The defection of McCraken from the Tampa Bay Derby has created a vacuum that appears likely to result in a sizable field for the annual marquee event at Tampa Bay Downs next Saturday.
Maybe 10 or more 3-year-olds could go postward in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, with Todd Pletcher now holding perhaps the strongest hand. Pletcher, who has won the Tampa Bay Derby four times – including three of the last four runnings – is expected to have two starters from the 14 horses he nominated.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When Spice Lady won the second race here last Sunday, she became the ninth 3-year-old to win its career debut for trainer Todd Pletcher since the four-month championship meet began Dec. 3. The others: Nonna Bella, Ghalia, Coors Lute, Adorable Miss, Run and Go, Malagacy, Woodrow, and Faja.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Owner Mick Ruis hopes to become a licensed trainer this week, after which his 25-horse string – including Grade 1 winner Union Strike – will be transferred to his name, ending a four-month period during which he employed three trainers, including his daughter Shelbe.
Union Strike won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last summer before Mick and Shelbe Ruis ended their business relationship. Craig Dollase became the trainer for the Ruis stable until late February, when the horses were transferred to Mark Rheinford.
Eagle, who was fourth Feb. 25 in the Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds, and Mo Tom, who finished sixth in the same race, are likely to run April 1 in the New Orleans Handicap.
Both horses were making their first start after a long layoff. Eagle, 5, hadn’t run since July, while Mo Tom, a 4-year-old, hadn’t started since September.
Trainer Larry Jones last weekend confirmed his intention of running I’m a Chatterbox in a turf allowance Saturday at Fair Grounds.
I’m a Chatterbox, a multiple Grade 1 winner on dirt, has won 8 of 18 starts but never has run in a grass race.
“It’s something we’ve been wanting to try for a long time,” Jones said.
I’m a Chatterbox, most recently second in the Houston Ladies Classic last month, is one of seven fillies and mares entered in a one-mile grass race.
It has been a productive first Fair Grounds meet for trainer Brendan Walsh – the last two racing weeks in particular.
Egyptian won a second-level allowance by a nose over the talented Forevamo on Feb. 17. The next day, the second-time-starting 3-year-old Multiplier was beaten a neck in a two-turn dirt maiden race by the very promising colt Souper Tapit. And those two were just a warm-up for the good Walsh did the following week.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The heavy lifting is done for Midnight Storm, who breezed super on Monday morning, came out of the work in top shape, and is expected to start favored March 11 in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap.
Majority owner Alex Venneri and trainer Phil D’Amato considered passing the Big Cap in favor of the Dubai World Cup on March 25, but early this week decided to stay home and try to make Grade 1 turf winner Midnight Storm a Grade 1 winner on dirt.
The undefeated Javiera will have a hot trainer in her corner Friday night when she takes on Golden Mischief and Perfect Prediction in the $50,000 Take Charge Brandi at Delta Downs.
Golden Mischief could go favored on the strength of her local win in the $100,000 My Trusty Cat in October. Perfect Prediction invades from Fair Grounds off a runner-up finish in an allowance Jan. 13.
To note that trainer Mike Maker is running stakes horses most everywhere Saturday would not be an overstatement. Besides starting horses at his principal winter base of Gulfstream Park, he has Keystoneforvictory and High Noon Rider racing in Barbados and five horses entered in Saturday evening’s $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Broadway Empire put trainer Robertino Diodoro’s career on the fast track in 2013, when he won the Canadian Derby and Oklahoma Derby. It was a boon for the barn, which has since established itself as a significant outfit in racing.
Diodoro was the fifth-leading trainer in wins last year in North America and through Wednesday was tied for second in that category while simultaneously leading the standings at Oaklawn Park and Turf Paradise.
