2015/2016 MEDIA GUIDE

2015/2016 MEDIA GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to Tampa Bay Downs…...……………………………………………………….……………………………………………. 3
Map, Directions, Telephone Numbers and Addresses..……………..………………………………………...……….................… 4
Media Policies…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…. 5
Staff………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 6
2015-2016 Racing Calendar……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
The Track…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
The Downs Golf Facility.……………….……….………………………………………………………………………………………….9
The Silks Poker Room and Tampa Bay Downs in the Community…..………..………...…….………………………………….…10
Tampa Bay Downs History………………..……………………………….……………………………………………...……..…...11-22
Tampa Bay Downs Logos…………………………………………………………………………………..……………………
23-24
Jockey Profiles…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………25-38
Trainer Profiles…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…….39-51
Owner Profiles………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….52-59
Track Records……………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………...60-63
Stakes Histories…………………………………………………………………………………...…………….……………………64-122
All photographs in the Media Guide are by Tom Cooley except:
Page 8: Gray horse, photo by Alan Messerschmidt
Page 10: Relay for Life, photo by Bob Argus
Page 39: Horses at the gap, photo by Alan Messerschmidt
Page 65: Chris Thomas, www.sptimes.com/.../_Chris_Thomas_touched.shtml
Page 65: Minarets, collegeprofiles.com/tampa.html
Page 65: Space Shuttle Endeavour, www.aerospaceguide.net/spaceshuttle/index.html
Page 65: Wayward Lass: http://www.bloodhorse.com/articleindex/article.asp?id=16892
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WELCOME TO TAMPA BAY DOWNS!
By offering high-caliber Thoroughbred horse racing, exciting no-limits tournament action in The Silks Poker Room and quality shot-making instruction and amenities at The Downs Golf Practice Facility, Tampa Bay Downs has emerged as the premier multi-entertainment destination on
Florida‘s west coast. As the track celebrates its 90th anniversary season, its remarkable history is worth another look.
Matt J. Winn, legendary promoter of the Kentucky Derby, teamed with Ohio investor Harvey Mayers to bring horse racing to the ―Top of the Bay‖
in 1926. Since then, Tampa Bay Downs has provided area sports fans and visitors with live racing action during the winter and spring months,
while in 2013 adding an annual two-day Summer Festival of Racing held each June 30 and July 1.
Originally opened as Tampa Downs, the racetrack has amassed a long and colorful history. It was renamed Sunshine Park in 1947 and entered
the modern era that year with the installation of an electric starting gate, photo-finish camera and electronic tote board. The racetrack became
popular with sportswriters who came to the area to cover baseball spring training. Grantland Rice, Red Smith, and Arthur Daley were devoted
regulars, with Rice describing the track as the ―Santa Anita of the South.‖
In 1965, the track was acquired by a group of Tampa sportsmen and renamed Florida Downs. It became Tampa Bay Downs 15 years later after
another change in ownership. The current owners assumed the reins before the start of the 1986-1987 season, and the facility has been in a
state of constant improvement since.
In the spring of 1997, Mrs. Stella Thayer, President and Treasurer of Tampa Bay Downs, announced plans for the installation of a 7/8-mile turf
course with a quarter-mile chute. The course was completed in the spring of 1998 and the first turf race was contested on Kentucky Derby Day,
May 2, 1998. This improvement has provided more opportunities for horsemen and patrons alike.
Tampa Bay Downs launched The Downs Golf Practice Facility in 2003 as a state-of-the-art, first-of-its-kind golf practice and wagering facility.
The 22 acres of fully lighted golf property include 270 yards of open range for full-swing shots, plus putting and short-game areas. The Downs
Golf Clubhouse features a fully stocked pro shop, snack bar and wagering terminals, complete with numerous TV monitors to catch all the action.
The opening of the 2003-2004 season saw the debut of The Silks Poker Room. In July of 2007, the Florida Legislature granted Tampa Bay
Downs permission to operate The Silks Poker Room year-round. It is now open daily on the third floor of the Grandstand from 10 a.m.-4 a.m.
The track‘s profile skyrocketed in 2007 when Street Sense used his thrilling nose victory in the then-Grade III Tampa Bay Derby as a springboard
to winning the Kentucky Derby. In 2010, third-place Tampa Bay Derby finisher Super Saver triumphed in the Run for the Roses, and the Tampa
Bay Derby was awarded Grade II status the following spring. It is one of six graded stakes conducted annually at Tampa Bay Downs.
During the 2011-2012 season, bettors heralded the introduction of Trakus, an electronic system which displays the position and location of each
horse during a race. Prior to the start of the 2013-14 season, the grandstand was remodeled to include a pub-style gathering place, Riders Up!,
with marble countertops, a candy-apple redwood finish and a variety of craft beers, and the Metro Deli, resembling an old-time, big-city eatery.
The improvements have continued the past two seasons with the unveiling of a bright, redesigned circular driveway entrance, a revamped tote
board and other upgrades to fan comfort and convenience. Contemporary racing fans, journalists and horse lovers embrace the Downs for its
distinctive, country fair-style charm, and it is regarded far and wide as one3 of America‘s most pleasant and well-maintained racetracks.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Physical Address
Mailing Address
11225 Race Track Road
Tampa, FL 33626
P. O. Box 2007
Oldsmar, FL 34677
Telephone Numbers
Main Number
Racing Office
Main Fax
813.855.4401
800.200.4434
813.854.3539
Web and E-mail Address
www.tampabaydowns.com
[email protected]
DIRECTIONS
From I-275:
Take Tampa Airport exit. Follow signs to Veterans Expressway. Take Expressway to Exit 4 (Hillsborough Avenue). Turn west on Hillsborough Avenue.
Travel approximately 10 miles to Race Track Road. Make a right on Race Track Road and travel 1 mile to Tampa Bay Downs.
From Pinellas County:
On U.S. Highway 19, go to the intersection with State Road 580 at Countryside Mall; go east on State Road 580 about 6 miles to the stoplight at Race
Track Road; go left on Race Track Road, 1 mile to Tampa Bay Downs.
From St. Petersburg:
Take the Bayside Bridge north to McMullen Booth Road; go east on State Road 580 about 4 miles to the stoplight at Race Track Road; turn left on
Race Track Road, 1 mile to Tampa Bay Downs.
From Pasco County:
On U.S. Highway 19, go to the intersection with Tampa Road (State Road 584); go east on Tampa Road 7 miles to the stoplight at Race Track Road;
turn left on Race Track Road, 1 mile to Tampa Bay Downs.
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MEDIA POLICIES
Tampa Bay Downs is extremely pleased to have you with us for our 90th anniversary season of Thoroughbred racing. Outlined
below are guidelines to assist your coverage of the current meeting that commenced on July 1, 2015 and resumed on Nov. 28:
1. In order to gain access to the stable area, all media MUST have prior approval and the proper
credentials. These credentials are available in the Publicity Office, and media members are
required to wear their Press ID at all times.
2. All photographers MUST check in with the Track Photographer, Stephanie Valenti, Ext. 1246.
Valenti will issue credentials to all photographers, as well as offer advice on good locations to
shoot from, both on the front side and the stable area. These credentials are mandatory in order to shoot from the area adjacent to the track surface; publication credentials alone will not
suffice. Valenti‘s office is located on the lower level of the Grandstand adjacent to the State
Licensing Office.
3. Phone lines are available in the Press Box for those who need to file their stories electronically.
If any other special needs exist, please contact the Publicity Office, Ext. 1368. Tampa Bay
Downs provides free wireless access throughout the facility.
4. The Press Box is located on the fourth floor of the Grandstand.
5. Photography is NOT permitted in the Grandstand or Clubhouse Mutuel areas at any time without prior permission of
Track Management.
6. On March 12, 2016 (Tampa Bay Derby Day), winning owners, trainers and jockeys will be taken to the V.I.P. Room
for interviews immediately after the presentation in the winner‘s circle.
7. Parking for all credentialed media will be in the Horsemen‘s Parking Lot, north of the Grandstand.
For further information or questions, contact Margo Flynn in the Publicity Office at Tampa Bay Downs
at 813-855-4401, Ext. 1368 or [email protected].
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TAMPA BAY DOWNS OFFICERS
Track Officers
Stella F. Thayer.………………...…………..…………………….……………………………………………………...President and Treasurer
Howell Ferguson……………………………………...………………………...……………………….………….Vice President and Secretary
Peter N. Berube……………………………..………………...…………………………………………..Vice President and General Manager
Greg Gelyon……………….……………………………………..…………...…………………..…………………….Vice President of Finance
Margo J. Flynn…………………………………………………...…………...…………………...….Vice President of Marketing and Publicity
Tom McLaughlin………………………………………………………………………………..Vice President of Facilities and Track Surfaces
Operating Officials
Stephanie Valenti…..…………………………………………………...………………………………………….………….Track Photographer
Allison De Luca… ……………………………………………....…………………………...………Director of Racing and Racing Secretary
Richard Grunder……………………………………………………………...…….……………………………………………..Track Announcer
Deanna Nicol……………………………………………...………………………………………………...…………………...Frontside Security
Dennis Lima……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Association Steward
Nicole McGill…..………………………………………………………………..…..……………………………………..Director of Group Sales
John Morrissey…….……….…………………..……………………………………………………………………………..Association Steward
Richard Toda……………………………………………………………………………………….……….…………..Director of Client Services
John Hernandez………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Information Technology
Frank White...…………………………………………………...……………...….……………………………………………..Mutuels Manager
Andy York…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Food and Beverage Director
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2015-2016 LIVE RACING SCHEDULE
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THE TRACK
MAIN TRACK
The main track is a one-mile oval with a sand-and-loam composition, and is rated one of the best surfaces in the nation for both
training and racing. The surface is unrivaled in terms of drainage and cushion. The main track is 75 feet wide, the length of the
stretch is 976 feet, and the track features a seven-furlong chute. Starting-gate schooling is available on race days from 7:30-10
a.m., and training hours are from 6-10 a.m. unless otherwise noted (the track is closed for harrowing from 8:30-9 a.m.). The banking
of the track is 4 degrees on the straightaways and 6 degrees on the turns.
TURF COURSE
The turf course was completed for competition in 1998 and is seven-eighths of a mile in circumference with
a quarter-mile chute. The width of the turf course is 80 feet. The grass is Tifton #419 Bermuda Turf. The
course supports rails settings of 0 feet, 12 feet, 24 feet and 30 feet.
PADDOCK & WALKING RING AREA
Located adjacent to the Grandstand at the north end of the facility, the paddock consists of a 14-stall covered saddling area that abuts the wood-chip walking ring where the horses are united with their jockeys and
paraded prior to each race. Once the field has circled the walking ring, the horses move onto the track for the post parade and prerace warm-up.
BACKSTRETCH
The backstretch houses 1,460 horses in 31 barns, including two receiving barns. The backside kitchen and Racing Office complex
are located on the south end of the backstretch along with soccer and softball fields and the Veterinary Office. Adjacent to the entrance and exit chutes on the backside of the track are the Horsemen‘s Benevolent and Protective Association Office, the Chaplain‘s Office, main shower and restroom facilities, a tack shop and basketball court. A feed-and-tack store is located east of the barn
area, as are paddocks available to trainers for seasonal rental.
SEATING & PARKING
The Grandstand seats 4,300 people and the Clubhouse seats 1,700 patrons. There are
also many casual options available trackside, including the Picnic Pavilion Area, which
seats 500; the Grandstand apron benches; and picnic-table seating. On the Clubhouse
apron, bench seating is also offered, along with the Stella Artois Trackside Garden Suite,
a fully contained private area that seats a party of 35 comfortably. There is parking for
approximately 5,000 cars on the property.
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THE DOWNS GOLF PRACTICE FACILITY
A first-of-its-kind golf-practice and simulcast-wagering complex, The Downs Golf Practice Facility is located just south of the racetrack. The 22 acres of fully lighted property include 270 yards of open range for full-swing shots, plus putting, short-game and bunker areas. The facility has been open since 2003. It celebrated its 10th anniversary on March 23, 2013 with free club fittings, clinics
and pro shop discounts. It has also been the site of five weekend Golfest events — featuring celebrities such as retired LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam, world-renowned instructor David Leadbetter and major-championship winner Brittany Lincicome of nearby
Seminole, Fla. — as well as local qualifying events for the annual Drive, Chip & Putt Championship for junior golfers.
―Our goal in building the range was to make Tampa Bay Downs a total entertainment destination. With live racing, full-card simulcasting, golf, concerts and poker, we are realizing that vision,‖ says Tampa Bay Downs General Manager Peter Berube. ―We currently offer facility rental, full-service dining, and group plans tailored to our patrons‘ needs, rounding out the total experience.‖
The Downs is committed to offering the finest learning and practice environment in the community, featuring 45 grass-tee stations
that are rotated daily to give the golfer near-perfect practice conditions every day. ―We have developed a first-class golf practice facility to introduce more players to the game and to help experienced golfers keep their practice habits on the right track,‖ says Golf
Practice Facility Manager Jon Johnson.
Johnson, formerly of All In One Golf Practice and Learning Facility in Largo, Fla., and the Michael Jordan Golf Center in Illinois, is a
PGA Class A professional who brings with him more than 25 years of experience within the golf community. He is responsible for
day-to-day operations including the Pro Shop, range, instruction, food and beverage and grounds maintenance.
The Downs Golf Academy offers top-of-the-line instructional clinics that cover a range of topics from swing and short game to specialty shots. Matt Mitchell, formerly of Countryside Driving, is highly respected as one of the area‘s premier instructors. With more
than 30 years of experience, he is a PGA Class A professional and conducts lessons, clinics and schools on an ongoing basis. Also
on staff is Joey DiPompo, the Assistant Teaching Professional at the Matt Mitchell Golf Academy who graduated from Professional
Golfers Career College in 2010 and excels in club fitting and club repair.
The range is uniquely designed with the look and feel of a golf course, encouraging players to
bring every club in their bag. There are numerous bunkers and practice-green areas to help golfers fine-tune pitching, chipping and approach shots. The nearly two-acre short game area consists
of:
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8,000 square feet of putting green surface
6,000 square feet of greens for practicing chipping and sand game
7,000 square feet of greens for approach shots from 10 to 65 yards
Best of all, golf enthusiasts can practice 363 days a year (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas) while enjoying simulcast racing and
wagering from the convenience of The Downs Golf Clubhouse, a first in the nation for any racetrack or golf facility.
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THE SILKS POKER ROOM
The Silks Poker Room offers players virtual non-stop excitement, with a variety of games, high stakes and no-limit poker. The offerings include games such as Five- and Seven-Card Stud, Texas Hold 'Em, Omaha and more.
The elegant air-conditioned room is completely non-smoking and includes 30 poker tables. There are plenty of television monitors
and roaming tellers, so fans can watch, wager and win on all the live horse racing and simulcast action.
Tableside beverage service and in-house masseuses are available, so no one has to miss a hand.
Whether patrons are experienced poker players, newcomers, or somewhere in between, The Silks Poker
Room is a friendly, welcoming environment. Our professional, outgoing, and experienced staff is always
willing to help. New games include Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ‗Em.
The Silks Poker Room, which opened in December of 2003, is located on the third floor of the Grandstand and is accessible by both stairs and elevator. During live racing hours on weekends, players pay
the track's regular $2.00 Grandstand admission at the gate and proceed to the Poker Room. Guests can
stop by the reception desk to reserve a spot at the table where the game of their choice is being played.
The Silks Poker Room is open year-round except for Christmas and Easter Sunday, offering no-limit
games and expanded poker and dining hours from 10 a.m.-4 a.m.
TAMPA BAY DOWNS IN THE COMMUNITY
Each season Tampa Bay Downs holds five Charity Days during its meet, with proceeds earmarked for charitable organizations that
qualify under Florida law to receive such contributions. The recipients are in both the Tampa Bay community and the Thoroughbred
industry. Over the past nine seasons, more than $1-million has been raised for these organizations through Charity Day at Tampa Bay Downs. A sampling of the charities that have received
direct aid from Tampa Bay Downs include Rotary‘s Camp Florida in Brandon, Tampa Bay Sports
Commission, Upper Tampa Bay Education Foundation, Florida Thoroughbred Charities, Oldsmar
Cares, Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc. (TROT) and Children‘s Home Society of Florida
(Joshua House) in Tampa.
In addition, Tampa Bay Downs directly contributes more than $31 million into the community each
year, and also provides more than 500 employment positions during the live racing season.
In the summer months, Tampa Bay Downs continues to support the community by offering job
opportunities to more than 100 individuals. The track‘s annual payroll exceeds $7.1 million.
In 2007 and 2008, Tampa Bay Downs hosted
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the Upper Tampa Bay Relay for Life, an allnight walkathon that raised more than $37,000
for the American Cancer Society..
HISTORY
Nature’s pastels showcase the Downs at dusk
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HISTORY
1926 - The track opens for its inaugural meeting under the name of Tampa Downs. The season lasts 39 days and is headed by
Ohio investor Harvey Mayers and Kentucky Colonel Matt J. Winn, famed promoter of the Kentucky Derby. Babe Ruth, Jack
Dempsey, Gene Sarazen and John Ringling help inaugurate the opening on Feb. 18. Torcher wins the $4,450 ―Florida
Derby,‖ which is actually a precursor to the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah Park.
1927 - Tampa Downs reopens, but for only nine days.
1932 - Desha Breckinridge and Major Thomas McDowell of Lexington oversee repairs and restoration of the facility. Conflicts
cause the cancellation of the meet.
1934 - Tampa Turf and Field Club is formed, headed by Hal Thompson. The track reopens as Tampa Downs. Inadequate handles
during the heart of the Great Depression force the meeting to close after only six days.
