Tampa Bay: Glass Art can be forgiven for his last race

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Glass Art, a winner from the tough outside post in a field of 13 at Laurel two races back, moves back to a middle distance in search of his eighth career win in the feature on Friday at Tampa Bay Downs. Glass Art figures as the probable favorite in the overflow field of optional claiming routers set to contest 1 1/16 miles over the turf course.

From the powerful Jamie Ness stable, Glass Art will be ridden by Angel Serpa again as he makes his fourth start since being haltered for $32,000 at Monmouth Park in September. Last time out at Laurel, Glass Art may have left his race at the gate when he was unruly prior to the start of a 5 1/2-furlong sprint on the turf before winding up ninth after showing speed to the stretch.

Two races back, Glass Art broke from the far outside post in a field of 13 but was able to overcome that disadvantage to chase the leader and then rally through the stretch and draw off late to win by more than two lengths going 1 1/16 miles. Glass Art figures to be prominently placed again Friday. All seven of his lifetime wins have come on the turf.

Sharp Omar ran second to Glass Art in the 1 1/16-mile race at Laurel after setting the pace into the final furlong ,and also figures to be close up from the start under Antonia Gallardo. From the barn of veteran conditioner Carlos Garcia, Sharp Omar won his first career race over the Tampa turf course last spring and deserves a long look.

Let It Rock was unplaced in his first start since August here while racing against tougher company last time out in a mile turf race. The long-striding Chad Stewart trainee won a pair of turf routes over the local course here last season with strong late runs. With the drop in class Friday and an additional sixteenth of a mile to work with, the nine-time winner could score at a fair price.

Smart and True came off a layoff to post an upset win here last season over the grass course and had trouble in his last outing at Gulfstream Park.

An interesting entrant is Wild Target, who will be making his first start for trainer Philip Bauer after being claimed for $32,000 at Churchill Downs. Bauer has started just six horses in 2013 but has three wins.