Vitameta and R Free Roll, who was a half-length behind Vitameta.Over the Counter closed late for fourth.

Cor Cor paid $5 to win.