1943 - As World War II rages on, the U.S. Army constructs barracks and turns the track into a jungle warfare training center.
1946 - Sunshine Park Racing Association is formed and provides 650 stalls. A 1947 season is approved by referendum. New
Yorker Justin O‘Connor buys the track but dies just two days before opening.
1947 - Frank Hobbs buys the track from the O‘Connor family. The modern era begins as Sunshine Park runs its inaugural meet.
The first official tote board is in operation, an electric starting gate is introduced and a photo finish camera is installed.
1948 - A horsemen‘s boycott is averted by increasing the daily purse distribution by $500.
1950 -
Legendary sportswriters including Grantland Rice, Red Smith, Fred Russell and Arthur Daley are regulars at the track as
they travel south to cover baseball spring training games. Rice coins the phase ―Santa Anita of the South‖ in his columns,
referring to the facility. John W. Kane of Wilmington, Del., wins control of the track following a stockholders‘ squabble.
A Quarter Horse meet runs for three weeks in February.
1953 - A dozen barns burn but are quickly replaced. The Florida Legislature passes a special bill allowing the track to keep 15%
of the takeout and to pay a $4,000 daily fee instead. The track begins to show a profit for the first time and new Clubhouse
construction begins at a cost of $300,000.
1954 - The new Clubhouse opens.
1955 - Control of the track is passed to a syndicate headed by Frederick Ballon, director of Yonkers Raceway; Richard
West of Rhode Island; and Frank Hobbs, a Tampa attorney.
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HISTORY
1956 - A $1,000 minimum purse is instituted.
1957 - President Frank Hobbs creates the Florida Breeders‘ Futurity and is voted Florida‘s Man of the Year. Champion filly Indian
Maid wins the first Futurity.
1958 - Benell captures the second running of the Florida Breeders‘ Futurity.
1959 - Top owners Sanford Stud, Llangolen Farm, Gene Mori and Fred Hooper send strings to race at Sunshine Park.
1964 - A syndicated TV show called ―Let‘s Go to the Races‖ debuts in numerous major markets, using filmed races from Sunshine
Park to award prizes and money to game-card holders.
1965 - The franchise is acquired by a group of Tampa sportsmen headed by Chester Ferguson.
1966 - The track is renamed Florida Downs and Turf Club. Purses total $566,060. The track hosts its first sale of Thoroughbreds.
1968 - The double quinella wager is introduced, requiring bettors to pick the first two finishers in either order on the last two races. In
September of 1968, a spectacular fire destroys the Grandstand facility, sparing only the Clubhouse building.
1969 -
A new $800,000 Grandstand with the capacity for 6,000 people replaces the one ravaged by fire. The new building debuts
with the season opener on January 17.
1972 - Tampa industrialist Sam F. Davis takes the reins of Florida Downs, and with his presidency the track goes into the black and
season handle totals a record $11 million.
1973 - Eastern Airlines supports a series of races. An attendance record of 5,878 is established for a single day.
1979 - An average attendance record of 4,414 is established.
1980 - Total handle reaches $29 million. Sam F. Davis retires as President at age 73. In a switch of corporations, the track is
renamed Tampa Bay Downs. On March 15, Richard DePass becomes the first jockey in history to go 7-for-7 on a single card.
1981 - Paristo wins the $50,000-added Budweiser Tampa Bay Derby in its inaugural running. He would finish third in the Preakness.
Apprentice jockey Julie Krone earns her first career victory aboard Lord Farkle on February 12 for trainer Les St. Leon, and
subsequently becomes the most successful female jockey of all time and a member of the sport‘s Hall of Fame.
1983 - Arabian-bred racing is introduced at the track, which becomes the first in the nation to hold a regular racing program for the
breed. Morganmorganmorgan wins the Budweiser Tampa Bay Derby, defeating subsequent Eclipse champion Slew o‘ Gold.
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HISTORY
1984 - The track adds a seven-furlong chute.
1985 - Regal Remark wins the Tampa Bay Derby for owner Ernie Samuel‘s Canadian-based Sam-Son Farm, winner of seven Sovereign Awards as Canada‘s leading breeder. Richard Grunder joins Tampa Bay Downs as track announcer.
1986 - A new dirt track is installed prior to the start of the 1985-1986 meeting at a cost of $250,000. The old base and cushion are
replaced and the track is crowned and banked to provide better drainage and give horses a safer racing surface. Bob Clark is
named Racing Secretary, replacing Warren Wolf. Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack, who rode here briefly as an apprentice
when the track was known as Sunshine Park, is named as a steward.
1987 - Stella F. Thayer and her brother, Howell Ferguson, take full control of Tampa Bay Downs with a $16.2-million bid a month before the start of the meeting. Tampa Bay Downs controller Lorraine M. King is named General Manager, completing what is
believed to be the first instance of a wagering facility with separate female ownership and management. Mike Manganello,
who won the 1970 Kentucky Derby on Dust Commander and won six track jockey titles, rides career winner No. 2,500 on
Siberian Gold. The first Sunday card in the history of Tampa Bay Downs is conducted on Dec. 7, 1986, drawing a crowd of
5,893. Ronnie Allen, Jr., wins the second of his four track riding crowns with 76 victories. Phantom Jet, trained by Phil
Gleaves, becomes the first horse to win the Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Tampa Bay Derby.
1988 - Ronnie Allen, Jr., becomes the first jockey in track history to surpass 100 victories in a meeting, winning his third title in four
seasons with 102 winners. In one of the most memorable renewals of the Tampa Bay Derby, Cefis rallies from 25 lengths off
the pace to win for legendary trainer Woodford Cefis ―Woody‖ Stephens. The popular mare Queen Alexandra wins her
second consecutive running of the Wayward Lass Stakes. Storm Predictions, owned by Three G Stables and trained by Luis
Olivares, uses a victory in the Challenger Stakes as a 2-year-old at the outset of the meeting to build a foundation for his
Tampa Bay Derby triumph.
1989 - Inter-track wagering debuts in Florida, and Tampa Bay Downs remains open year-round as a simulcast facility. Tampa Bay
Downs owner Stella F. Thayer is installed as the first woman president of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce in the
group‘s 103-year history. The winner of the Florida Oaks, She‘s Scrumptious, pays $169.20 to win. Gene, a 5-year-old Florida-bred purchased the previous year by horseman Gary Patrick for $150, wins two starter allowance races at the start of the
1988-1989 meeting to give him 16 victories for 1988, earning the Horsemen‘s Benevolent and Protective Association Claiming
Horse of the Year Award. Adored by Oldsmar fans, he is nicknamed ―Gene the Racing Machine‖ and wins his first two starts
in 1989. The Sports Gallery opens and the Clubhouse Turn Restaurant is enlarged and renovated. Minors are officially allowed anywhere on the track except in the Sports Gallery and wagering lines.
1990 - The $1-million Tampa Premier Bonus is instituted to reward the connections of any horse winning the Challenger Stakes for 2
-year-olds, the Tampa Bay Derby, the Tampa Premier Stakes (on closing day, April 8) and the Kentucky Derby. Jockey Ken
Blackstun marries assistant publicity director Juli Youngren in a winner‘s-circle ceremony on March 10; Blackstun wins that
day‘s sixth race on Easter Hawk. Former Oakland Raiders head coach John Rauch is employed as a security guard.
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HISTORY
1991 - A new inner rail is installed, and a new Grandstand dining area called the Silks Bistro opens, decorated with prominent silks
from all eras of the track‘s history. A tornado tears through the backside, ripping the roofs off barns and uprooting an oak tree. The
overnight disaster causes the following day‘s races to be canceled.
1992 - To the north of the Grandstand, the Picnic Area opens to give families a chance to enjoy the Florida sunshine and a day at
the races. A Z-Alpha display board is added to the infield to keep the patrons better informed. Tampa sends its live racing signal to
Birmingham, Ala., the track‘s first out-of-state site. More than $2.7 million is bet at Birmingham on Tampa Bay Downs races.
Jockey Willie Martinez rides 123 winners, establishing a single-season track record.
1993 - John E. Grady is named Vice President and General Manager. Jockey William Henry rides 123 winners to tie the meet record.
John Reading captures his second consecutive training title.
1994 - A $2,600 yearling, Prix De Crouton, wins the Tampa Bay Derby for owners Lorne and Kathleen Berg.
1995 - The Tampa Bay Derby and the Florida Oaks are run on the same day for the first time in the history of the track. Don Rice wins the
first of his eight training titles.
1996 - The track‘s first 70 years are observed in gala style, and the Florida Oaks gains Grade III status. A record 360 simulcast outlets
take Tampa Bay Downs‘ signal, and 540 take the Tampa Bay Derby card. The Florida Legislature approves full-card simulcasting,
giving pari-mutuel facilities the option of hosting signals from out-of-state tracks. Tampa Bay Downs takes over concession areas
in the plant, providing more flexibility and lower prices to patrons. A new barn is constructed to house 50 horses.
1997 - The plant remains open seven days a week to host simulcast signals for the first time. Six purse increases of 5% result in a major
bonanza for horsemen and establish the highest average purse distribution in the track‘s history. The Challenger Stakes returns
to the schedule. Attendance is up 4.3% over the previous season and the on-track handle jumps an additional 15.74%, while outof-state wagering increases 22%. Ground is broken for the turf course on May 14, and the grass is planted Sept. 9. Road improvements allow greater access with the Linebaugh Extension to the north. Widening and repairs also improve Race Track Road, Hillsborough Avenue and Tampa Road. William Henry wins the jockeys‘ title for the fourth time in five seasons. Jerry Bailey wins the
Tampa Bay Derby aboard Zede for owner Allen Paulson and trainer William Mott.
1998 - A record is set for an all-time, single-day total handle on Jan. 16 when $3,155,905 is wagered on the Tampa Bay Downs signal ontrack, in-state and out-of-state. Tasso's Magic Roo sweeps the Pepsi Challenge Series and becomes only the second filly to do so
since the series began in 1988. Will Farish's Parade Ground wins the 18th running of the Tampa Bay Derby, and Helen Alexander's Pantufla captures the Grade III Florida Oaks. The unveiling of the turf course on May 2, Kentucky Derby Day, draws a crowd
of 8,669, the second largest in the track's history at the time. Ship Liner, owned by Phillip Williams, wins the inaugural running of
the Tampa Bay Turf Handicap and Artz Racing Stable's Mercedes Song prevails over fillies and mares in the Tampa Bay Distaff
Turf Handicap. Records are established during the 1997-1998 season for total handle, purses and simulcast outlets, making it the
most successful meet in the track's 72-year history.
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HISTORY
1999 - The conclusion of the 1998-99 racing meet once again sees gains over the previous season as Tampa Bay Downs enjoys the most successful season in the 73-year history of the track. The 91-day meet sees a rise in the average daily attendance and daily on-track handle,
this during the third year of full-card simulcasting, with simulcasting revenue also leaping to an all-time high with an increase of 46%.
Purses are additionally bolstered to record levels during the same period, luring top-quality horses and stables to compete. Track owner
Stella F. Thayer is the first woman to be elected head of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations in the organization‘s 57-year history.
2000 - The Clubhouse is totally remodeled with fan comfort as the highest priority. Renovations include new central air conditioning and a
newly refurbished elevator, plus paint, plush carpeting and luxury seating. The lower floor of the Clubhouse showcases a ―Sports Book‖
atmosphere, with 100 individual carrels complete with private TV monitors. A state-of-the-art sound system is installed throughout the
entire Clubhouse and Grandstand areas. Once again new handle records are set and purses achieve all-time high levels. Secret Status,
a 3-year-old filly owned by William S. Farish and partners, uses a Florida Oaks victory as a stepping stone to winning the Kentucky Oaks.
A crowd of 6,381 attends March 4 to watch a National Steeplechase Association race, won by Red Classic and jockey Sean Clancy.
2001 - Tampa Bay Downs celebrates its 75th Anniversary season on Feb. 18, 2001, a day that highlights a meeting of record-breaking purse
levels and an increase in average intra-state wagering on Tampa Bay Downs for the seventh consecutive year. A new single-day comingled handle record is achieved on Tampa Bay Derby Day, March 18, with $3,877,477 wagered on the Tampa signal. Peter Berube is
named Vice President and General Manager on June 10, 2001.
2002 - The Tampa Bay Derby regains Grade III status. Various maintenance projects continue throughout the year, including a new
Grandstand roof, repaved backstretch roads, and a remodeling of the General Office. Tampa Bay Downs concludes the meet with
the handle on live races from all-sources averaging nearly $2.1 million per day. The track also posts record-breaking purses for the
eighth consecutive year and eclipses an all-time record for a single day's handle on-track. In December, live racing was canceled on
Opening Day due to street and parking-lot flooding caused by county drainage issues.
2003 - Tampa Bay Downs launches a state-of-the-art, first-of-its-kind Golf Practice and Wagering Facility. The 22 acres of fully lit property
include 270 yards of open range, plus putting and short-game areas. The Downs Golf Clubhouse features a fully stocked Pro Shop,
Snack Bar and wagering terminals, complete with TV monitors to catch all the action. The racing season concludes with purses at their
highest level ($128,620 a day) and a new record for average all-sources live handle ($2,550,096). Tampa Bay Downs once again posts
a new single day co-mingled record of $3,880,693, and Florida Cup Day debuts, offering six $75,000 stakes races on the one-day card.
2004 - Tampa Bay Downs enjoys an incredibly successful meet with track records set in 10 statistical categories, including double-digit increases
in total live all-source handle (24% increase) and total attendance (11%). Tampa distributes a record $12,622,650 in purses
($135,727 per day), which leads to fields that average 9.4 starters per race, an all-time high for the Oldsmar oval. Horsemen also halter
a record $2,418,250 worth of horses at the claims box. Track improvements include a permanent tent over the popular picnic area, a
new seven-furlong chute, and the opening of The Silks Poker Room, the track‘s card room, an immediate hit with local poker enthusiasts.
2005 - Bucking national trends that have seen tracks across the nation experience declines in either handle, attendance, or both, Tampa Bay
Downs concludes its 79th season by establishing 10 records in handle, attendance and purses. Increases include an all-time high attendance of 10,246 on Festival Day, which features Sun King winning the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby. Before the season starts, the track
continues its expansion of and improvements to the track‘s highly popular picnic area; adds a new luxury suite called the Trackside Garden Suite; and adds daily Texas Hold ‗Em tournaments in the Silks Poker Room. Horsemen benefit from a handsome new winner‘s circle, a new outside rail, and a new receiving barn.
16
HISTORY
2006 - Explosive growth in on-track wagering, total handle and purse payouts, along with record-high attendance, highlight the
track‘s 80th year of Thoroughbred racing. As they did in 2004-2005, bettors on-track and nationwide continue to embrace
Tampa Bay Downs‘ full fields and improved racing quality on turf and dirt. Tampa Bay Downs receives the Large Business of
the Year Award for 2006 from the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce on May 10, 2006. The award is based
on community involvement and support, and pays tribute to the tremendous growth the facility has recently undergone. Local
racing fans, treated to an average of 9.57 horses per race, send the on-track handle up nearly 7 percent to $30,192,981, the
highest since 1991; and the daily average on-track handle of $321,202 is the highest since 1994.
2007 - Prior to the commencement of the 2006-2007 season, a Daktronics 16:9 ratio jumbo video board is installed in the infield,
providing patrons with a state-of-the-art flat-screen monitor on which to view the live racing action. In front of a then recordhigh single-day crowd of 10,593, Street Sense wins the Grade III, $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby by a nose in track and
stakes-record time of 1:43.11 for 1 1/16 miles. Festival Day also marks the track‘s largest co-mingled handle of $10,916,634
wagered. Tampa Bay Downs welcomes its largest crowd to date on May 5, 2007 when 11,014 fans cheer on Street Sense
as he crosses the wire in front in the 133rd Kentucky Derby, becoming the first Tampa Bay Derby participant to win the Run for
the Roses. Allison De Luca takes the reins as Racing Secretary, and the season ends with Tampa Bay Downs boasting record
increases in total live-sources handle, purses paid, number of turf races offered, and total amount of horses claimed. Trainer
Jamie Ness captures the first of his record nine (and counting) consecutive Tampa Bay Downs titles.
2008 - Tampa Bay Downs‘ 82nd season was highlighted by records set in both attendance and out-of-state wagering handle. On Festival Day, March 15, 2008, a record 12,746 fans arrived at the Oldsmar oval to witness Big Truck capture the Grade III Tampa
Bay Derby. Tampa Bay Downs had three Eclipse award winners compete during the 2007-2008 meeting. Rosemary Homeister,
Jr., who won the Outstanding Apprentice award in 1992, was a regular fixture in the jockeys‘ room at the Oldsmar oval, finishing
the season as the second-leading rider overall. Dreaming of Anna, who was the Champion Juvenile Filly of 2006, swept both
the Grade III Endeavour Breeders‘ Cup and the Grade III Hillsborough Stakes. War Pass, who was the 2007 Two-Year-Old
Champion, competed in the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby. Jockey Daniel Centeno established a track record by riding 144 winners.
Before the 2007-2008 race meet began, Tampa Bay Downs underwent several renovations, including the installlation of the
Grandstand elevator and the introduction of the all-new Silks Poker Room, located on the third floor of the Grandstand. The Party
Suite, adjacent to the Silks Poker Room, was also updated with new flat-screen TVs installed. The Legends Bar, which includes a
museum-quality exhibition of famed Thoroughbred Seabiscuit, became the newest feature on the second floor of the Grandstand.
