Tampa Bay Downs
Tampa: Sweet Fervor sets record
Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley Sweet Fervor wins the $60,000 Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Sweet Fervor ($4.80) took the overland route in her impressive seven-length victory in the $60,000 Gasparilla Stakes before 7,016 fans at Tampa Bay Downs. She looped rivals five wide through the turn to move into contention, then shook off Sparkling Pink and drew away.
Ridden by Terry Houghton, Sweet Fervor, a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Concerto, covered the seven furlongs over a very fast racing strip in a stakes-record 1:23.78 to win her second race from as many lifetime starts. Trained by Bill Mott, Sweet Fervor earned $27,000 for the win, bringing her career total to $52,800.
Sparkling Pink, who along with Sweet Fervor had been supplemented to the stakes, finished second, 1 3/4 lengths in front of Taylor Madison.