Waskesiu looks sharp in taking Tampa Bay Oaks victory

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Waskesiu, the recipient of a dream trip under Junior Alvarado, scored a one-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on turf at Tampa Bay Downs.

Able to save ground around both turns, Alvarado tipped Waskesiu three-wide turning for home and was able to run by Poolside With Slim inside the sixteenth pole and edge away for the victory. In a three-way photo for second, Style Points was a head better than Dancing N Dixie who was a head in front of Poolside With Slim.

Austere, Weigh the Risks, Dynamic Pricing, Destiny Star, Crevalle d’Oro, A Primera Vista and Witwatersrand completed the order of finish.

Waskesiu, a daughter of American Pharoah, was making her first start since Jan. 6, when she finished third in the Ginger Brew Stakes. She missed time in part due to a skin rash, according trainer Bill Mott.

:: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets.

Alvarado said his trip aboard Waskesiu was much better Saturday than it was in the Ginger Brew.

“Last time I had a terrible trip, I couldn’t give her a good shot to win the race and she still ran good,” Alvarado said. “Today, we had the trip. Saved ground both turns, tip her out and she was very game at the end.”

Alvarado said Waskesiu was sharp warming up.

“She was on her toes, I took her away from the pony, I almost thought that was a mistake,” Alvarado said.

Mott said despite the skin rash forcing Waskesiu to miss a little time, he was happy to wait for the Florida Oaks saying, “I earmarked this race anyway. I wanted to run on that turf course.”

Waskesiu, owned by Chiefswood Stables, covered the 1 1/16-miles in 1:42.04. On the toteboard, Waskesiu showed she was the 5-2 favorite. But right after they crossed the finish line, there was a tote malfunction that prevented prices from being posted or tickets from being cashed. The tote problem lasted throughout the day forcing the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby to be run as a non-wagering event and the cancellation of the 12th and final race.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.