Horsemen enjoyed improvements to the Paddock area, with all-new stalls in the saddling barn ensuring the safety and comfort of
horses and their connections. Other facility upgrades at the Oldsmar oval include a refurbished Racing Office on the backstretch,
as well as a renovated track kitchen.
2009 - Tampa Bay Downs saw horses graduated from its stakes program make up one-fourth of the Kentucky Derby field, with Grade III
Tampa Bay Derby winner Musket Man placing third in the Run for the Roses. Prior to the opening of the 2009-2010 race meeting,
Tampa Bay Downs renovated all tack rooms in the barn area and formed an alliance with Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa,
Inc., (TROT), a non-profit organization dedicated to re-homing the Oldsmar oval‘s equine athletes after their racing careers are
over. The outset of the 2009-2010 race meeting saw a reduction in takeout for exacta, Pick-3, Pick-4, Super High-5 and Pick-6
wagering at the Oldsmar oval.
17
HISTORY
2010 - Tampa Bay Downs‘s 84th season of live racing saw its second Tampa Bay Derby graduate, Super Saver, win the Grade I
Kentucky Derby. Other national performers competing at the Oldsmar oval in the 2009-2010 season include Grade I winners
Dr. Zic and Karelian and dual Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti, as well as Musket Man, Uptowncharlybrown, Rule, Schoolyard
Dreams, Odysseus and Phola, among others. Despite a slumping economy, Tampa Bay Downs concluded the season with its
comingled all-sources handle increasing by 1.8%, bucking national trends for wagering across the nation. The season also saw
the implementation of the track‘s social media networks, with Tampa Bay Downs starting profiles on both Facebook and
Twitter. Prior to the beginning of the 2009-2010 meet, Tampa Bay Downs officially affiliated itself with the Thoroughbred
Retirement of Tampa, Inc., (TROT), a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to repurposing Tampa Bay Downs Thoroughbreds
into show and pleasure horses as their careers on the racetrack ended. Additionally, the 2009-2010 season saw the arrival of
Mouse, the Tampa Bay Downs mascot. Mouse, a 3-year-old miniature horse, was rescued by an affiliate of TROT and was
rehabilitated by the staff of Tampa Bay Downs and quickly grew in popularity both locally and nationally. In July of 2010, Florida
state legislation allowed for expanded hours and no-limit games in the Silks Poker Room. In the months following the 2009-10
meet, the Tampa Bay Derby received a purse boost to $350,000 and was awarded Grade II status; also, the Tampa Bay Stakes
for older horses on the turf, formerly the Tampa Bay Breeders‘ Cup, was awarded a Grade III classification for the first time. Daniel
Centeno won his fourth consecutive riding title with 133 victories, giving him 540 at the track over the past four campaigns.
2011 - The Oldsmar oval‘s 85th racing season ended with across-the-board increases for the track. Handle, attendance, claims, and field
size all expanded from last season; additionally, the track saw the Tampa Bay Derby achieve Grade II status for the first time, as
well as an expanded purse of $350,000. The Tampa Bay Stakes (formerly the Tampa Bay Breeders‘ Cup) was awarded Grade III
status, also a first. Two track records were posted at Tampa Bay Downs this season. Sneaking Uponyou, ridden by Huber VillaGomez for owner/trainer Jamie Ness, raised the bar for the six-furlong main-track distance by covering the ground in 1:08.69 in
April 9‘s Hilton Garden Inn Sprint on Florida Cup Day. Also on Florida Cup Day, Manicero captured the Ocala Breeders‘ Sales
Sophomore Stakes in track record-setting fashion, traveling the seven panels over the main track in 1:22.13 for owner Leo Azpurua, Sr., and trainer Leo Azpurua, Jr., with Paco Lopez in the irons. Local trainers finished 1-2 in the Tampa Bay Derby, as the
Kathleen O‘Connell-trained Watch Me Go edged Crimson Knight from the barn of Gerald Bennett. Luis Garcia rode the 43-1 shot
Watch Me Go to victory. The Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies was run on turf for the first time, with Dynamic Holiday under jockey
Ramon Dominguez winning for owner Augustin Stable and trainer H. Graham Motion. Ness and Bennett tied for the training title
with 61 victories apiece. It was the fifth consecutive title for Ness, who tied O‘Connell the previous season with 51 victories. On the
jockeys‘ side, Ronnie Allen Jr. claimed his fourth riding title at Tampa Bay Downs — and first since 1987-88 — with 109 victories,
30 more than runner-up Daniel Centeno. Average daily wagering handle during the 90-day meeting was a record $4,572,074,
an increase of 9.2 percent from the previous season. The Tampa Bay Derby card attracted a record all-sources wagering handle
of $10,949,948, of which $876,063 was wagered on track. Average daily attendance was 3,195. The 2011-2012 season features a
Dec. 3 opening, the track‘s earliest ever. Tampa Bay Downs underwent a $1.5-million capital improvements project, highlighted by the introduction of Trakus, an electronic tracking system which displays the position and location of each horse at every
point in a race. Other improvements included the addition of a CREE LED lighting system throughout the clubhouse and
grandstand and a ―Cool Roof‖ coating system, the first steps in the track‘s goal to provide a ―net-zero impact‖ on the environment.
18
HISTORY
2012 - Spectacular on-track accomplishments highlighted a season in which Tampa Bay Downs was again the fourthmost popular winter simulcast signal in the country. Eight track records were set – four apiece on both the main
dirt surface and the turf track. It‘s Me Mom, a 4-year-old filly owned by area residents Thomas and Jean Bosch,
was the equine star of the meeting, winning three of her four starts, including the Minaret Stakes and the Florida
Cup Hilton Garden Inn Sprint. In the latter, she set a six-furlong track record of 1:08.67. Jamie Ness won his sixth
consecutive training title, saddling a record 79 winners. His horses earned $875,384 and he tied a track record by
saddling four winners Jan. 19. Ness trained exclusively for Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., which captured a third
consecutive owners‘ title for Richard and Karen Papiese with 79 victories. Leandro Goncalves was the leading
jockey for the first time with 88 victories, eight more than defending champion Ronnie Allen, Jr. Goncalves rode
his 1,000th career winner Dec. 28. The top apprentice jockey was Erik Barbaran, who rode 27 winners. Veteran
rider Scott Spieth joined the 4,000-victory club April 6 aboard 4-year-old filly Ula. Owner John C. Oxley‘s 3-yearold colt Prospective won the 32nd running of the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby in 1:43.35, the secondfastest renewal ever. The Tampa Bay Derby drew a season-high crowd of 9,247 and total wagering of
$9,183,788. Zagora, a 5-year-old mare owned by Martin Schwartz, won both of the track‘s graded stakes for
older fillies and mares on the turf, the Endeavour and the Hillsborough. Zagora set a track record of 1:46.97 in the
mile-and-an-eighth Hillsborough and went on to win the Breeders‘ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. Other
Tampa Bay Downs participants to experience Breeders‘ Cup glory were Challenger Stakes winner Fort Larned,
who won the Classic; trainer William Bradley, who captured the Filly and Mare Sprint with Groupie Doll; and past
leading jockey Willie Martinez, who won the Sprint with Trinniberg. A new mile-and-a-sixteenth turf record of
1:40.95 was set by Lentenor, a full brother to 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro. Tampa Bay Downs introduced Trakus, an electronic system which displays the position and location on the track of each horse during a
race and provides handicappers with a wealth of valuable information. Prior to the start of the meeting, the track
installed a CREE LED lighting system throughout the clubhouse and grandstand and a Gaco Sil S-20 ―Cool Roof‖
coating system as part of an ongoing green initiative. Average daily purses paid increased from $160,944 to
$162,320. Average field size decreased from 9.11 to 8.54 runners, mirroring a nationwide trend.
19
HISTORY
2013 - Numerous firsts enhanced Tampa Bay Downs‘ reputation as a major player on the winter-spring Thoroughbred
racing scene during its 87th season. For the first time, the top three finishers in the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa
Bay Derby — Verrazano, Java‘s War and Falling Sky — competed in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum!
Brands (Verrazano also won the Grade I Wood Memorial and Grade I Haskell Invitational and Java‘s War captured the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass). Tampa Bay Downs staged three graded stakes on a single card for the first
time on Feb. 2 after the then-$150,000 Florida Oaks, a turf race for 3-year-old fillies, was awarded Grade III
status by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. In
addition to the Oaks, the Festival Preview Day program included the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for
3-year-olds and the Grade III, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes on the turf for older fillies and mares. Jockey Daniel
Centeno won his fifth title, riding 90 winners, and Jamie Ness was the first trainer to capture seven consecutive
crowns, saddling 46 winners. Two-time Eclipse Award finalist Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., also with 46 winners,
won its fourth consecutive owners‘ title (Ness trained exclusively for Midwest). The leading apprentice was 20year-old Ricardo Mejias from Puerto Rico. For the second straight year, Tampa Bay Downs conducted 25 stakes
worth $2.6-million in purse money, highlighted by the Tampa Bay Derby on Festival Day, March 9. The 33rd renewal drew a crowd of 10,476, the fifth-largest in track history; total all-sources handle of $10,291,827.76 was the
fourth-highest ever. Verrazano‘s jockey, Hall of Fame member John Velazquez, rode five winners on the Festival
Day card, tying six other jockeys for the second-most in track history. Tampa Bay Downs reached an agreement
with TVG, America‘s Horseracing Network, to broadcast the meeting, spreading the track‘s signal to countless
new viewers. In addition to Verrazano‘s victory, trainer Todd Pletcher scored two additional graded-stakes triumphs with his 5-year-old mare Old Tune, who won the Endeavour and the Grade III, $150,000 Hillsborough on
the turf, both times under Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Joel Rosario. The rider was also aboard Florida Oaks
winner Tapicat for Hall of Fame trainer William Mott. Combining to win two of the track‘s six graded stakes were
trainer John Terranova II and jockey Jose Espinoza, who won the Sam F. Davis with Falling Sky and the Grade
III, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes with Swift Warrior. The 11th annual Florida Cup Day on April 6 attracted many
top Florida-breds, with James and Nannette McCullough‘s 4-year-old gelding Wild About Chrome remaining unbeaten (5-for-5) in the Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn & Suites Sprint. In winning the Super Stakes on Feb. 23,
Thomas Shank and Stan Young‘s 6-year-old gelding Good Lord set a seven-furlong track record of 1:22.03.
Phase Two of the track‘s ongoing green initiative continued to gain momentum with the introduction of a state-ofthe-art geothermal HVAC system designed to save energy and costs while requiring almost no maintenance. The
water and energy-saving system uses the constant below-ground temperature of soil or water to cool homes,
commercial buildings and public facilities. On Feb. 16, the track held the ―Walk for Roz‖ to benefit the Susan G.
Komen for the Cure fight against breast cancer in memory of former Association Veterinarian Rosalyn Randall.
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HISTORY
2014 - The 88th anniversary season of Thoroughbred racing officially began July 1, 2013, the second day of Tampa Bay
Downs‘ inaugural Summer Festival of Racing. The Summer Festival was begun to enable Tampa Bay Downs to
control its simulcast income by becoming a year-round live-racing facility. By the time the horses returned for the
December restart, horsemen and fans observed a new look on the first floor of the grandstand. The enhancements included the Riders Up! Pub, featuring a variety of craft and domestic beers and liquor, and the Metro Deli,
offering pizza, Cuban sandwiches, roast beef, ham, corned beef and turkey. On the racing front, a record
$2,695,000 was paid out in stakes purses. The purse for the Grade III Florida Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on turf
was increased $50,000 to $200,000; the race joined the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade III,
$150,000 Hillsborough Stakes on turf on the annual Festival Day card. Increases of $25,000 for the Turf Sprint
and Lightning City Stakes, from $75,000 to $100,000, gave Tampa Bay Downs a record 11 races worth six figures. Jamie Ness won his record eighth consecutive training title by sending out 53 winners. The late Don Rice is
the only other conditioner to win eight titles, but they were not consecutive. Antonio Gallardo, a native of Spain,
won his first jockeys title by riding 124 winners and surviving a ding-dong battle with four-time leading jockey
Ronnie Allen, Jr. Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., the ownership group of Rich and Karen Papiese, captured its fifth
consecutive owners title with 45 victories. Track officials established the Tampa Bay Downs Million Dollar Derby
Bonus, with $1-million to be awarded to the owners of any horse winning the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis
Stakes, the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. Vinceremos — owned by WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stables — won the Davis and finished second to Ring
Weekend in the Tampa Bay Derby before fading to 17th in the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, a fan who picked
Vinceremos in the Davis was given an opportunity to win a $100,000 bonus. The Tampa Bay Derby winner, Ring
Weekend, is owned by St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds, trained by H. Graham Motion and was
ridden by Daniel Centeno. In tandem with Equus Technology Group, Tampa Bay Downs instituted the Live It Up
Challenge handicapping contest, won by Glenn Wilson of nearby Westchase. Wilson was the only player to stay
alive through the duration of the event; he won $1,500 and a seat at the 2015 Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship in January in Las Vegas. On March 29,
Tampa Bay Downs played host to the first Jockeys and Jeans barbecue luncheon to benefit the Permanently Disabled Riders Fund. Among those who attended were seven-time Tampa Bay Downs leading jockey Mike Manganello; Hall of Famers Pat Day, Walter Blum, Jacinto Vasquez and Bill Boland; Ramon Dominguez; Dr. Eddie
Donnally; early female pioneers Barbara Jo Rubin, Diane Crump and Mary Russ; and disabled former riders Eibar Coa, William Klinke, Julia Brimo, Jose Diaz and Michael Straight. On Feb. 21, in what is believed to be a first,
brothers Fernando, Walter and Juan De La Cruz all rode winners on a single card. L.J. McKanas, a trainer competing at Tampa Bay Downs for the first time, delighted race goers by appearing as a contestant on the CBS reality show Survivor. Announcer Richard Grunder marked his 30th season at Tampa Bay Downs.
21
HI
2015 - As part of its ongoing capital improvements initiative, Tampa Bay Downs unveiled a bright, redesigned circular
driveway entrance in front of the Grandstand. Featuring tree-lined pathways, garden landscaping, enhanced lighting, benches and automatic sliding doors, it signaled a friendly ―welcome back‖ to all when the 89th anniversary
meeting resumed Nov. 29. The racing action was fast and furious from the outset, as jockey Antonio Gallardo
rode five winners on the first stakes Saturday of the season and 2-year-old Catalina Red set a stakes record of
1:09.32 in the six-furlong Inaugural Stakes. Gallardo‘s success would be a recurrent theme throughout: The native of Cadiz, Spain rode five winners again on Dec. 31 and finished the meeting with 147 winners to set a new
track record and win his second consecutive title. Gallardo was joined at the top by trainer Jamie Ness, who captured an unprecedented ninth consecutive Oldsmar crown with 46 victories. The Ness-trained 6-year-old gelding
Brother Pat became the first horse to sweep all four legs of the Tampa Turf Test starter handicap series, never
trailing at a single point of call in any of his victories. Trainer Todd Pletcher won the Tampa Bay Derby for the
third time, capturing the Grade II, $350,000 showcase with Carpe Diem. The colt is owned in partnership by Stonestreet Stables, which also owns Ocean Knight, winner of the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes. The 35th
renewal of the Tampa Bay Derby headlined a March 7 Festival Day program that included the Grade III,
$200,000 Florida Oaks, the Grade III, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes and the $60,000 Challenger Stakes, making
it the richest day in track history. A crowd of 10,379, the 10th largest in track history, watched Carpe Diem and
fellow Tampa Bay Derby participant Danzig Moon compete in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands via
simulcast on May 2. The outstanding stakes program at Tampa Bay Downs produced several record-breaking
performances. Trainer Chad Stewart‘s Catalina Red set a stakes and track record in winning the Dec. 27 Pasco
Stakes for 2-year-olds, speeding home seven furlongs in 1:21.40 under jockey Daniel Centeno. That same day, 2
-year-old filly Irish Jasper set a stakes mark of 1:22.41 in the Gasparilla Stakes for trainer Derek Ryan. Bold
Thunder established a course and stakes record of 54.63 in the five-furlong Turf Dash, the fifth victory in the race
for Centeno. Evidently, a 4-year-old filly trained by Roy Lerman, set a stakes mark in the Florida Cup Pleasant
Acres Stallions Distaff Turf of 1:40.93 for a mile-and-a-sixteenth. The 4-year-old gelding Special Envoy set a mileand-an-eighth turf course record of 1:46.55 on March 18. On March 28, trainer Gerald Bennett saddled career
winner No. 3,500, the 3-year-old filly Once More for Love. New York native Andrew Demsky was named host for
the track‘s ―Paddock Preview‖ show, taking over from Vice President of Marketing & Publicity Margo Flynn, who
continued in her executive role while shifting her focus to other responsibilities. On Dec. 15, seven members of
the Tampa Bay Downs jockey colony traveled to All Children‘s Hospital in St. Petersburg to visit children with potentially life-limiting diseases. The group included Ronnie Allen, Jr.; Dean Butler; Janelle Campbell; Daniel Centeno; Keiber Coa; Antonio Gallardo; and Pablo Morales. Tampa Bay Downs purchased the Tampa Greyhound
Track in January. Major League Baseball fans — specifically, New York Yankees rooters — cashed in when
horses named Mecke Mantle and Yogi Berra both won on the Dec. 21 card. The Downs Golf Practice Facility was
recognized by the Golf Range Association of America as one of the nation‘s top-50 ranges. Joseph Ricciardi of
22
New Port Richey, Fla., won a top prize of $500,000
playing the JACKPOT scratch-off game on the first floor of
the grandstand. The Vietnam War veteran is a regular in The Silks Poker Room.
