Tampa Turf Dash, Lightning City draw talented lineups

Many of the top turf sprinters based on either side of Florida this winter will convene at Tampa Bay Downs when a pair of $100,000 stakes are run Saturday at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.

The Tampa Turf Dash and the Lightning City, both to be run at five furlongs on turf, are co-features on a program that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Sunshine and a high of 69 are in the forecast.

The track’s annual marquee event, the Tampa Bay Derby, is set for March 7.

Tampa Turf Dash (race 6, 3:15)

Extravagant Kid, highly adept over most any surface, figures as a decisive favorite when returning to turf following a pair of powerful main-track victories across the peninsula at Gulfstream Park.

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Trained by Brendan Walsh, Extravagant Kid will have leading jockey Antonio Gallardo and break from post 8 in a field of 10 older horses entered in this 16th running of the Turf Dash. The handy 7-year-old gelding will be looking to add to his outstanding record of 13 wins and 11 seconds from 40 prior starts.

Among the more capable opposition accompanying him on the van ride over from the Palm Meadows training center are End Play (post 7, Samy Camacho), who was scratched by Jason Servis at Gulfstream last weekend to await this spot, and Pay Any Price (post 1, Pablo Morales), the ultra-quick 10-year-old gelding who has won a remarkable 18 of 30 starts.

The X-factor is Justaholic (post 10, Jose Ferrer), who has been away nearly five months after earning an eye-catching 105 Beyer Speed Figure in the Rainbow Heir last September over the Monmouth Park turf. The 5-year-old horse has posted a number of swift local works in recent weeks for trainer Tom Clark.

Lightning City (race 8, 4:15)

An oversubscribed lineup of fillies and mares in this 16th running of the Lightning City includes Jean Elizabeth (post 9, Albin Jimenez) and Girls Know Best (post 6 Gallardo), the respective one-two finishers in the Ladies Turf Sprint on the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream.

Jean Elizabeth, trained by Larry Rivelli, was making her turf debut in the Gulfstream race when extending her winning streak to six races, all of them stakes. The Illinois-bred 5-year-old mare has won 13 of 19 overall.

“She’s a multi-dimensional filly now,” Rivelli said. “She’s been doing great in her training, and we think this is a good spot. She’s ready to blast off again.”

Girls Know Best, trained by Eddie Kenneally, knows how to win, too, having racked up 12 victories from 26 starts. She was favored over Jean Elizabeth in their last meeting when leading most of the trip before giving way by a half-length.

Past the two favorites, fringe contenders include the uncoupled Wesley Ward duo of Jo Jo Air (post 1, Camacho) and Mae Never No (post 12, Ferrer), along with Stylishly (post 8, Alonso Quinonez), a newcomer from California by way of Payson Park.

In all, 14 are entered but only as many as 12 can start.