Winfromwithin leads wire to wire in Columbia Stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Winfromwithin stamped himself as an upwardly mobile factor in the 3-year-old turf division by thoroughly dominating the $75,000 Columbia, one of five stakes on the Tampa Bay Derby undercard Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

A four-length romp over late-running Crew Dragon means Winfromwithin is now 2 for 2 as a 3-year-old following three defeats in dirt sprints at 2. Both of his 2021 starts have come going two turns on the turf, as the Into Mischief colt showed continuing improvement in following a Jan. 2 maiden win at Gulfstream Park with a wire-to-wire score over 10 others in the one-mile Columbia.

Luis Saez was aboard Winfromwithin when the colt broke sharply from post 1 to seize early command into the first turn, and there was little to worry about when they turned for home as the colt suddenly put the issue to rest with a terrific burst of speed. The winner returned $5.40 as the favorite after finishing in 1:33.72 over firm going.

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Todd Pletcher trains Winfromwithin for Jim Bakke, who paid $100,000 for the Kentucky-bred at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sales.

Crew Dragon and Boreas, both also off maiden wins, were a respective second and third.

Last Judgment ($4.80) wires Challenger

An hour or so earlier, Last Judgment went straight to the lead after breaking sharply from post 2 before widening on the far turn in posting his first graded stakes triumph in the Grade 3, $100,000 Challenger. A late-charging Modernist was second, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner and another 1 3/4 lengths before War Stopper in a field of five older horses.

Ridden by Daniel Centeno, Last Judgment finished the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:41.98 over a fast track. The 5-year-old Florida-bred returned $4.80 as a very slight favorite over War Stopper, also a 7-5 chance.

Mike Maker trains Last Judgment, by Congrats, for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Steve Hornstock, Bethlehem Stables, and Nice Guys Stables. Now 7 for 16 in his career, the gelding was a two-back winner of the Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park before giving futile chase to the eventual winner, Knicks Go, through the early stages of the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup, also at Gulfstream, his home base.

“Well, we didn’t have Knicks Go to contend with this time,” Maker said from Kentucky.