Zayas sweeps 3-year-old stakes aboard Liam's Lucky Charm, Two Sixty

Stakes action returned to Tampa Bay Downs following a five-week hiatus when three dirt stakes, all contested over a fast surface, dotted the Saturday card at the Oldsmar, Fla., track. Both races for 3-year-olds, the Gasparilla and Pasco, were won by jockey Edgard Zayas – with one being far more hard-earned than the other.

Gasparilla goes to Two Sixty

Two Sixty held off all challengers when prevailing in a five-way cavalry charge to notch her second stakes victory for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse.

Hustled to the lead by Zayas in the $125,000, seven-furlong race, Two Sixty first had to put away the early chasers, then was all-out to narrowly prevail in a frantic finish in which the top five were separated by less than a length. The winner paid $13 after finishing in 1:22.80.

Mo City was second, followed in very quick order by We the Clouds, Ceci Valentina, and Swiss Skydiver. Eleven fillies started.

Casse, who watched the Gasparilla from Gulfstream Park, thought enough of Two Sixty after she won the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes at Gulfstream in late September to run her back in the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita, where she faded badly to finish a distant last of nine. A runner-up finish in the Dec. 7 Sandpiper at Tampa came in the interim.

As a Florida-bred, Two Sixty earned additional bonuses that brought her winner’s share to $105,000. The Uncaptured filly is so named because Barber paid $260,000 for her last March at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales.

Liam's Lucky Charm dominant in Pasco

Some three hours earlier, Liam’s Lucky Charm ($4.80) dominated six other colts and geldings as the favorite in the $125,000 Pasco. Sent by Zayas to the early lead from the inside post, the son of Khozan proceeded in splits of 22.36 and 44.66 seconds before drawing off to win by 5 1/2 lengths, getting the seven furlongs in a swift 1:21.75. Albert Park was second and No Getting Over Me was third.

“It was a big effort for him to go as fast as he did early, then go on and edge away,” said Ralph Nicks, who trains Liam’s Lucky Charm for the colt’s owner-breeder, the Stonehedge LLC of Gilbert Campbell. “Really nice.”

Liam’s Lucky Charm won the $200,000 Affirmed for statebreds last summer at his Gulfstream Park base and will be tried on the Kentucky Derby trail in his next start, said Nicks.

As a Florida-bred, Liam’s Lucky Charm also earned additional bonuses that brought his winner’s share to $105,000.

Besides a sweep of the 3-year-old stakes, Zayas, based at Gulfstream, rode two other winners on the 10-race card.

Jehozacat wires Wayward Lass

Between the 3-year-old stakes, Jehozacat was never seriously threatened after speeding to the early lead in this 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares, drawing off under Daniel Centeno when finishing in 1:43.94 over a fast track. She paid $3.80 as an odds-on favorite in a field of seven.

Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Jehozacat was winning for the first time since last March, with the $50,000 Wayward Lass giving her four victories from 16 overall starts. The 5-year-old gray daughter of Tapit was bred by her owners, the Lael Stables of Barbaro fame.

Tweeting finished second, 5 1/2 lengths behind the winner, while Classic Fit held third in a three-way photo for third.