TAMPA BAY DOWNS LOGOS
The above logos are the only official marks of Tampa Bay Downs. To gain permission for usage, please call 813.855.4401, ext. 1368.
23
TAMPA BAY DOWNS LOGOS
The above logos are the only official marks of Tampa Bay Downs. To gain permission for usage, please call 813.855.4401, ext. 1368.
24
JOCKEY PROFILES
Jockey Pedro Cotto, Jr., expresses gratitude to his mount after a winning performance.
25
JOCKEY PROFILES - LEADING JOCKEYS
YEAR
JOCKEY
WINS
YEAR
JOCKEY
WINS
2014-2015
Antonio Gallardo
147*
1996-1997
William Henry
78
2013-2014
Antonio Gallardo
124
1995-1996
Jorge Guerra
97
2012-2013
Daniel Centeno
90
1994-1995
William Henry
93
1993-1994
William Henry
97
1992-1993
William Henry
123
1991-1992
Willie Martinez
123
2011-2012 Leandro Goncalves
88
2010-2011
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
109
2009-2010
Daniel Centeno
133
2008-2009
Daniel Centeno
138
2007-2008
Daniel Centeno
144
1990-1991
Ricardo Lopez
106
2006-2007
Daniel Centeno
125
1989-1990
Ricardo Lopez
92
2005-2006
Jose Lezcano
92
1988-1989
Ricardo Lopez
114
2004-2005
Jesus Castanon
101
1987-1988
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
102
2003-2004
Jesus Castanon
87
1986-1987
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
76
2002-2003
Joe Judice
117
1985-1986
Richard DePass
61
2001-2002
Manoel Cruz
91
1984-1985
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
54
2000-2001
Derek Bell
93
1999-2000
T.D. Houghton
80
1983-1984
Rick Luhr
62
1998-1999
T.D. Houghton
81
1997-1998
Jesse Garcia
63
1982-1983 Heriberto Rivera, Jr.
70
1981-1982 Heriberto Rivera, Jr.
74
1980-1981
67
Benny Feliciano
26
*Tampa Bay Downs Record
JOCKEY PROFILES
Mike Allen
Born: August 9,1967
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Wife, Lisa; daughter, Alexis; sons, Garrett and Connor
First Win: More Crafty, Tampa Bay Downs, 1986
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs
Last spring, Allen got on a hot streak that saw him win 21.2 with percent of his mounts, with an average winning payoff of $28.60, that led to him
being named the Hampton Inn & Suites Jockey of the Month. It was a welcome breakthrough for Allen, who has often ridden in the shadow of his
older brother, Ronnie Allen, Jr. One of Allen‘s top moments at Tampa Bay Downs came in the 2006 Budweiser Challenger Stakes. Riding the 6year-old gelding Cherokee Prince for his father, trainer Ronald Allen, Sr., the younger Allen piloted the Kentucky-bred to a 6 3/4-lrength, wire-towire victory at odds of 29-1. Allen was aboard later that year when Cherokee Prince won the Labor Day Stakes at Mountaineer.
Mike finished 14th this summer at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., with 19 victories and began the current Oldsmar meeting with 1,915 for his
career. He broke his left foot in a starting gate accident in August, curtailing a successful summer, but began the current meeting at full strength.
A top rider in Washington state from 1992-99 and at Prairie Meadows in Iowa from 2003-07, he rode more than 100 winners every year from
1993-96 and again in 2006 and 2007. He won the Grade III Budweiser Mile Handicap (formerly the Longacres Mile) at Yakima Meadows in 1995
on L J Express. In 2007, Allen celebrated career victory No. 1,500 at Tampa Bay Downs with friends and family in attendance.
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Born: April 24, 1964
Birthplace: East Liverpool, Ohio
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Son, Christopher; brothers, Mike and Kevin; sister, Kimberly
First Win: H.‘s Shady Lady, Detroit Race Course
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Keeneland
The jockey nicknamed ―Rock and Roll‖ had another outstanding season during the 2014-2015 Oldsmar meeting, riding 38 winners to finish fifth in
the standings, and followed up at Presque Isle Downs by riding 52 winners to place sixth. A four-time Tampa Bay Downs riding champion, Allen
achieved a career milestone in 2013 at Presque Isle when he posted victory No. 3,000 on Ghost Flower, a 3-year-old filly trained by his fiancée,
Maria Bowersock. Allen has won more than 80 stakes, including the 1993 Tampa Bay Derby and Sam F. Davis Breeders‘ Cup Stakes aboard
Marco Bay. He rode Sport Jet in the 1985 Preakness. His brother Mike is also a jockey, and their father, Ronald Allen, Sr., has saddled more
than 1,400 winners over a 38-year career, winning the Grade II Alcibiades Stakes in 1994 with Post It. In the 1980s, young Ronnie was a major
force in the Tampa Bay Downs jockey colony. So it was especially rewarding in 2010-11 when he won his fourth Tampa Bay Downs riding title
with109 wins, 23 years after he was last on top. During the 2013-14 Oldsmar meeting, he rode 110 winners, second in the standings. In 2012-13
at Tampa Bay Downs, Allen finished third with 57 victories despite a late-season spill in which he suffered fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a lacerated liver and abrasions on his head. When he‘s not in the irons, Ronnie plays golf or takes it easy, relishing the peace that comes from knowing hard work and dedication to his craft are their own best rewards. His agent is a former Tampa Bay Downs jockey, Paula Bacon.
27
JOCKEY PROFILES
Dean Butler
Born: March 21, 1971
Birthplace: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Daughters, Kayleigh and Kendall
First Win: Rexson‘s Express, Suffolk Downs, 1993
Started Riding: 1992, Aqueduct
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Canterbury Park
Butler had a typically outstanding summer at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., finishing second in the standings with 75 victories, and enters the Tampa Bay
Downs season having ridden 1,971 career winners. He led the Canterbury track colony in purse earnings for the second consecutive season, as his mounts won
a track-record $1,719,247. Butler rode five winners on the Opening Night card at Canterbury, including a victory on Bourbon County in the 10,000 Lakes Stakes
for trainer Bernell Rhone. Known as ―Dino,‖ Butler has won Canterbury‘s riding title four of the past seven seasons. Butler began his career in 1992 at Aqueduct
after learning the game from the ground up from Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, conditioner of the great Alysheba and Preakness winner Gate Dancer. After
apprenticing under Van Berg on his Ghent, N.Y., farm and in southern California, Butler won his first race in 1993 at Suffolk, then moved to Philadelphia (now
PARX Racing), where he won four track titles. One of Butler‘s biggest scores came in the 2011 Remington Park Oaks aboard 25-1 shot Tourmaline for trainer
Rhone. Butler and Rhone have proven a tough combination to beat at both Tampa Bay Downs and Canterbury. During the 2014-2015 Oldsmar season, Butler
tfinished ninth in the standings with 26 victories. Butler rode the prominent gelding Poor But Honest, who finished second to the great Cigar and jockey Jerry Bailey in the 1995 Massachusetts Handicap. Poor But Honest and Butler won a pair of Grade III stakes that year and finished second in the Grade I Philip H. Iselin
at Monmouth and the Grade I Meadowlands Cup. Butler enjoys spending time with his two girls, 8-year-old Kayleigh and 4-year-old Kendall, in his spare time.
Janelle Campbell
Born: Sept. 11, 1984
Birthplace: Newburyport, Mass.
Residence: Amesbury, Mass.
Family: Father, Robert Campbell; mother, Andrea Campbell; grandfather, Robert Campbell; sister, Tiffany; brother, Robert; aunt, Tammi
Piermarini; fiancé, Luis A. Garcia
First Win: Primal Humor, Suffolk Downs, 2013
Started Riding: 2012, Suffolk Downs
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park, Mahoning Valley, ThistleDown, Monmouth, Penn National
It‘s been said that Janelle Campbell‘s smile can brighten a darkened dungeon. And she did her best to cheer up her fan base last season by riding a string of
improbable long-shot winners en route to becoming the track‘s second-leading apprentice. Her first five winners of the 2014-2015 meeting produced an average
$2 win payoff of $61. Campbell, who rode at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts for four years, acquired her love of horses from her late grandmother Suzanne
Campbell, who owned Thoroughbreds and show horses. The red-haired Campbell is the niece of accomplished jockey Tammi Piermarini and absorbed a wealth
of knowledge watching her over the years. About once each year, Campbell cuts off her hair and donates it to Wigs for Kids, an organization that supports children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation treatments, Alopecia, burns and other medical issues. She owns the 9-year-old gelding Primal Humor, the first horse she won on, keeping him on a farm in Ocala, Fla. Among the trainers Campbell rides for is John Pimental, whose wife, Diana Pimental, is a
Tampa Bay Downs Association official.
28
JOCKEY PROFILES
Daniel Centeno
Born: December 18, 1971
Birthplace: Caracas, Venezuela
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Fiancee, Ashley George; son, Daniel; daughter, Jazmyn
First Win: Big Jack, Venezuela, 1990
Started Riding: 1990 (Venezuela), 2003 (Ohio)
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park, Laurel Park
First and foremost, Daniel Centeno is a student of the sport. His attention to detail — working horses each morning, studying past performances and watching
replays — has kept him atop the Tampa Bay Downs jockey colony for much of the past nine seasons. In 2014, Centeno won the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby for
the second time aboard Ring Weekend for trainer H. Graham Motion. That summer, he notched his 2,000th victory in the United States at Parx Racing on 4-yearold gelding Forest Rim for owner George Strawbridge and trainer Jonathan Sheppard. Centeno won his fifth TBD riding title during the 2012-13 season with 90
victories, and he won 90 again last season to finish second to Antonio Gallardo. He followed up that success by riding 30 winners at Delaware Park to finish
eighth in the standings. He began the current meeting with more than 2,200 career victories, including eight graded-stakes scores. ―Daniel has the ability to put a
horse in the right spot and rides a smart race,‖ said perennial leading trainer Jamie Ness. ―He is very good as a front-end rider, but he is also a very strong finisher.‖ From 2006-10, Centeno strung together four consecutive TBD riding crowns while averaging 1.48 winners per performance. During the 2007-2008 season, he booted home a record-setting 144 (since bettered), including six stakes victories. That year he amassed $2,145,528 in purses, setting a track record. In
2009, Centeno won the Tampa Bay Derby on Musket Man. Centeno began race riding in Venezuela in 1990, assembling a successful 14-year career that eventually took him to the United States to stay in 2003 (he had ridden briefly at Calder in 1996). Centeno cites his major influences as fellow jockeys Eibar Coa and
Ramon Dominguez. With more than $42 million in purse earnings, Centeno is himself a professional worth emulating. He won last season‘s Pasco Stakes on
Catalina Red in track-record time of 1:21.40 for seven furlongs. Centeno won this year‘s $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash on Gentlemen‘s Bet.
Keiber J. Coa
Born: October 30, 1992
Birthplace: Caracas, Venezuela
Residence: Davie, FL
Family: Father, Eibar Coa; mother, Kathy Sarabia; sisters, Kleibany and Sienna
First Win: Five Star Cruise, Santa Anita, 2012
Started Riding: Gulfstream Park, 2011
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park
Coa reached a crossroads in February of 2011 when his father, Breeders‘ Cup-winning jockey Eibar Coa, was seriously injured in a riding accident at Gulfstream Park. Keiber had just enrolled in the Laffit Pincay Jockey School in Panama City, and the teenager suddenly had to fly home
to be with his father. Although the elder Coa has not returned to riding, Keiber made the decision to follow in his father‘s footsteps and devote
himself to a career as a jockey. Now his father, who has made nearly a full recovery from his injuries, supports Keiber in his quest to make a
name for himself. Keiber grew up playing baseball and basketball, but he began working intensely with his father on becoming a jockey in 2010,
the same year Eibar Coa won the Breeders‘ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Big Drama.
Keiber earned his first stakes victory in July at Delaware in the CRE Run Oaks Arabian Distaff on RB FRYNCH BROAD. Keiber incurred a hairline fracture of his pelvis on the final day of the Delaware Park summer meeting when a horse reared and landed on him, but chances are it will
not be long before he is back winning races.
29
JOCKEY PROFILES
Fernando De La Cruz
Born: June 24, 1986
Birthplace: Huancavelica, Peru
Residence: Greenfield, Indiana
Family: Wife, Rosa; son, Brian; daughter, Norma
First Win: Santelmo, Hipodromo de Monterrico, Peru
Started Riding: 2006
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Indiana Grand
De La Cruz has surpassed the $3-million mark in purse earnings for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 while finishing third in the Oldsmar standings with
60 victories and second at Indiana Grand with 97 trips to the winner‘s circle. No one in the riding De La Cruz family will forget the afternoon of Feb. 21,
2014 at Tampa Bay Downs. After watching his brothers, Juan and Walter, win races earlier on the card, Fernando completed the unique trifecta aboard 5
-year-old gelding Rocky Gap. It is believed to be the only time three brothers have won races on a single card in Thoroughbred history. The 2013-14
meeting was memorable for De La Cruz for other reasons as well. He rode his 1,000th career winner aboard Jungle Princess for trainer Jamie Ness and
captured the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes on My Sweet Dove for Monte Thomas. He missed several weeks after fracturing a bone in his arm early in the
meeting, but returned in time to climb to fourth in the standings with 66 victories. Healthy for that summer, De La Cruz ran away with the jockeys‘ crown
at Indiana Grand, riding 129 winners. During the 2012-13 TBD meeting, De La Cruz started heating up around the time his daughter Norma was born on
Feb. 4. Less than three weeks later, he won the $75,000 Super Stakes aboard 6-year-old gelding Good Lord in track-record time of 1:22.03 for seven
furlongs. His stakes success continued in last season‘s Wayward Lass Stakes for owners Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Michael Maker aboard
Awesome Flower, whose victory resulted in a stakes record. Fernando is one of eight children.
Ricardo Feliciano
Born: August 4, 1976
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
Residence: Cleveland and Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Lady; sons, Benny and Armani
First Win: Clever Express, Mountaineer Park, 1997
Started Riding: 1997, ThistleDown
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, ThistleDown
Since beginning his career in 1997, Feliciano has been a model of consistency. As he nears his 20th year in the irons, he is on the verge of 2,000
career victories while averaging more than 110 victories over the last eight years. It seems as if Feliciano was born to ride. His father Benny Feliciano was the leading jockey at Tampa Bay Downs during the 1980-81 meeting and is currently training. Ricardo‘s uncle Miguel Feliciano is also
a successful trainer, primarily in Ohio, and has saddled almost 1,400 winners. Ricardo rode his first race when he was 11 at Classic Mile in
Ocala, Fla., describing it as ―part of a country day at the races.‖ He grew up around ThistleDown outside Cleveland, and says of his early years
around the oval, ―I was fascinated by it. I went a lot when I was really young, and then I went back when I was about 15 or 16 and I carried on. I
started galloping horses in the morning, and then I was a (jockey‘s) valet for three years. After that, I got my license and started riding.‖ First,
though, his father required him to complete his education, although he was allowed to gallop horses. Among the top horses he has ridden is the
venerable mare Pay the Man, an Ohio-bred trained by his uncle Miguel.30
She won more than $1-million and 21 stakes, the majority with Ricardo in
the irons. He won 24 races at Presque Isle Downs last summer, good for 12th in the standings, and was fifth at ThistleDown with 57 victories.
JOCKEY PROFILES
Jose C. Ferrer
Born: March 31, 1964
Birthplace: Santurce, Puerto Rico
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Steffi; sons, Derek Gregory and Joseph
First Win: Meadowlands, 1983
Started Riding: Monmouth Park, 1982
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Monmouth Park, Meadowlands, Delaware Park, Parx Racing
Ferrer is approaching the 4,000-victory mark as the 2015-2016 meeting gets underway and has built an enviable record since arriving on the
scene in 1982. He enters the season with 26 graded-stakes victories, none bigger than the Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga in 2000 on
Stormy Pick. The victory aboard the Ben Perkins, Jr.-trained 2-year-old filly came a week after Ferrer had won the Grade II, $350,000 Iselin
Handicap at Monmouth on Rize. Ferrer prides himself on staying in top condition, crediting his exercise regimen with helping him successfully
compete against jockeys half his age. Ferrer began his U.S. riding career at Calder Race Course in Miami before heading north to New Jersey.
Later that year, he became the first jockey to win five races on a single card at Meadowlands. Ferrer was the leading jockey this year at the
month-long Meadowlands meeting with eight victories and placed sixth at Monmouth Park with 41 winners. ―I‘m naturally pretty light, and that
helps a lot,‖ said Ferrer, who also credits his family and his faith for keeping him strong.
Luis Figueroa
Born: May 27, 1995
Birthplace: Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
Residence: Miami, FL
Family: Father, Luis; mother, Wanda; sister, Aidaliz; brother, Heriberto
First Win: Camarero, 2014
Started Riding: Camarero, 2014
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park
Figueroa‘s father, Luis Figueroa, Sr., left his job in Puerto Rico as a truck driver to join Luis on the Oldsmar backside a month into last season,
taking a job as a hotwalker for trainer Victor Carrasco, Jr. As time went on, the younger Figueroa showed he has what it takes to thrive at his
chosen profession. Despite a relatively slow start, he finished the 2014-2015 meeting with 17 victories to capture top apprentice honors. Figueroa
clinched the title by riding three winners on the May 3 card and finished five victories ahead of runner-up apprentice Janelle Campbell. ―I‘m proud
of what he‘s done, and I know he can do well wherever he goes because he is focused on his job,‖ Figueroa, Sr., said during the latter stages of
the meeting. Although he has since lost the apprentice weight allowance, Figueroa has the skill and confidence to continue proving himself capable.
