Over at CLASSY LANE TRAINING CENTRE, decimated by fire that caused the death of some 30 horses early in the new year, the new barn is going back up (photo by Renée Kierans)
TERRIFIC TEPIN – 107 Beyer, course record
“She is older, smarter, and more relaxed. She doesn’t have to be on the lead now, or close to the lead. She can sit back and pick her spot. Words can’t describe this. At the top of the lane she was still eight lengths behind, but she’s got the biggest turn of foot you’ll see in the last eighth.” – Owner Robert Masterson, Tepin
It was an action packed day of racing at Tampa Bay Downs with many good stakes races and the track set a record for wagering; A crowd of 10,206 contributed to an all-time record wagering handle of $12,250,446.88. That shattered the previous mark of $10,949,948 set on Festival Day 31 five years ago, when Aqueduct was dark.
While DESTIN continued to advance to his visit to the Kentucky Derby with his Tampa Bay Derby win, it was the no-give-up run by champion TEPIN in the Hillsborough Stakes – G2 that drew the most excitement and praise.
The Bernstein filly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile and coming off a handy score in her season debut at Tampa in the Endeavor Stakes, was odds-on in the 1 1/8 mile Hillsborough and she was, on paper, the predicted easy winner.
But when Isabella Sings opened up some 18=plos lengths in the race, flying through the grass with her mind on getting to the wire first, it had to be unnerving for Tepin team. A cool Julien Leparoux on board, however, was not concerned, pretended she was not way out in front and just rode the mare the way he always does.
When the leader started to tire, Tepin tured on the jets and caught the Todd Pletcher trainee for her 7th win in her last 9 races and 4th score in a row.
Winning trainer Mark Casse: “Relief. I was a little worried after the first quarter, but I’m happy. I’m always nervous. It’s funny, the distance worked in our favor today. She’s quite a horse. She can do a little bit of everything; that’s what makes her so amazing.”
Tepin set a course record of 1:46.26 for the distance.
TEPIN and her adoring owner Robert Masteron – Tampa Bay Downs photo
DERBY DESTIN – Y?
(with some files from Tampa Bay Downs media)
DESTIN surged past stablemate Outwork in the Tampa Bay Derby – Tampa Bay Downs photo
In about the time it took Grade II, $350,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin (by Giant’s Causeway) to set a stakes and track record, the concerns over his green performance in last month’s Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes vanished.The 3-year-old grey son of Giant’s Causeway wore down Outwork, his stablemate from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher, through a fierce stretch run, posting a one-length victory under jockey Javier Castellano in a time of 1:42.82 that bettered the 2007 mile-and-a-sixteenth stakes record set by Street Sense and the track record of 1:42.83 set by Bold Start in the 2010 Challenge.
DESTIN earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.
In Destin’s wake was one of the top 2-year-olds of 2015, BRODY’S CAUSE, a late running colt who figured to need a race to get his stretch kick stretched out and RIKER, Canada’s probable champion 2-year-old of last year, who also was coming off a layoff and had been on a crash course to get to the races this spring. Riker stalked the slow pace but faded to be 6th beaten 12 lengths.
Earlier at Tampa, Prince of Wales winner BREAKING LUCKY fought hard to come back and be 3rd beaten 1 length in the Challenge Stakes behind Adirondack King. The winning Beyer for the Challenger at 1 1/16 miles was 92.
KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS
Rank Horse Points Owner(s) Trainer Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Mohaymen 70 Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum) Kiaran McLaughlin $760,350
2. Destin 51 Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC (Randy Gullatt) Todd Pletcher $338,000
3. Gun Runner 51 Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Ron Winchell) & Three Chimney Farms (Goncalo Borges Torrealba)
Steve Asmussen $249,200
4. Danzing Candy 50 Halo Farms (Teddy Aroney), Jim Bashor & Diane Bashor Cliff Sise Jr. $240,000 (Career: $308,650)
5. Shagaf 50 Shadwell Stable (Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum) Chad Brown $240,000
(Career: $298,800)
6. Mor Spirit 44 Michael L. Petersen Bob Baffert $416,800
7. Nyquist 30 Reddam Racing LLC (J. Paul Reddam) Doug O’Neill $1,700,000
8. Exaggerator 26 Big Chief Racing LLC (Matthew W. Bryan) Keith Desormeaux $1,028,000
9. Sunny Ridge 23 Dennis A. Drazin Jason Servis $525,600
10. Mo Tom 22 G M B Racing (Gayle Benson) Tom Amoss $288,326
11. Laoban 22 Southern Equine Stable LLC (Michael Moreno) & McCormick Racing LLC Eric Guillot $92,000
12. Forevamo 20 Brittlyn Stable Inc. (Evelyn Benoit) Al Stall Jr. $210,000
