Tampa Bay Downs: Tulira Castle turns it on in stretch of Challenger

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Tulira Castle ranged up along the outside out of the second turn under Angel Serpa, drove to the front, then had little trouble maintaining a safe advantage to post a 2 3/4-length victory in the $60,000 Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

Trained by Jimmy Divito, Tulira Castle posted his second straight win over the Tampa surface and second win with blinkers added. Nicklaus Way rallied from last to be second, three lengths in front of third-place finisher Managed Account, with 6-5 favorite Ruler of Love a tiring fourth.

Tulira Castle and Serpa were content to sit off the pace along the outside as longshot Twin Engine cut out fractions of 47.27 and 1:11.47 in the 1 1/16-mile race. Ruler of Love made a move to challenge for the lead outside the leader after five furlongs, while Managed Account raced close up along the inside. But Tulira Castle was moving fastest of all and swept by the leaders into the stretch.

Tulira Castle covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.68 and returns $8.80 to win.