31
JOCKEY PROFILES
Antonio A. Gallardo
Born: July 18, 1987
Birthplace: Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Polliana; son, Carlos; daughter, Christa
Started Riding: Costa del Sol, Malaga, Spain
First winner: Teifani, Costa del Sol
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Gulfstream Park West
On the eve of the 2015-2016 Tampa Bay Downs season, Gallardo was second in North America in victories to two-time reigning Eclipse Award champion Javier
Castellano. Trainer Kathleen O‘Connell might have said it best after Gallardo set the Tampa Bay Downs single-season victory record aboard her 5-year-old gelding Silver Halo at the tail end of the 2014-2015 meeting. ―He‘s relentless in his work ethic. I don‘t care if there is one horse to breeze, he comes out for whoever‘s
horse it is,‖ O‘Connell said. ―He is very astute at studying horses and films, and he is just a wonderful person to work with.‖ Gallardo finished the meeting with
147 victories for his second consecutive Downs title, then rode 161 winners to repeat as Presque Isle Downs track champion. Gallardo rode five winners on a
single card twice last December, serving notice he intended to be the top rider in town, and simply never slowed. Gallardo emerged as a force to be reckoned
with at Calder Race Course on Aug. 24, 2013 by winning four consecutive stakes, the last three for O‘Connell. Gallardo‘s first victory came in the Lindsay Frolic
Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Flat Out Charming. He and O‘Connell then teamed to capture the Catcharisingstar Stakes with sophomore filly Secret Kitten; the
Florida Stallion Susan‘s Girl Stakes with 2-year-old filly Scandalous Act; and the Florida Stallion Affirmed Stakes with My Brown Eyed Guy. Gallardo‘s breakthrough victory at Tampa Bay Downs came three years ago in the Challenger Stakes on 14-1 shot Flatter This for O‘Connell and owner Blackacre Farms, Inc..
Geovany Garcia
Born: November 4, 1988
Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Residence:
Family: Wife, Kat Zwiesler
Started Riding: 2007, Laurel Park
First Winner: Westside Lady, 2007, Laurel Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Belterra Park, Laurel Park
The younger brother of jockey Luis Garcia made a major impact at the Oldsmar oval last season. Riding first call for trainer Joe Woodard, Garcia rode 12 winners, including the 7-year-old Florida-bred Star Harbour in the Pelican Stakes. Garcia has surpassed the 100-victory mark in
2015 for the second time in his career. He finished second in the standings at Belterra Park last summer, riding 96 winners while finishing in the
money on 53 percent of his mounts. Garcia was only 20 years old when he scored his biggest victory, winning the Grade II Barbara Fritchie
Handicap at Laurel Park in 2009 aboard 10-1 shot Royale Michele. Garcia rode his first winner a few months after his 18th birthday. He is married to Kat Zwiesler, whose father, Michael Zwiesler, trained horses at Tampa Bay Downs for William S. Farish III.
32
JOCKEY PROFILES
Jose Angel Garcia
Born: December 8, 1986
Birthplace: Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
Residence: Hudson, FL
Family: Wife, Delmaris; daughter, Emily
Started Riding: Camarero, 2008
First winner: Camarero, 2008
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Woodbine, Belterra Park
Garcia began his career like many jockeys from Puerto Rico, working as an exercise rider at the racetrack in his hometown of Canovanas. He graduated from
jockey school at 18 while studying the style of his mentor, Carlos Pizarro. Watching Pizarro become one of the top jockeys in Puerto Rico inspired Garcia to give
up his job as an electrician and move to south Florida with his childhood sweetheart and wife, Delmaris, to become a jockey himself. Tragically, Pizarro died six
years later from injuries suffered in a freak training accident, but Garcia has not lost sight of the lessons he imparted. Jose and Delmaris married when they were
both 19 and is well-versed in the demands of the profession. The day after he won the Maryland Million Ladies Stakes at Laurel aboard Monster Sleeping in
2013, they drove 17 hours with 3-year-old Emily to ride a horse at Calder in Miami the next day. Many trainers appreciate Garcia‘s ability to impart valuable insights about their horses. ―You need that with young horses and horses that are still green,‖ said Sandra Adkins, the Tampa Bay Downs assistant to Gerry Aschinger. ―Jose is consistent, and if he‘s getting on a good horse, he‘ll give you a good ride.‖
Rosemary Homeister, Jr.
Born: July 5, 1972
Birthplace: Hollywood, FL
Residence: Streamwood, Illinois
Family: Daughter, Victoria Rose; mother, Rosemary Homeister, Sr.; stepfather, Frankie Inserra
Started Riding: Calder Race Course, 1992
First winner: Mezzanotti, Calder Race Course, 1992
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington International, Hawthorne
The daughter of south Florida trainer Rosemary Homeister, Sr., who announced she is taking a leave of absence to start a career as a personal trainer and nutritional consultant, has provided her legion of fans with countless thrills and successes en route to compiling more almost 2,800 victories, second only to Julie
Krone among female jockeys in the sport‘s history. The younger Homeister won an Eclipse Award in 1992 as the top apprentice jockey in North America, winning 172 races. She joined the exclusive club of women jockeys to ride in the Kentucky Derby in 2003, finishing 13th on Supah Blitz. In 2009 at Santa Anita, she
rode Cloudy‘s Knight to a second-place finish in the Breeders‘ Cup Marathon for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard; two starts later, Cloudy‘s Knight and
Homeister won the Grade II W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder. Homeister won 204 races that year, with purse earnings of more than $4-million. Homeister,
who stopped riding for 10 months when her daughter, Victoria Rose, was born on Aug. 21, 2011, won last year‘s Suncoast Stakes in Oldsmar on 3-year-old filly
Include Betty at odds of 18-1, then repeated on her at the same odds in the Grade III Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn. Homeister won the Grade I Clasico Internacional del Caribe in 2001 on Alexia. Few in attendance on Feb. 20, 2010 will forget her dramatic victory aboard Karelian in the $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes by
a nose over reigning Eclipse Turf and Older Horse champion Gio Ponti and his champion jockey, Ramon Dominguez.
33
JOCKEY PROFILES
Albin Jimenez
Born: May 5, 1991
Birthplace: David, Panama
Residence: Alexandria, KY
Family: Wife, MaryBeth; daughter, Josaleen
First Win: Alka, El Hipodromo Presidente Remon, Panama, 2010
Started Riding: 2010, El Hipodromo Presidente Remon
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Indiana Grand, Turfway Park. Churchill Downs
Jimenez has raised his profile steadily in the Midwest, with a pair of riding titles at Turfway Park in Kentucky and another in 2015 at Indiana
Grand, where he rode 108 winners to become one of three jockeys to surpass 100 victories at the track. The Oldsmar newcomer, a jockey of the
Laffit Pincay Jockey Training Academy in his homeland, has three younger brothers who are also products of the academy: Carlos, Daniel and
David. Albin won the Indiana Grand title despite missing five weeks of the meeting due to injury. Jimenez is the regular rider on the 3-year-old
Indiana-bred filly Lady Fog Horn, an Anthony Granitz trainee who won four consecutive stakes during the latter stages of the Indiana Grand
meeting. As a youngster, Jimenez viewed horse racing as a means to escape poverty, and when he began attending the jockey academy and fell
in love with horses, he knew nothing would stop him from achieving his goal.
Victor Lebron
Born: July 21, 1984
Birthplace: St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Residence: Florence, KY
Family: Wife, Ruth; daughters Maya, Leslieann, Lea and Jaslean; twin boys, Jayden and Akilies
Started Riding: St. Croix
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Churchill Downs
In the past two seasons, Lebron has established himself in the top rank of Tampa Bay Downs jockeys. He was sixth in the 2014-2015 standings
with 33 victories, including a triumph aboard Irish Jasper in stakes-record time in the seven-furlong Gasparilla Stakes for owner-trainer Derek
Ryan. Lebron possesses a knack for making a strong first impression. He won the first graded stakes he ever competed in, piloting 21-1 shot
Swift Temper to victory in the Grade III Gardenia Handicap at Ellis Park in 2008. And in his first season at Tampa Bay Downs two years ago, he
won the Super Stakes on Our Double Play for trainer Phil Bauer. Lebron, who won 263 races in 2008, is nearing the 1,500-mark in career victories. He won the Grade II Indiana Oaks in 2013 aboard Pure Fun for trainer Ken McPeek. It was another McPeek runner that gave Lebron his
most memorable moment in racing. After riding Frac Daddy to a second-place finish in the 2013 Arkansas Derby, Lebron got to ride him in the
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, becoming one of a small number of African-American riders to compete in the Run for the Roses.
Also in the field was his St. Croix Central High School classmate Kevin Krigger, also African-American, aboard Goldencents. Lebron has won
riding titles at Turfway, Indiana Grand and Ellis Park. He is the owner of his own car dealership. Wife Ruth delivered twin boys on Nov. 9; the
couple‘s four daughters range in age from 3-11.
34
JOCKEY PROFILES
Pablo Morales
Born: September 5, 1988
Birthplace: Lima, Peru
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Erin; daughter, Sophia; son, Camilo
First Win: Alena‘s Boy, 2005, Gulfstream Park
Started Riding: 2004, Monterrico, Peru
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Parx, Indiana Grand, Churchill Downs
Precocious is one word often used to describe Pablo Morales. He earned his first North American victory at Gulfstream in 2005 before his 17th birthday; that
same year, just after turning 17, he captured the Grade II, $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs aboard The Daddy. Talented is another spot-on definition.
Morales won three consecutive riding titles at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., before settling for second the past two seasons, winning 88 races there this summer. Morales finished eighth in the Oldsmar standings last season with 28 victories. Earlier in his career, Morales spent two winters riding at Aqueduct in New
York for such leading trainers as Gary Contessa, Kiaran McLaughlin and H. Graham Motion, but welcomes the chance every winter and spring to compete for his
first Tampa Bay Downs title. He recorded career victory No. 1,000 in 2014 at Presque Isle Downs aboard For Scipion. One of several jockeys from Peru to compete at Tampa Bay Downs in recent years, Morales graduated from the same jockeys school in Peru as Hall of Fame member Edgar Prado, Rafael Bejarano and
Oldsmar rival Fernando De La Cruz. Morales achieved back-to-back stakes victories this summer at Presque Isle and Parx aboard the 3-year-old filly R Frosty
One for trainer Eduardo Rojas, his father-in-law.
Brian Pedroza
Born: October 23, 1991
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Mother, Kim Wichmann; father, Martin Pedroza; sister, Mya Vail
First win: Fast n‘Clear, 2010, Gulfstream Park
Started riding: Laurel, 2009
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware, Laurel, Penn National
Even though his father is Martin Pedroza, a fixture at southern California tracks since 1983, and his mother is a former jockey (she rode as Kim
Davis) and an exercise rider in Ocala, Brian had little interest in becoming a jockey until he turned 18. But he soon felt a need to learn if he had
inherited his father‘s ability, and since then he has impressed horsemen and fellow riders with his skill and instincts. ―Brian is a natural,‖ said
trainer Dennis Ward. ―He gets them in the right spot, and a lot of horses just run off the screen for him.‖ Brian also has a cousin, Marcelino
Pedroza, who is a jockey. Brian has won 56 races in Oldsmar over the past two seasons. Additionally, he earned the first stakes victory of his
career last season when he rallied the mare You Bought Her to a thrilling victory in the Minaret Stakes for owner-trainer David Hinsley. From the
time he was 4 until he was 16, Brian spent summers with his father in California, and he still relies on him for advice. His influence shows in
Brian‘s ability to judge pace and save a horse‘s best effort for the stretch run. Pedroza finished seventh at Delaware Park this year, winning on an
impressive 20 percent of his mounts.
35
JOCKEY PROFILES
Erick D. Rodriguez
Born: March 3, 1980
Birthplace: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Sons, Cristian and Adrian; daughter, Ericka
First win: Parx Racing, 2002
Started riding: Calder Race Course, 2001
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Laurel, Pimlico
Rodriguez learned early in his career that a jockey‘s existence is often fraught with peril, but that the rewards can be immense. In 2005, four
months after breaking four vertebrae in his back, he won the abbreviated summer meeting at Pimlico. The majority of his 1,400-plus victories
have come at Pimlico and Laurel, but Oldsmar and western Pennsylvania are where Rodriguez has flourished the last two years. He had a
strong summer at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., last summer, riding 74 winners to finish third in the standings. In 2014, Rodriguez was the
only jockey to win two graded stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, capturing the Grade III, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes and the Grade III, $150,000
Hillsborough Stakes aboard the 5-year-old mare Cloud Scapes, a Pin Oak Stable homebred trained by H. Graham Motion. From Oldsmar, Rodriguez went to Presque Isle Downs, where he finished fourth in the overall standings with 78 victories while compiling a meeting-best 25-percent
win rate. Rodriguez built his career from the ground up, galloping and breaking horses in Puerto Rico before coming to the mid-Atlantic region.
Rodriguez earned his first graded-stakes victory on Ryan‘s For Real in the 2008 Grade III, $200,000 Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap at Hawthorne for trainer Dale Capuano.
Ademar Santos
Born: August 27, 1975
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Wife, Rose; sons Lucas, Gabriel, and Rafael
First Win: The Cure, Hipodromo de Gavea, Brazil, 1993
Started Riding: Hipodromo de Gavea, Brazil, 1993
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, ThistleDown
Santos seems to heat up with the weather. He has won the $5,000 Jockeys‘ Challenge each of the last two years during Tampa Bay Downs‘
Summer Festival of Racing, winning four races and finishing in the money on all 11 mounts during the 2015 event. His three winners on the first
day boosted him to seventh in the 2014-2015 standings with 29 victories. Santos knows a positive attitude is his key to success on the track. ―As
long as I stay motivated and stay positive, I can keep improving,‖ he said. ―I have an Equicizer (a mechanical horse) at home and spend a halfhour on it every morning after working out seven or eight horses at the track, so I think I‘m as fit as anybody.‖ Santos was seventh in the standings at Presque Isle Downs last summer with 32 victories. His wife and sons — 9-year-old twins Lucas and Gabriel and 7-year-old Rafael — are
his biggest supporters.
36
JOCKEY PROFILES
Scott Spieth
Born: October 25, 1966
Birthplace: Litchfield, Michigan
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Fiancee, Aldana Gonzalez; Daughters, Kirsten Swan, Victoria, and Valerie; sons, Austin and Bruin
First win: Glendale Downs, 1981 (Quarter Horse)
Started riding: Glendale Downs, 1981
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Delaware Park, ThistleDown, Parx, Laurel, Penn National
Spieth is quietly approaching the 4,500-victory mark, but he has set his sights on reaching 5,000 before hanging up his tack. Those familiar with
his skills, determination and work ethic won‘t bet against him. In March of 2012, his quest to reach 4,000 appeared to have hit a brick wall before
he won three races on consecutive cards at Tampa Bay Downs, reaching the milestone aboard the 4-year-old filly Ula. From 2000-2008, Spieth
often rode two cards a day, competing at ThistleDown outside Cleveland during the day and at Mountaineer in West Virginia at night. Spieth
roded 307 winners in 2005 and averaged 269 a year from 2005-2007. In 2009, he recorded perhaps the most memorable victory in his career in
the $500,000 West Virginia Jefferson Security Cup Cavada Breeders‘ Classic at Charles Town aboard 3-year-old filly My Sister Margaret. ―I‘ve
put in my time, that‘s for sure,‖ Spieth said last spring. ―I‘ve had spills that could have been major problems but haven‘t been, so I‘ve been lucky. I
guess I would describe myself as being very dedicated toward the business.‖ He credits his parents, Lavern and Gearldine, as well as his brothers, former Quarter Horse trainer Tony and equine dentist and blacksmith Jason, for their lifelong support. His daughter, Kirsten Swan, is a top
jockey of Arabian-bred horses who won the 2014 Darley Award.
Harry Vega
Born: September 21, 1965
Birthplace: New Brunswick, N.J.
Residence: Ocala, FL
Family: Daughters, Mercedes and Devin; son, Tyler
First Win: Hazel Park, 1983
Started Riding: Hazel Park, 1983
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs
With more than 4,100 victories entering the 2015-2016 meeting, Vega stands 26th among active jockeys in North America. But he is always looking for ways to get better. He finished in a tie for 11th in last year‘s Tampa Bay Downs standings with 21 victories, a year after winning 37 races
at the Oldsmar oval to place fifth. He won the Pelican Stakes that season aboard Palace Barista for breeder-owner-trainer Lynne Scace. Vega‘s
best horse, in all likelihood, was Xtra Heat, a Hall of Fame filly he rode to several graded stakes victories in 2002 and a third-place finish in the $2
-million Dubai Golden Shaheen in the United Arab Emirates. Other top mounts over the years include Disco Rico and Scottish Halo. Vega‘s biggest fan is his mother Mercedes Lopez, who watches his races on TV from her Puerto Rico home. When he was a teenager, she gave him permission to follow his dream of becoming a jockey and move in with Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero, Jr., for early lessons. More than three decades later, Vega continues to pay back that debt.