13. Zulu 20 Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier & Derek Smith Todd Pletcher $79,200
14. Outwork 20 Repole Stable (Mike Repole) Todd Pletcher $70,000
15. Flexibility 15 Klaravich Stables Inc. (Seth Klarman) & William H. Lawrence Chad Brown $232,500
16. Brody’s Cause 14 Albaugh Family Stable (Dennis Albaugh) Dale Romans $500,000
17. Greenpointcrusader 14 St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola), MeB Racing Stables LLC & Brooklyn Boyz Stables (Mary Ellen and Anthony Bonomo)
Dominick Schettino $369,300
18. Swipe 12 Big Chief Racing LLC (Matthew W. Bryan) Keith Desormeaux $597,130
19. Fellowship 12 Jacks or Better Farm Inc. (Fred and Jane Brei) Stanley Gold $115,590
20. Adventist 12 Treadway Racing Stable (Jeff Treadway) Leah Gyarmati $65,000
21. Collected 11 Speedway Stable LLC (Peter Fluor & K.C. Weiner) Bob Baffert $105,000
22. Airoforce 10 John C. Oxley Mark Casse $444,080
23. Suddenbreakingnews 10 Samuel F. Henderson Donnie Von Hemel $410,000
24. Cocked and Loaded 10 Richard Ravin & Patricia’s Hope LLC (Vince Foglia) Larry Rivelli $280,840
25. Discreetness 10 Xpress Thoroughbreds LLC (Dwight Pruett) William “Jinks” Fires $246,153
26. Frank Conversation 10 Reddam Racing LLC (J. Paul Reddam) Doug O’Neill $199,000
27. Riker 10 Team Valor International (Barry Irwin), Gary Barber & Tucci Stables (Carlo & Lou Tucci)
Mark Casse $189,375
28. Star Hill 10 Calumet Farm (Brad Kelley) Rusty Arnold II $36,500
DANZING CANDY WINS SAN FELIPE
Melatonin, by Canadian champion Kodiak Kowboy wins Big Cap
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 12, 2016)–Halo Farms’ front-running Danzing Candy cruised to an impressive two length win under Mike Smith in Saturday’s Grade II, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita. Trained by Clifford Sise, the lightly raced Kentucky-bred colt by Twirling Candy got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.04 and picked up 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, assuring him of a berth in the Run for the Roses on May 7.
“He warmed up great, he was on his toes,” said Smith. “Our game plan was to put him on the lead unless he didn’t jump out of there well. We didn’t want to experiment…I left there very aggressive and he didn’t get away with anything (slow fractions). If you go 22 on this track today, you’re smokin’. And for him to hold off the caliber of horses he held off, was very impressive.”
Bred by Ted Aroney’s Halo Farms and owned by Halo Farms and Jim and Diane Bashor, Danzing Candy paid $13.00, $5.20 and $3.40. A maiden special weight winner two starts back on Dec. 26, Danzing Candy was a 5 ¾ length allowance winner here on Feb. 4 and thus picked up his third win from four starts. With the winner’s share of $240,000, he increased his earnings to $308,650.
“I expected him to be on the lead,” said Sise. “We didn’t want to experiment in this race. Mike just said, ‘I’ll let him come out the first few jumps and if he’s there, he’s there. If somebody sends, he’ll sit second.
“He (broke) much better today. He’s good now. We’ll stay for the Santa Anita Derby (Grade I, $1 million at 1 1/8 miles April 9). He’s three for three on this track. Why would we change now? I don’t see any reason to, but you never know. You’ve got to leave that up to the owners.”
Ridden by Gary Stevens, favored Mor Spirit appeared to get a bit rank around the Club House turn, but settled readily down the backside when next to last going past the half mile pole. With a cue from Stevens, he picked it up between horses around the far turn, rallied well, while within himself for second money and galloped out on terms with the winner past the wire.
Off at 8-5 in a field of six Derby hopefuls, Mor Spirit paid $3.40 and $2.20.
“I’m very happy, because he was way too keen in the early part of the race, he was really fresh…” said Stevens. “He was super sharp. As I was coming into the lane, I knew I wasn’t going to catch the winner, but I knew we had to get some (Kentucky Derby) points. I like where we’re sitting for the Santa Anita Derby. I lost a battle today, but I like our position. Bob (Baffert) was happy, so I’m happy…He’ll settle a little better for me in the Santa Anita Derby.
Exaggerator, who is trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Kent, was content to lag early and picked it up in eye-catching fashion heading into the far turn as he skimmed the rail, but he flattened out late, finishing three quarters of length behind Mor Spirit.
The second wagering choice at 2-1, Exaggerator paid $2.40 to show.
With the winner getting 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, the second, third and fourth place finishers earned 20, 10 and five points respectively.
Danzing Candy set fractions of 22.96, 46.11, 1:11.04 and 1:36.38 over a main track that although was listed as fast, had been dulled by heavy afternoon rains on Friday.
