Tampa Bay: Portsea pulls away

Portsea raced Lady in Pink into defeat after a half-mile, then drew off smartly through the final furlong for a 5 3/4-length victory in the $60,000 Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Lady in Pink held on well to be 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Joyous Song.

Under confident handling by Chris DeCarlo, Portsea pressed pacesetter Lady in Pink through an opening quarter of 22.42 seconds and a half-mile in 45.81. Moving into the stretch, Portsea shook free and pulled away smartly. She covered the six furlongs over a speed-favoring, "wet fast" surface in 1:11.26 to post her second win from four career starts. It was the first start for Portsea since she cut out the fractions to near midstretch in the seven-furlong Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Portsea was sent off as the favorite in the field of 13 and returned $6.60 for the win.