37
JOCKEY PROFILES
Huber Villa-Gomez
Born: January 28,1976
Birthplace: Ayacucho, Peru
Residence: Tampa
Family: Son, Maxy; daughter, Abby
Started Riding: 1997
First winner: Victorio, in Peru
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Woodbine
Villa-Gomez entered exclusive company in October by winning the Grade III Ontario Fashion Stakes at Woodbine in Toronto on Cactus Kris for
his first graded-stakes triumph. He missed the entire 2014-2015 Tampa Bay Downs season due to injury, but he returned to enjoy a strong meeting at Presque Isle Downs, finishing eighth with 31 victories. Villa-Gomez, who finished 11th in the Oldsmar standings with 35 victories two seasons ago, is the epitome of a lunch-bucket jockey. He goes to work every day, quietly goes about his business and at the end of the day, he rewards his owners, trainers and backers with the best possible effort from their horses. A measure of the respect in which he is held came toward
the tail end of the 2011-12 Tampa Bay Downs meeting, when he rode 11 winners during a seven-day stretch — for nine different trainers. VillaGomez began riding in his native Peru after he gained an interest in horses through a cousin who worked at a racetrack. ―The first day I went to
the track, that‘s when I knew I wanted to ride,‖ he says. At 18 he attended jockey school in Peru, and won his first race there on Victorio. In
2011, he tied Pablo Morales for the PID crown. During the 2010-11 Tampa Bay Downs meeting, Villa-Gomez was aboard Sneaking Uponyou for
trainer Jamie Ness when the 5-year-old gelding set a six-furlong track record of 1:08.69 (since lowered) in the 2011 Florida Cup Hilton Garden
Inn Sprint; the connections won the race again in 2014. When he‘s not riding, Villa-Gomez enjoys playing with his children, Maxy and Abby.
Gary Wales
Born: December 3, 1985
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Residence: North Adams, Massachusetts
Family: Wife, Katie; father, Colin; mother, Diane
First Win: Leading Character, 2008, Colonial Downs
Started Riding: 2006, Lingfield Park Racecourse, England
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Finger Lakes, Presque Isle Downs, Suffolk Downs
Attending the races at Musselburgh Racecourse in East Lothian, Scotland with his grandfather as a youngster sparked a love of
Thoroughbreds for Wales, who worked at the local stables before enrolling in the Northern Racing College in Doncaster, England
when he was 17. In August of 2013, he was bidding to be leading jockey at Suffolk when he fractured his L2 vertebra in a spill, sidelining him for six weeks. Upon his return, he won on a mare named Thereisgoldahead trained by his wife, Katie Mancini-Wales. The
couple met about seven years ago in South Carolina, where he was exercising horses and she was working for pinhooker Kip Elser.
Wales had his best year in 2014, riding 51 winners, and appears poised for a breakthrough. He is an avid golfer who played last
summer at Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland, where Rickie Fowler won the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
38
TRAINER PROFILES
Steeds and riders await the track’s re-opening for morning workouts
39
TRAINER PROFILES
LEADING TRAINERS
YEAR
2014-2015
2013-2014
2012-2013
2011-2012
2010-2011
2009-2010
2008-2009
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
2003-2004
2002-2003
2001-2002
2000-2001
1999-2000
1998-1999
1997-1998
TRAINER
Jamie Ness
Jamie Ness
Jamie Ness
Jamie Ness
J. Ness/Gerald Bennett
J. Ness/K. O'Connell
Jamie Ness
Jamie Ness
Jamie Ness
Kirk Ziadie
Don Rice
Lynne Scace
Don Rice
Don Rice
Don Rice
Don Rice
Kathleen O'Connell
Joe Cesarini
WINS
46
53
46
79*
61
51
62
68
38
34
35
25
43
44
37
33
26
33
40
YEAR
TRAINER
1996-1997
Don Rice
1995-1996
Don Rice
1994-1995
Don Rice
1993-1994
Jason Stodghill
1992-1993
John Reading
1991-1992
John Reading
1990-1991
J.C. Barnhill
1989-1990
Joe Waunsch
1988-1989
Pedregal/Jordan
1987-1988
Art Pedregal
1986-1987 Norm Wismer/Braddy
1985-1986
Don Jordan
1984-1985
Mary Hodge
1983-1984
J.D. Braddy
1982-1983
Fred Warren
1981-1982 Jacqueline Branham
1980-1981
Robert Guciardo
*Tampa Bay Downs Record
WINS
28
33
28
30
28
37
30
33
36
28
27
25
23
29
40
34
23
TRAINER PROFILES
Dale Bennett
Born: July 8, 1972
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Residence: Arlington Heights, IL
Family: Wife, Denise; daughters, Donna and Haleigh
Started Training: 1998 in Detroit
First Win: Spirit of Austin, Detroit Race Course, 1998
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington International, Hawthorne, Keeneland, Mountaineer
Bennett enjoyed another outstanding campaign during the 2014-2015 Tampa Bay Downs meeting, saddling 14 winners to finish tied for 11th in the standings. He
went on to win 19 races at Arlington, good for an eighth-place finish. Two seasons ago, he won the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with Cool
Cowboy for Savoy Stable. The son of Tampa Bay Downs trainer Gerald Bennett grew up on a farm in Campbellville, Ontario, Canada. He was raised around
horses, and began working with them at a very early age. As time went by, Bennett began to progress through the ranks of the backside, starting out hot-walking
for his father, then working as a groom and an exercise rider, all the while finding time to graduate from Guelph Collegiate in 1991.
Bennett earned his trainer‘s license In 1998, beginning his career with three horses in his barn. One of the three, Spirit of Austin, gave him his first win at Detroit
Race Course. Since then, Dale Bennett has excelled at any track where he keeps a stable. Bennett says his father has had the biggest influence on his career. He grew up working in his barn, and says that his father taught him the art of communicating with horses, as well as the need to treat and train the horses
as individuals. Bennett‘s most memorable horse is Marley‘s Revenge, who gave him his first stakes win in the 2004 Hansel Stakes at Turfway Park. Later that
season, he won the Taylor‘s Special Stakes at Arlington.
Gerald Bennett
Born: March 12, 1944
Birthplace: Springhill, Nova Scotia
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife Mary; sons, Dale and Jerry; daughter, Katharine; two grandchildren
Started Training: 1974
First Win: Greenwood, Canada
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Presque Isle Downs, Indiana Grand, ThistleDown
With more than 3,500 victories, Gerald Bennett sports one of the most remarkable records in the history of racing. He ranks 19th all-time in North American annals and 10th among active trainers, and he shows no signs of slowing. From 2003-2011, he saddled at least 100 winners every year. Bettors value the consistency of Bennett, who saddled 43 winners last season to place second in the standings. During the 2010-11 Tampa Bay Downs campaign, Bennett tied Jamie
Ness for the top spot with 61 triumphs; four years ago Bennett finished second with 32 victories, and his 44 second-place finishes were the most of any trainer.
Bennett picked up minor stakes winner Beau Genius after his 3-year-old season and trained him to victory in 13 stakes, including the 1990 Philip H. Iselin (then a
Grade I) and the 1990 Michigan Mile and One-Eighth Handicap, then a Grade II. Beau Genius won the Hallandale Handicap for Bennett at Gulfstream in 1990, a
race also notable as the final victory for Hall of Fame jockey Bill Shoemaker. Among other notable Bennett trainees are Secret Romeo, winner of the 2002 Super
Stakes and Pelican Stakes; and Banker‘s Jet, winner of seven stakes and over $670,000.
The Bennett-trained gelding Jr‘s Exchange holds the Tampa Bay Downs five-furlong record on the dirt (56.57). In 2011, Bennett sent out Crimson Knight, a horse
he claimed for $16,000, to finish second in the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. Among his many accomplishments, Bennett has won five races in one
day. Adding to his talents, Bennett trained and rehabbed Standardbreds in Ontario, Canada. On May 5, 2007, Bennett escorted his trainee Bucky's Prayer to the
winner‘s circle after her victory in the Lightning City Stakes. Victory No. 3,500 came at Tampa Bay Downs last March with the 3-year-old filly Once More for Love.
41
TRAINER PROFILES
William “Buff” Bradley
Born: August 26, 1963
Birthplace: Frankfort, KY
Residence: Frankfort, KY
Family: Wife, Kim; son, Drew; daughters, Kory and Jett
Started Training: 1993
First Win:
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Gulfstream Park, Ellis Park
Bradley added another graded-stakes triumph to his ledger in 2015 when his 3-year-old colt Divisidero won the Grade II American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs
in May. The son of former Kentucky state senator and fighter pilot Fred Bradley reached the pinnacle of the sport for the second year in a row in the 2013 Breeders‘ Cup when his 5-year-old homebred mare Groupie Doll successfully defended her title in the Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita. Bradley helped deliver
Groupie Doll at the Bradley family‘s Indian Ridge Farm near Frankfort in April of 2008. ―I remember the day she foaled because she was such a beautiful red
filly,‖ Bradley said. ―I don‘t remember them all, but she stood out from Day 1.‖ Groupie Doll was bred by Bradley an d his father in partnership. A few days after
her Breeders‘ Cup repeat, Groupie Doll was sold to Mandy Pope as a broodmare for $3.1 million at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Prior to Groupie Doll, the Bradleys‘ greatest success came with the popular gelding Brass Hat, a Grade I winner who earned more than $2.1 million. Brass Hat
remains part of the family as a stable pony. Buff worked four years as an assistant to Clarence Picou before going out on his own in 1993. He and his family are
proactive in Thoroughbred aftercare and have several retirees at the farm, including Free Spirit‘s Joy, the 1991 Grade I Super Derby winner Bradley worked with
when he was an assistant to Clarence Picou before going out on his own. His nickname, Buff, is short for ―Buffalo Bill,‖ which he acquired as a boy. His top assistant at Tampa Bay Downs is Maria Kabel.
Jason DaCosta
Born: July 11, 1985
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Single
Started Training: 2009
First Win: 2009, Miss Aristocrat, Calder Race Course
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park
DaCosta has made a strong impact at Tampa Bay Downs his first three seasons. After winning 45 races during his first two meetings, he enjoyed his first top-five
finish during the 2014-2015 meeting, sending out 23 winners from only 85 starters. DaCosta‘s success should come as no surprise; his father, Wayne DaCosta,
is a 14-time leading trainer in Jamaica with more than 1,600 victories, and a member of the island nation‘s Racing Hall of Fame. Jason worked for his father for
almost five years at his Caymanas Park stable before coming to the United States. He says not to underestimate the quality of racing in Jamaica, nor the passion
of horsemen and fans. ―On race days, you see guys with a transistor radio pressed to their ear, the stands are packed and there are off-track betting parlors everywhere,‖ he said. He credits his father with teaching him to be a hands-on conditioner and not to cut corners in the horses‘ preparation and care.
His first career stakes winner was Silver Cloud, who won the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Calder. A substantial portion of DaCosta‘s success can be traced to
jockey Fernando De La Cruz; the two have been a top Oldsmar combination three meetings in a row. As his successes continue to mount, DaCosta seems certain to make a name for himself while continuing the family legacy of excellence on the racetrack.
42
TRAINER PROFILES
Arnaud Delacour
Born: April 7, 1975
Birthplace: Lisieux, France
Residence: Elkton, Maryland
Family: Wife, Leigh; sons, Luca and Julien
Started Training: 2013, Pimlico
First Win: Country Lyric, Pimlico
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park, Pimlico, Laurel, Penn National
Delacour‘s rapid ascent in the training ranks continued in 2015 with Lael Stables‘ 3-year-old Tapit son Divining Rod, who made a strong early impression at
Tampa Bay Downs by finishing second in the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes and third in the Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. In his next start,
the colt stamped himself as a Triple Crown candidate by winning the Grade III Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. He then overcame a pre-race deluge to
finish third in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes, won by American Pharoah, and added third-place efforts in the Ohio Derby and Grade II Indiana Derby.
Delacour is the husband of trainer Leigh Delacour, who tied for 10th in the Tampa Bay Downs standings during the 2012-2013 meeting with 16 winners. After the
birth of their son Luca in August of 2012, the couple began to plan for Arnaud to take over the conditioning duties on a full-time basis. Arnaud was sixth in last
season‘s Tampa Bay Downs standings with 18 victories. The Delacours keep their horses at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland during the summer, enabling
them to ship in to a variety of mid-Atlantic tracks. Arnaud worked as an assistant to Alain de Royer-Dupre in France and was an exercise rider for Christophe
Clement. Another top horse trained by Delacour for Lael Stables is the 6-year-old graded-stakes winning mare Ageless, who finished a fast-closing fourth in the
2014 Breeders‘ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita. She was one of the top favorites for the 2015 Breeders‘ Cup Turf Sprint before suffering an injury in her dramatic
victory in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland over eventual Cup runner-up Lady Shipman. Ageless is a two-time Grade III winner.
Chris Gatis
Born: January 2, 1960
Birthplace: Agrinio, Greece
Residence: Palm City, FL
Family:Daughter, Mandy; son, Dino; granddaughter, Adriana; grandson, Mason
Started Training: 2003, Tampa Bay Downs
First Win: 2004, Tampa Bay Downs
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West, Gulfstream
Gatis first became interested in Thoroughbred racing while growing up in South Africa, attending such tracks as The Vaal and Turffontein. Still, he was a relative
novice when he moved to Tarpon Springs, Fla., about 15 miles from Tampa Bay Downs, in 1989. A tropical bird merchant who raised, bought and sold various
species of parrots, he started out in the racing business as an owner with only five horses, but by observing the daily goings-on he proved a quick study, winning
the 1999-2000 Oldsmar owners‘ crown. One of his first claims was a then-7-year-old mare named Corinas Poise, who won six races at Tampa Bay Downs in a
12-week span in 2001. Gatis transitioned to training in 2003 and has saddled about 350 winners, tying for seventh place in the 2014-2015 Tampa Bay Downs
standings with 15 victories. His best horse probably was Tale of a Champion, which he sent out to win his first career start as a 4-year-old in 2012 at Gulfstream
Park. Recognizing his potential, Gatis and partner Chester Bishop purchased Tale of a Champion, who won three of his next four starts, including the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Stakes at Calder. Gatis and Bishop sold Tale of a Champion privately after that race to West Coast connections, and the following year he won
the Grade II Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park and competed in that fall‘s Breeders‘ Cup Turf.
43
TRAINER PROFILES
Aldana Gonzalez
Born: July 19, 1978
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Fiance, Scott Spieth; father, Raul; mother, Mirta; aunt, Blanca Gonzalez
First Win: Soap Sudz, 2006, Meadowlands
Started Training: 2006, Meadowlands
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Delaware Park
Gonzalez enjoyed a strong season at Tampa Bay Downs in 2014-2015, winning 13 races while training primarily for Canadian homebuilder
Bruno Schickedanz. She followed her Oldsmar success last summer by sending out 16 winners at Delaware Park, good for a tie for sixth in the
final standings. Gonzalez came to the United States in 2002, working first as a hotwalker for her aunt Blanca, a jockey-turned-trainer. Gonzalez‘s
ambition was to become a trainer, and she went to work as an assistant for trainer Tom Skiffington, who put her in charge of his shed row at
Palm Beach Downs in south Florida. After working for Skiffington and briefly training on her own, Gonzalez worked as an assistant under Tampa
Bay Downs veterinarian David Skand. ―I learned a lot from him about understanding a horse‘s body, their conformation, soundness and medications, and I also got to see what a lot of other trainers did to get a horse ready,‖ she said.
In 2007, Gonzalez accepted a job as an assistant under Joan Scott, staying with the Grade I-winning conditioner for five years. She credits Scott
with helping to sharpen her management and organizational skills, and when the time came to open her own stable, she knew she was ready.
Gonzalez studied psychology for three years at the University of Buenos Aires before coming to the United States. She is in a relationship with
jockey Scott Spieth, whom she calls her best friend and her soul mate.
Anthony Granitz
Born: October 25, 1963
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
Residence: Lemont, Illinois; Safety Harbor, FL
Family: Wife, Joy; daughters, Tiffanie, Taylor and Eve
First win: 1984, Balmoral Park
Started Training: Illinois, 1983
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington International, Indiana Grand, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Parx, Woodbine
Granitz began 2015 with a career milestone, sending out the 4-year-old gelding Wedding Savior for career victory No. 1,000 at the Oldsmar oval
on Jan. 4. He dedicated the victory to his father, Chris Granitz, who introduced him to Thoroughbred racing by taking him to Arlington Park in Chicago when he was 13. That summer, the elder Granitz helped Anthony get a job at Arlington Park working for friends, and he has been involved
in the sport ever since. He was an assistant to his brother, Chris Granitz, Jr., before Chris took a job with the railroad and Anthony took over the
stable. Granitz sends many of his young horses to Ocala to be broken by Chad Stewart before they return to the racetrack. Earlier this year, In
2014, Granitz‘s then-5-year-old, Tell All You Know, won the Honor the Hero Stakes at Canterbury Park. Among his best horses are multiplestakes winner Darley Dancer, an Illinois-bred who earned more than $500,000 racing in the early to mid-1990s; False Promises, who won the
Grade III Hawthorne Derby in 2003; and Coni Bug, an Illinois-bred champion winner of the 1992 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs.
44
TRAINER PROFILES
Eoin Harty
Born: November 23, 1962
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Residence: Arcadia, CA
Family: Wife, Kathy; son, Eddie
Started Training: 2000, West Coast
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, southern California
Harty is a fourth-generation horseman. His great-grandfather began his racing career in Ireland in 1880, working as both a jockey and a trainer. Eoin‘s grandfather Cyril trained Knight‘s Crest, winner of the 1944 Irish Grand National. His father, Eddie, was an accomplished equestrian who competed in the 1960 Olympic
Games in Rome and later won the Grand National Steeplechase as a jockey. Eoin Harty moved to the United States at 17 after working for one year at the Irish
National Stud. He spent 14 years as an assistant trainer in southern California, first with John Russell, then with Bob Baffert. Harty was part of the Baffert team
when Silver Charm and Real Quiet won the Kentucky Derby back-to-back in 1997 and 1998. Harty trained Tempera, who won the 2001 Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile
Fillies and was recognized after the season with an Eclipse Award. He also trained the Juvenile Fillies runner-up, Imperial Gesture. Harty earned the richest victory of his career when his Well Armed won the $6-million Dubai World Cup by a record 14 lengths in 2009. That followed an amazing 2008 season when he
trained the winners of seven graded stakes, including Well Armed in the Goodwood and Colonel John in the Santa Anita Derby and Travers. Other Grade I winners for Harty include Victor‘s Cry and Dubai Escapade. The Hartys met in 1986 when Kathy was exercising horses for John Russell.
