Weather looms over undercard turf stakes at Tampa
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Three of the four undercard stakes on Festival Day at Tampa Bay Downs are scheduled for turf, and it goes without saying that track officials are hoping course conditions will allow those races to remain on as scheduled.
A local television station on Thursday was headlining “heavy downpours and strong storms” for Saturday, the biggest day of live racing of the year at Tampa, so handicappers are hereby forewarned that the Grade 2 Hillsborough (race 7), the Grade 3 Florida Oaks (race 9), and the Columbia (race 10) all might have to be moved to the main track. The Challenger (race 8) is the only supporting stakes on the dirt.
“Off the turf” would be unfortunate, but either way, there are five straight stakes on the second half of a 12-race card, all of them linked in various ways in multi-race wagers that end with the Tampa Bay Derby, starting with a 50-cent all-stakes pick five (races 7-11). Additionally, there are multi-race exotics being offered that also end with the race 12 finale, a maiden-special that’s the only non-stakes of the day scheduled for turf.
Race purses listed here do not include bonuses restricted to Florida-breds.
Unlike at many other tracks across the country, Tampa permits Lasix usage in graded stakes, although that doesn’t apply to the Tampa Bay Derby because Lasix is not allowed for any Kentucky Derby qualifier.
Hillsborough
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Bleecker Street puts her unbeaten record on the line in the $200,000 Hillsborough, a 1 1/8-mile race that drew nine fillies and mares. A last-out winner of the Grade 3 Endeavour here Feb. 5, she’s one of two Chad Brown trainees entered, along with the Irish-bred Rocky Sky.
Bleecker Street, a gray 4-year-old by Quality Road, will have local jockey Hector Diaz Jr. riding from post 5.
“She’s really come into good form with those four wins to start her career,” said Brown, who has won four of the last 10 runnings of the Hillsborough, starting with Zagora in 2012, the same year she was the filly-mare turf champion.
As for Rocky Sky (post 6, Irad Ortiz Jr.), “We’ve got pretty high hopes for her, too,” said Brown. “She’s been training very well at Payson Park since we brought her back over the winter.”
Lady Speightspeare (post 3, Emma-Jayne Wilson), second as an odds-on favorite behind Bleecker Street in the Endeavour, clearly is the chief threat to the Brown duo, assuming this stays on grass. If it’s transferred, the race becomes a guessing game, although Take Charge Ro and Nantucket Red both have proven main-track form.
Challenger
Greatest Honour didn’t drop off the map after all. Away since being declared off the 2021 Kentucky Derby trail in April with bone bruising in his front ankles, the Tapit colt will face nine other older horses when making his 4-year-old debut in the $100,000 Challenger.
Six workouts at Payson Park since late January for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey precede this comeback for Greatest Honour, whose victories in the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth last winter at Gulfstream Park had made him one of the early Derby favorites prior to a defeat in the Florida Derby and his subsequent defection. McGaughey said the injury was relatively minor in nature, requiring only time, and not surgery, to get the colt back to full health.
Jose Ortiz will be back aboard Greatest Honour from post 3 in the 1 1/16-mile Challenger. Ortiz’s brother Irad will be right alongside in post 4 when riding Dynamic One, another 4-year-old returning from a lengthy layoff after showing promise last year. Shirl’s Speight, Cody’s Wish, Hidden Stash, and a second McGaughey trainee in Scalding are other logical contenders in an excellent lineup.
Florida Oaks
Brown sends out a pair of last-out maiden winners in Dolce Zel and Spicer in the $150,000 Florida Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile race that drew nine 3-year-old fillies. Assuming this stays on the grass, both would figure among a core of lukewarm favorites, along with Mrs. Barbara and Ambitieuse.
Mrs. Barbara, a Grade 3 winner over Tapeta at Woodbine, is the most accomplished in the field, and trainer Mark Casse believes the Tampa turf would suit her just fine. “She might actually prefer the synthetic, but she’s training really well and we thought this would be a good spot to start her year,” he said.
If moved to the dirt, Alittleloveandluck would seem to move way up, although her locally based trainer, Mike Dini, is unsure how management will react in the face of heavy rain.
“Tracks usually leave graded races on the turf if it’s feasible, especially here, where I don’t remember them facing this kind of dilemma on such a big day,” said Dini. “We’re all waiting to see what happens with the weather.”
Columbia
Same story here with the $75,000 Columbia, which drew a competitive field of 10 3-year-olds. It’s scheduled for a mile on turf and will be run at a mile and 40 yards if moved to the main track.
Kitten Mischief, who was given a quick look on the Derby trail, seems a threat on either surface. Trainer Jonathan Thomas has suggested the Augustin Stable homebred might be better on turf but is capable on dirt, given a reasonable spot. Heaven Street, Fort Washington, and Gingrich figure as the main opposition if this stays on.