Tampa Bay Downs: Risky Rachel continues comeback in Manatee

Risky Rachel, who came off a 14-month break to capture the Minaret Stakes last time out, goes after her ninth career win Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs as the strong choice in a field of eight fillies and mares in the $50,000 Manatee Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

Daniel Centeno will return aboard Risky Rachel for trainer Juan Coronel. A 7-year-old New York-bred mare, Risky Rachel carries 120 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Manatee.

Risky Rachel injured a tendon in December 2012, and her connections considered retiring her to become a broodmare, but when her owner, Sanford Bacon, heard about a new stem-cell therapy program that might help rehabilitate the tendon, he decided to try it despite the treatment’s cost of $30,000 and $40,000.

“People said I was nuts to spend that kind of money,” the 84-year-old Bacon recalled. “But I told them she earned that money. She deserves a chance to have a chance to get back to the track, where she loves it.”

Brought back in the six-furlong Minaret here Jan. 11, Risky Rachel tracked pacesetter Cor Cor and rallied to post a 3 1/4-length victory. Before being sidelined, Risky Rachel won four New York-bred sprint stakes over a two-year period, including the $100,000 Union Avenue at Saratoga.
Topping the challengers to Risky Rachel is Wild About Irene, who comes into Saturday’s race off a solid second to Final Escrow in an allowance prep for the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes that was moved from the turf to the main track.

From the Gerald Bennett barn, Wild About Irene will be turning back to the distance at which she won here in her first start this year. Wild About Irene has shown the ability to lay just off the pace, and that might be the preferred place to be in this field, which includes several runners with strong early speed.

Ambusher, who was third back of Risky Rachel in the Minaret, is a late-running type who should appreciate the added furlong of Saturday’s race.

◗ Jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. won four races on a program for the fourth time at the meeting Wednesday. Allen, who won with four of his five mounts Wednesday, had 48 winners going into Friday’s program, eight ahead of Antonia Gallardo.

Fernando De La Cruz, the early leader in the jockeys race, returned last weekend from four weeks off recovering from a fractured wrist and also won a race on Wednesday.