Sandino R. Hernandez, Jr.
Born: August 8, 1972
Birthplace: Queens, N.Y.
Residence: Pembroke Pines, FL
Family: Sons, Brian and Alex
First Win: Monetary Justice, 1999, Aqueduct
Started Training: 1998, Aqueduct
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West, Gulfstream
Hernandez took the Oldsmar oval by storm last season, saddling 24 winners from a mere 70 starters to finish fourth in the trainer standings. He also helped his
primary client, Dennis Amaty (Amaty Racing Stables, Inc.) tie Midwest Thoroughbreds for the owners‘ crown with 23 victories apiece. Hernandez and Amaty attended Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, N.Y., together, and they have teamed to be one of the top owner-trainer combinations at the track. Among their
top horses last season were the stakes-winning filly Nesso; Unstoppable U, a gelding who competed in the 2012 Belmont Stakes; and Grey by You, who won the
Oldsmar Cup in April.
Sandino Hernandez, Sr., his father, rode and trained for many years and exercised horses for his son into his 60s. He lives in New York. Sandino‘s cousin is former New York jockey Ruben Hernandez, who rode Coastal to victory in the 1979 Belmont Stakes to derail Spectacular Bid‘s Triple Crown hopes. As boys, Hernandez and Amaty attended the races together. Hernandez went to work after graduation for New York trainer Phil Serpe and credits him for teaching him how to
run a stable. But it is his father, who lives in Elmont, N.Y., whom he keeps returning to for lessons. ―The one thing my father always taught me is that you need
dedication to be successful. He taught me to keep an eye on every horse in the barn and how to read them. That, and also to try to keep them happy,‖ the
younger Hernandez said. ―They will tell you how they‘re doing, and that‘s how you make the decision whether to go forward with a horse or back off its training.‖
45
TRAINER PROFILES
David Hinsley
Born: August 25, 1948
Birthplace: Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Wife, Sharon
Started Training: 1985, Sportsman‘s Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington, Hawthorne, Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Indiana Grand, Ellis Park
Hinsley has been managing Hinsley Racing Stable for 30 years. He began his career at 16 as a jockey in Australia, two years after his parents moved ―Down
Under‖ from Canada. After their return, Hinsley worked helping Spendthrift Farm prepare young horses for their introduction to racing before becoming assistant
trainer to W.H. ―Jinks‖ Fires for 10 years. Hinsley opened his own stable in 1986, the same year he and Sharon, also an assistant trainer, were married. A handson trainer, Hinsley views each horse on its own terms and is comfortable working with any kind of horse. Hinsley trained Rumor Has It to win the Grade III Kentucky Cup Turf Stakes in 2008; the 14-year-old gelding still lives at the track in its barn for winners of that event. Last year at Tampa Bay Downs, the Hinsleys
won the Minaret Stakes with their 5-year-old mare You Bought Her, owned in partnership with Richard Perkins. You Bought Her was a 16-1 shot, but the real
reward for the Hinsleys came in bringing her back from a fall in the Grade III Arlington-Washington Lassie as a 2-year-old. She did not win again until March of
her 4-year-old season at Tampa Bay Downs. The Hinsleys race at Arlington and Hawthorne in Illinois during the summer and early fall.
Jamie Ness
Born: October 29, 1974
Birthplace: Heron, South Dakota
Residence: Odessa, FL
Family: Wife, Mandy; daughters, Hannah, Emma and Jessy Smith
Started Training: 2000, Canterbury Park
First Win: 2000, Blue Rocket, Canterbury Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream, Laurel, Penn National, Pimlico, Aqueduct, Presque Isle Downs, Monmouth, Delaware
The soft-spoken Ness has won the track‘s training title each of the last nine seasons, sharing the No. 1 spot with Kathleen O‘Connell during the 2009-10 meeting
and with Gerald Bennett in 2010-11. His best year came in 2012, when Ness led all North American conditioners with 395 victories. He had finished second in
2011 and 2010 with 330 and 291, respectively, and was again in the top five at the outset of the current meeting. Ness wrapped up his most recent Oldsmar title
in style by winning 28 races from his last 68 starters to overtake Bennett for the title with 46 victories. The Oldsmar crown was one of four track training titles won
in 2015 by Ness, who also finished atop the standings at Pimlico, Delaware and Meadowlands. Ness set a Tampa Bay Downs record during the 2011-2012
meeting with 79 victories. The majority of his runners over the years have been owned by Rich and Karen Papiese‘s Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Ness and his
wife Mandy own about a dozen under their own Jagger, Inc., name, in addition to the 70 or so they train for Midwest and other clients. The Jagger horses include
5-year-old gelding Oak Bluffs, who won the My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth last summer. In November of 2013, Ness earned his 2,000th career victory at
Laurel Park with 6-year-old gelding Caylee‘s Song. He was approaching 2,400 victories and his horses had career earnings of more than $35 million at the resumption of the meeting. One of his biggest success story was multiple Tampa Bay Downs stakes winner Lookinforthesecret. Ness claimed Lookinforthesecret
for $12,500 at the beginning of the 2006-07 Tampa Bay Downs meet, and within five starts moved the gelding to stakes company. Ness also won the 2011 Pelican Stakes for Midwest. with See I A. and won the Florida Cup Sprint with Sneaking Uponyou in 2011 and 2014. ―My father was a trainer, and I grew up in the
summers going to tracks with him to work. Racing got into my blood at an early age.‖ Mandy is also a trainer and a former jockey.
46
TRAINER PROFILES
Kathleen O’Connell
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Residence: Davie, FL
Family: Single
Started training: early 1980s, Detroit Race Course
First Win: Kim‘s Lucky Spot, Detroit Race Course
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West. Gulfstream
O‘Connell‘s national profile skyrocketed throughout 2015 via the accomplishments of her 3-year-old filly Lady Shipman, who finished second by a neck to Mongolian Saturday in the Twinspires Breeders‘ Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland. Lady Shipman‘s 8-for-12 career mark through that runner-up effort against older males
included six stakes and a pair of course records, including one at Saratoga on the turf in the five-and-a-half furlong Smart N Fancy Stakes. When O‘Connell saddled 43-1 shot Watch Me Go to win the 2011 Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby for her long-time client, Florida owner-breeder Gilbert Campbell, it was one of
the most popular outcomes in track history. O‘Connell treats everyone with kindness, and her work ethic is an example to any young trainer making their way.
O‘Connell begins the current meeting with more than 1,750 career victories, and she has won two training titles at Tampa Bay Downs and the 2009-10 title at
Calder, making her the first woman to capture the crown at the south Florida track. O‘Connell gained national recognition in 2013 as the trainer of the 2-year-old
filly Scandalous Act, who swept the Florida Stallion Stakes series for fillies en route to a berth in the Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
O'Connell began her training career in her native Michigan, but has been competing in Florida since 1985. O‘Connell counts millionaire Blazing Sword among her
trainees; Blazing Sword captured two divisions of the 1996 Florida Stallion Stakes, the Grade II Washington Handicap and the Calder Derby. Besides Blazing
Sword, O'Connell has trained such stakes performers as Shananie's Beat, Lindsay Lane, Shan's Ready, Shananie's Finale, Sheer Bliss and Bettarun Fast. Her
2002 juvenile filly Ivanavinalot won two Florida Stallion Stakes series races, including a record-setting 13 3/4-length win in the My Dear Girl Stakes.
Tom Proctor
Born: April 21, 1956
Birthplace: Gilmer, TX
Residence: Louisville, KY
Family: Wife, Laura; son, Will; daughter, Heather
Started training: 1978, Hollywood Park
First Win: 1978, I‘m Smokin, Hollywood Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Arlington International, Del Mar, Santa Anita, Gulfstream, Churchill Downs, Keenaland
The Grade I hits keep coming for Proctor, who won the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont last summer with Include Betty, who broke her maiden here last winter.
Include Betty went on to win the Suncoast Stakes here and the Grade III Fantasy at Oaklawn before her Mother Goose score for Proctor and owners Brereton C.
Jones and Timothy C. Thornton. With 40 victories from 163 starters the past two seasons, Proctor has been as successful as any trainer on the Oldsmar backstretch. He won the Florida Cup Turf Classic for the second year in a row with Old Time Hockey for major client Glen Hill Farm. Proctor and Glen Hill teamed up
on Thanksgiving weekend at Del Mar to win two graded stakes with homebreds, capturing the Grade I Hollywood Derby with 14-1shot Chiropractor and the
Grade III Jimmy Durante Stakes with 37-1 shot Family Meeting. The Proctor barn has been a model of consistency since he began his training career. He conditioned Glen Hill‘s homebred One Dreamer, the 47-1 long shot winner of the 1994 $1 million Breeders‘ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. One Dreamer won 12 of 25
career starts and earned $1,265,967. She scored six other stakes wins in addition to the BC Distaff. Proctor trained Marketing Mix, a multiple-Grade I winner
who finished second in the 2012 Breeders‘ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Proctor is a son of the late Willard Proctor, who trained such stakes winners as Convenience,
Gallant Romeo and Major Impact. Thomas Proctor considers I‘m Smokin one of his best horses: the California-bred won 14 of 44 career starts, including three
stakes. One of the conditioner‘s favorite horses was House Account, a horse he trained in the 1980s who won his first race here. After breaking his maiden,
House Account went on to win the Tampa Bay Juvenile as well as the Sam F. Davis Stakes.
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TRAINER PROFILES
Bernell Rhone
Born: April 17, 1949
Birthplace: Harvey, North Dakota
Residence: Oldsmar, FL
Family: Daughter, LeAnn; son, Scott; two granddaughters
First Win: Brown County Fair, Aberdeen, South Dakota (Villa‘s Jet)
Started Training: Marquis Downs, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Canterbury Park
Bernell Rhone knows about getting on a hot streak. On Aug. 14, 2003 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., Rhone saddled six winners from seven starters. ―I
thought my first one was my best shot, and when it ran fourth or fifth I said to myself, ‗It‘s going to be a long night,‘ ‖ Rhone recalls. It was actually much longer
than he expected. ―I couldn‘t even sleep that night,‖ says Rhone, a member of Canterbury Park‘s Hall of Fame. ―The only thing I regret is, I didn‘t buy a lottery
ticket.‖ Rhone has accumulated more than 1,300 career victories. He had another outstanding summer at Canterbury, saddling 27 winners to tie for fourth in the
standings. Rhone is a former social studies teacher and guidance counselor with a Master‘s degree in counseling. Some of his other top runners include multiplestakes winner Dontbotherknocking, a Farma Way gelding who won more than $700,000; Indiana-bred gelding Heza Wild Guy, who won eight stakes, 30 races
overall and more than $650,000; Minnesota-bred multiple-stakes winning distaffer Dot‘s Moment; and Game N Laughin,‘ who won the 2008 Lightning City Stakes
at Tampa Bay Downs as a 5-year-old mare at odds of 29-1. Rhone won five consecutive races at Tampa Bay Downs three seasons ago with 8-year-old gelding
Gold Brew, a former $5,000 claimer.
Derek Ryan
Born: Sept. 22, 1966
Birthplace: Tipperary, Ireland
Residence: Eatontown, New Jersey
Family: Son, Christopher
First Win: Gulfstream Park, 1996 (Moosethegoose)
Started Training: Gulfstream Park, 1995
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Monmouth Park, New York, Parx, Laurel
Last December, Ryan unveiled a speedy 2-year-old filly named Irish Jasper that won the Gasparilla Stakes in record time of 1:22.41 for seven furlongs. Subsequent victories as a 3-year-old in the Belle Harbor Stakes at Aqueduct, the Grade III Adena Springs Miss Preakness at Pimlico and the Grade III Victory Ride
Stakes at Belmont followed before Ryan sold the filly to W.S. Farish and David F. Mackie. It was not the first time Ryan traveled to the Big Apple with a gradedstakes standout. He vaulted to prominence in the spring of 2009 by saddling Musket Man for a victory in the then-Grade III Tampa Bay Derby for owners Eric
Fein and Vic Carlson. Musket Man, who had won the Pasco Stakes earlier in the meeting, later captured the Grade II Illinois Derby and finished third in both the
Kentucky Derby and Preakness. As a 4-year-old, Musket Man won the Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and finished second in a pair of major Grade I stakes,
the Carter Handicap and the Metropolitan Handicap, as well as finishing third in the Grade I Whitney at Saratoga.
One of eight siblings, Ryan became interested in horses at an early age. ―I began riding ponies as a little kid, and things just progressed from there,‖ he recalls.
Ryan galloped horses in Europe for trainers Criquette Head, Tommy Stack and Barney Curley. After coming to the United States in 1989, he became a freelance exercise rider and galloped for Hall of Fame trainer William Mott, Phil Johnson, Joseph Orseno and Richard DeStasio. Ryan set out on his own in 1995 and
shortly afterward won his first stakes race with Java Nagila, a former $12,500 claimer. His first graded stakes victory came in the 2002 Jersey Derby with 55-1
shot Emergency Status.
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TRAINER PROFILES
Joan Scott
Born: January 30, 1967
Birthplace: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Residence: Lexington, Ky., and Tampa, FL
Family: Mother; brothers, Chris and Steve
Started training: Hoosier Park, 2000
First Win: Hoosier Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Keeneland, Indiana Grand, Presque Isle Downs, Churchill Downs, Woodbine, ThistleDown
Scott is the conditioner of the gelding Ancil, who set a Tampa Bay Downs turf-course record of 54.88 seconds for five furlongs (since lowered by
Bold Thunder to 54.63) in winning the $100,000 Turf Dash Stakes in 2014. The victory earned Ancil an invitation to Royal Ascot in England for
the King‘s Stand Stakes and although he finished off the board, the trip was a thrill for Scott and another indication of her training prowess. Before branching out on her own, Scott toured the world working such prestigious sales as Deauville in France and Newmarket in England, as well
as exercising and breaking yearlings for top outfits like Juddmonte Farms, Fares Farm, Ashleigh Stud, England‘s Stowell Hill Farm and Haras du
Quesnay.
Scott, who sent out 10 winners from only 46 starters during the 2014-15 Tampa Bay Downs meeting, conditioned stakes winner Ruler of Love,
who finished second in the Grade II West Virginia Derby and Grade II Super Derby in 2013. Another Scott trainee, the 5-year-old mare Cor Cor,
was a multiple stakes winner, including the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs as a 2-year-old. Scott trained Dr. Zic to win the Grade I Vinery Madison at Keeneland in 2010. The filly had won the 2008 Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Scott also won the Grade II Kelso Breeders‘ Cup Handicap in 2003 with Freefourinternet and the Grade III Ontario Colleen in 2014 with Speed Seeker. Before going out on her own in
2002, Scott galloped for and/or assisted many top trainers, including Bud Delp, Elliott Walden, Carl Nafzger and Nick Zito. She was with Zito
when he had such stakes stars as Acceptable, Louis Quatorze, Love That Jazz, Diligence and Storm Song. ―That‘s a lot of fun,‖ she said. ―It‘s
like having your own kindergarten class. It‘s a great feeling when you see the light come on and off they go.‖ Scott loves the effect Tampa Bay
Downs has on her stable and is always among the first arrivals.
Chad Stewart
Born: October 25, 1964
Birthplace: Wisner, Nebraska
Residence: Ocala, FL
Family: Wife, Dr. Laurie Stewart; sons, Christian, Zackary and Jacob
First win: Atokad Park, 1984 (Bobadodadee)
Started Training: Atokad Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream
Stewart entered exclusive company in 2015 when he captured his first graded stakes victory with the 6-year-old gelding Rerun in the Grade III Miami Mile Stakes
at Gulfstream, but his most impressive effort may have come with his 3-year-old colt, Catalina Red. The Florida-bred set a stakes record of 1:09.32 for the sixfurlong Inaugural as a 2-year-old, then bettered that by winning the Pasco Stakes as a 3-year-old in track-record time of 1:21.40 for seven furlongs. Stewart grew
up on a crop farm in the ―metropolis of Wisner,‖ a town of about 350 folks 90 miles northwest of Omaha. His family moved to Arkansas when he was 13 and he
started hot-walking horses and galloping at a nearby training center. By the early 1980s, Stewart was getting on 12-to-15 head a day at Park Jefferson at South
Dakota and making $40-$50 a day. ―I thought, ‗I‘m rolling now,‘ ― he recalls.
Stewart lives in Ocala with his family (wife Laurie is a veterinarian) at their 94-acre Grace Full Oaks Farm, where the Thoroughbred population ranges anywhere
49
from 70 to 120 or so horses. He ships in his runners to Tampa Bay Downs. In addition
to running his own stable, Stewart breaks dozens of horses annually, preparing them for the races before sending them to such successful trainers as Chris Block, Anthony Granitz, Diane Alvarado and Peter Walder. Stewart trained
Don‘ttalktome for client World Thoroughbreds Racing, Inc.; her victory in the 2011 Connie Ann Stakes at Calder came at the expense of subsequent Eclipse
Award champion Musical Romance. The Stewarts bred Tightend Touchdown, who dead-heated for second in the 2013 Geico Breeders‘ Cup Turf Sprint.
TRAINER PROFILES
Monte Thomas
Born: September 25, 1944
Birthplace: Swedesboro, N.J.
Residence: Citra, FL
Family: Wife, Cathy; daughter, Erica Ruygrok
First Win: Don Guillermo, 1970
Started Training: 1970, Charles Town
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West, Gulfstream
Thomas, who still ships in horses from his Ups & Downs Farm in Citra, Fla., has kept 10 stalls at Tampa Bay Downs the last four seasons. He
raises his young horses at the farm with his wife, Cathy, and their daughter, Erica. Their days are spent managing the 20 or so horses they have
in training, along with three stallions, seven or eight broodmares and clients‘ horses being freshened for a return to competition. Their stallion
roster includes their own Hello Broadway, second in the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes in 2009; stakes winner and graded-stakes placed Forty
Grams; and Mount McKinley. Hello Broadway is the sire of the family‘s My Sweet Dove, who won the 2013 Sandpiper Stakes here as a 2-yearold. Cathy and Erica also teach retired Thoroughbreds to transition to careers as dressage horses. Another key cog in the operation is track assistant Pedro Alarcon, who manages the horses at the track when Thomas is at the farm. ―I like to try to put them (his horses) where they will be
competitive, because it helps their courage not to get beaten badly the first few times they run,‖ Thomas said. ―As long as you are consistent with
whatever your plan is, it can work if you stay with it.‖ The Thomas planned worked last season by producing 12 winners from 52 starters.
Dennis Ward
Born: August 25, 1946
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Jeanne; son, Wesley; grandsons, Riley and Jack; granddaughter, Denae
First Win: Portland Meadows, early-1970s (Yes Father)
Started Training: Portland Meadows
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream
Ward has been involved in racing for more than a half-century, first earning recognition as a top apprentice jockey in 1962 at Longacres in Washington state and enjoying success in New York and on the East Coast. But in recent years, he has gained considerable acclaim as the father of
top trainer Wesley Ward, who won two Breeders‘ Cup races at Santa Anita in 2014. With Wesley staying home in Florida to attend a son‘s crosscountry meet, Dennis Ward received enough face time during the Breeders‘ Cup to be nominated for an Emmy Award. The elder Ward picked up
the hardware after victories by Hootenanny in the Juvenile Turf and Judy the Beauty in the Filly & Mare Sprint — not to mention two seconds and
a third. Dennis Ward groomed his son to follow in his footsteps, and Wesley Ward won an Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in
1984. Dennis Ward has also had a hand in helping tutor three other Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockeys: Dale Beckner (1994), Ariel Smith
(1999) and Christian Santiago Reyes (2009). Wesley was 16 when he won the Eclipse, winning 335 races. In 2009, he became the first American trainer to win a race at the Royal Ascot meeting in England; he saddled Strike the Tiger and Jealous Again on successive days with his
proud father in attendance. ―It is the greatest experience I‘ve ever had at a racetrack,‖ Dennis Ward said. As a trainer, the elder Ward has saddled more than 900 winners.
50
TRAINER PROFILES
Ian Wilkes
Born: May 25, 1965
Birthplace: Muswellbrook, New South Wales, Australia
Residence: Louisville, Kentucky
Family: Wife, Tracey; children, Shelby and Brodie
Started Training: 2005
First winner: 2006, Gulfstream
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Churchill Downs, Saratoga
Wilkes engineered one of the most masterful training feats in memory in 2012 with Breeders‘ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned, the then-4-year-old
colt he conditioned for breeder-owner Janis Whitham. On March 3, Fort Larned won the Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for his first
added-money triumph. Eight months later — after subsequent victories in the Grade III Skip Away, the Grade III Cornhusker Handicap and the
Grade I Whitney Invitational at Saratoga — Wilkes led Fort Larned and jockey Brian Hernandez into the Santa Anita winner‘s circle following their
hard-earned triumph in the $5-million Classic. Other Grade I winners for Wilkes include Capt. Candyman Can and Warrior‘s Reward. Wilkes grew
up working on a dairy farm in New South Wales, becoming a groom and exercise rider at 16. He worked in the stables of Australian trainers Paul
Sutherland, Vic Thompson, Jr. and Colin Hayes before arriving stateside to work for Carl Nafzger in 1989. Wilkes' timing couldn't have been better: He galloped Unbridled, who won both the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic for Nafzger. After returning to Australia for three
years, Wilkes rejoined Nafzger in 1993 and played a key role in the development of Nafzger's second Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, the
Tampa Bay Derby winner who was the first horse to pull off the Breeders' Cup Juvenile-Derby double in 2006 and 2007.
Joe Woodard
Born: March 22, 1968
Birthplace: Louisville, KY
Residence: Louisville, KY
Family: Son, Austin; daughter, Caitlin
Started Training: Churchill Downs, 1992
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Keeneland, Churchill Downs, Belterra Park, Mountaineer, ThistleDown
Woodard was among the top trainers at the Oldsmar oval last season, winning 13 races, but he was virtually unstoppable at Belterra Park in Cincinnati. He won the training championship by sending out 40 winners from 115 starters, a red-hot 35-percent clip. Woodard was attending the
University of Louisville more than 20 years ago while pursuing a degree in criminal justice when he decided to purchase a handful of claiming
horses. He received his professional trainer‘s license in 1992 and has never looked back. Woodard trains primarily for the ownership group of
Louisville automobile dealer Billy Hays, his wife Donna and their son Justin, who have been among the leading owners in wins in North America
the last several years. They teamed for a victory in last season‘s Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with 7-year-old Star Harbour. The partnership began in 1998, when the Hayses sent Woodard a gelding named Gnarl who raced 140 times over an 11-year span. Woodard is rapidly approaching the 1,500-mark in career victories, including 254 in 2010 and 204 the following year. Woodard set a Churchill Downs track record in
2005 by saddling 10 consecutive winners. Some of the top horses he has trained for the Hays family include the gelding Slider, who was second
to Medaglia d‘Oro in the 2003 Grade II Oaklawn Handicap; stakes winner Art Fair, who competed in the 2002 Kentucky Oaks; and the multiplestakes winning horse, Winning Connection.
51
OWNER PROFILES
The lush, immaculate turf course is an attraction for top horsemen across North America
52
OWNER PROFILES
Amaty Racing Stables
Owner: Dennis Amaty
Born: November 17, 1971
Birthplace: Elmont, New York
Residence: Lake Worth, FL
Tampa Trainers: Greg Griffith, Sandino Hernandez
With a chance to claim a share of the 2014-2015 owners‘ title at Tampa Bay Downs, Dennis Amaty took a calculated risk by dropping his 4-year-old
gelding Bennie Y Benny to the $5,000 claiming level on June 30, the final day of the meeting. The victory enabled Amaty Racing Stables to tie perennial
champion Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., atop the final standings with 23 victories apiece, and Bennie Y Benny was not claimed from the race. Amaty is
the owner of Broward Aviation Services, which buys airplanes and resells parts back to the airline industry. He and trainer Sandino R. Hernandez, Jr.,
are boyhood friends, with Hernandez having trained horses for more than 20 years. In June of 2013 at Calder, Amaty claimed a 2-year-old filly, Nesso,
for $25,000 through trainer Herman Wilensky. Amaty sent her to the West Coast, hoping to make a profit by selling her, but his plans quickly changed.
Nesso placed second in stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita and competed in the Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Two months later, Nesso captured
the $100,000 Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs for newly-turned 3-year-old fillies.
Amaty, who has owned Thoroughbreds for 14 years, used to dabble in pinhooking, but now he primarily claims to race, looking for future standouts such
as Nesso. Amaty owns the retired mare Capitalism At Risk, who won 18 times in her career, including the 2013 U Can Do It Handicap at Calder. Amaty
keeps about 15 horses in training at Tampa Bay Downs. Amaty Racing Stables won 23 races from 65 starts during the 2014-2015 meeting, with an outstanding 72-percent finishing in the money.
Averill Racing LLC
Owner: Rich Averill
Born: October 24, 1975
Birthplace: Bradenton, FL
Residence: Bradenton, FL
First winner: Fun n‘ Gun, 2002, Tampa Bay Downs
Family: Son, Richie; daughter, Kinsley; fiancée, Annie
Tampa Trainer: Gerald Bennett
Averill has wasted little time becoming a major force in Florida racing and beyond. The owner of Rich Averill Masonry, a masonry and concrete subcontracting company in nearby Bradenton, was a major player on the national scene in 2005 with his 3-year-old filly R Lady Joy. After winning the Florida
Oaks on the main Tampa Bay Downs dirt surface, she strung together four consecutive in-the-money efforts in major graded stakes, highlighted by a
victory in the Grade II Delaware Oaks. She capped her run by finishing third in the historic Grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. Averill enjoyed another
huge thrill at the Spa in July of 2014 when his mare R Free Roll won the Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap, one of three consecutive stakes victories. R
Free Roll is a daughter of Jewels N Gems, who won a pair of stakes for Averill, including the 2006 Lightning City at Tampa Bay Downs. Other top Averillowned horses include Paradise Dancer, who won the Grade III Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap at Calder in 2007; stakes winner and stakes-placed Rgirldoesn‘tbluff; and R Sassy Lass, who won both the Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies and the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes as a 3year-old at the Oldsmar oval last season. Averill seeks to spread his enjoyment of racing by bringing in new partners and also competes on a regular
basis in south Florida.
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OWNER PROFILES
Gilbert G. Campbell
Owner: Gilbert G. Campbell
Residence: Tyngsboro, MA
Family: Wife, Marilyn; son, Gary; daughter, Susan; five grandchildren
Farm Location: Williston, FL
Tampa Trainer: Kathleen O‘Connell
Campbell is a real estate developer in Lowell, Mass. He has been involved in the Thoroughbred industry since 1982 and has bred or raced more than 50
stakes winners, including 1996 Arlington Million winner Marlin, Blazing Sword and Ivanavinalot. Campbell owns Stonehedge Farm South in Williston,
Fla., where he stands Big Bad Bernie, Factum and Revolving. The Campbells — Gilbert and his wife, Marilyn — have formed a highly successful partnership with two-time leading Tampa Bay Downs trainer Kathleen O‘Connell. Their homebred filly, Scandalous Act, competed in the 2013 Breeders‘ Cup
Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita after sweeping all three races of the Florida Stallion Stakes series for fillies. Campbell bred and owned Watch Me Go, the
2011 Tampa Bay Derby winner who ran in that year‘s Kentucky Derby.
In 1997, Campbell was honored as Outstanding Owner/Breeder of the Year in the nation by Thoroughbred Owners‘ and Breeders‘ Association and Florida Breeder of the Year by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders‘ and Owners‘ Association. In 1988, Campbell purchased Waldemar Farm in Williston and
renamed it Stonehedge Farm South. It is one of the premier full-service farms in Florida for breeding, training and breaking horses. Campbell keeps
about 200 horses at the farm, including stallions, broodmares, weanlings, yearlings and lay-ups, and another 20-30 at the track. Campbell serves on the
Florida Thoroughbred Breeders‘ and Owners‘ Association Board of Directors.
Glen Hill Farm
Owner: Leonard H. Lavin
Born: October 29, 1919
Birthplace: Chicago, IL
Residence: Glencoe, IL
Family: Wife, Bernice; daughters, Carol and Karen; son, Scott (deceased)
Farm Location: Ocala, FL
Tampa Trainer: Tom Proctor
Glen Hill teamed with trainer Tom Proctor for a memorable day of championship racing at Del Mar on Nov. 28, capturing a pair of graded stakes
with farm homebreds: Chiropractor, a 14-1 shot, in the Grade I Hollywood Derby, and Family Meeting, a 37-1 shot, in the Grade III Jimmy Durante Stakes. Leonard H. Lavin, founder of the Alberto-Culver hair-care products company, has won awards and honors for his philanthropic,
civic and business endeavors. Lavin received the 1994 Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association‘s Florida Breeder of the Year award and
is the author of a book entitled Winners Make It Happen: Reflections of a Self-Made Man. During World War II, he served four years of sea duty
and participated in nine invasions. In the late 1960s, the 96-year-old Lavin purchased the former Greentree Stud Property near Ocala to serve as
Glen Hill‘s 400-acre breeding operation. Lavin‘s top horses include Relaunch, a top turf runner in 1979-80 who stodd for years as the farm‘s preeminent sire. He often passed on his striking roan coat to his offspring. Relaunch sired numerous stakes winners, including 1994 Breeders‘ Cup
Distaff winner One Dreamer, a 47-1 long shot. Lavin recently turned over the day-to-day operation of Glen Hill to his grandson, Craig Bernick.
Glen Hill and trainer Thomas Proctor have a relationship that dates back more than 30 years. They campaigned Marketing Mix, a 5-year-old multiple-Grade I-winning mare who won more than $2 million in her career and was second in the 2012 Breeders‘ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Glen Hill
has won six Florida Cup Day races, including the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Tampa Turf Classic with Old Time Hockey.
54
OWNER PROFILES
Hays, Billy, Hays, Donna and Hays, Justin
Residence: Louisville, KY
First Winner: Gnarl, 1996, Turfway Park
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Churchill Downs, Belterra Park, ThistleDown, Mountaineer, Ellis Park, Keeneland
Prominent Louisville automobile dealer Billy Hays, his wife Donna and their son Justin have won more than two dozen owner titles at Belterra Park (formerly
River Downs) alone since entering the racing game. With more than 1,600 career victories, the Hays family has emerged as one of the sport‘s major forces. From
2010-2012, the Hayses finished second to Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., each year in victories, compiling a staggering 274 trips to the winner‘s circle in 2011.
The Hayses, who own a home in nearby Tierra Verde, Fla., finished third in the 2014-2015 Tampa Bay Downs standings with 13 victories. That included a triumph by their 7-year-old Star Harbour in the Pelican Stakes.
The Hays horses are trained by Joe Woodard; he and Billy Hays attended rival high schools while growing up in Louisville. Top runners for the Hays-Woodard
partnership over the years, in addition to Star Harbour, include the gelding Slider, who was second to Medaglia d‘Oro in the Grade II Oaklawn Handicap in 2003;
Art Fair, who competed in the 2002 Kentucky Oaks; and the multiple stakes-winning horse, Winning Connection. Billy Hays‘ father was also an automobile
dealer, and Billy has four Dodge dealerships and import stores in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
Jagger, Inc.
Owners: Jamie and Mandy Ness
Residence: Odessa, FL
Family: Daughters, Hannah, Emma and Jessy Smith
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream, Laurel, Penn National, Pimlico, Aqueduct, Presque Isle Downs, Monmouth, Delaware
Jamie Ness is primarily known for his training prowess, but the Jagger, Inc., operation of Ness and his wife Mandy has begun to make a
strong impact at Tampa Bay Downs and other racetracks. At Tampa Bay Downs, the Jagger success story goes back to the 2009-2010 meeting, when Ness sent
out the then-4-year-old gelding Sneaking Uponyou to win the Pelican Stakes against the likes of 2008 Tampa Bay Derby winner Big Truck. Later that season,
Sneaking Uponyou captured the Turf Dash Stakes (Ness also trained the runner-up, Probation Ready, for primary client Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.), and the
one-time claimer was even better as a 5-year-old, taking the Hilton Garden Inn Sprint on Florida Cup Day in (then) track-record time of 1:08.69 for six furlongs.
But the best was yet to come; three years later, Sneaking Uponyou again won the Florida Cup Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn & Suites Sprint, speeding the distance in 1:09.08, only .41 seconds off the track record.
The soft-spoken Ness has won the track‘s training title each of the last nine seasons, sharing the No. 1 spot with Kathleen O‘Connell during the 2009-10 meeting
and with Gerald Bennett in 2010-11. His best year came in 2012, when Ness led all North American conditioners with 395 victories. He had finished second in
2011 and 2010 with 330 and 291, respectively, and was again in the top five at the outset of the current meeting. Ness wrapped up his most recent Oldsmar title
in style by winning 28 races from his last 68 starters to overtake Bennett for the title.
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OWNER PROFILES
Kinsman Stable
Owner: The George M. Steinbrenner, III Family
Born: July 4, 1930; died July 13, 2010
Birthplace: Rocky River, OH
Family: Wife, Joan; children Hank, Jennifer, Jessica and Hal
Farm Location: Ocala, FL
Tampa Trainer: Greg Griffith
Kinsman Stable has become a powerhouse, much like the other holdings of ―The Boss‖ — George Steinbrenner III, the late owner of the New
York Yankees. Kinsman Stable maintains approximately 25 horses in training with such quality conditioners as Bill Mott and Nick Zito. Among
the stable‘s most notable runners is 2005 Wood Memorial winner Bellamy Road, who became the sixth Kentucky Derby starter for Kinsman Stable. Other Kinsman homebreds include Sweet Symphony (winner of the Grade I Alabama Stakes), Beacon Shine (Flash Stakes, a Grade III at
the time), and Diligence (winner of the 1997 rendition of the Grade II Tom Fool Handicap). Kinsman Stable has also had a presence at the
Breeders‘ Cup with 1996 Juvenile runner-up Acceptable. Other notable runners include Bellamy Road‘s sire Concerto, who won the 1997 Jim
Beam and Whirlaway Stakes and earned more than $1.3 million; and Tampa dominator Ebony Breeze, who won the Grade III Florida Oaks in
2003. Also worth mentioning is Yogi Berra, who broke his maiden in his career debut at Tampa Bay Downs last February for Jessica Steinbrenner‘s Bach Stables. Steinbrenner is best remembered as the Managing General Partner of the New York Yankees and was named Tampa‘s Citizen of the Year in 1998. No stranger to Florida racing, Steinbrenner owned Tampa Bay Downs (formerly known as Florida Downs) from 1980
through 1986..
Lambholm Stable
Owner: Roy S. Lerman
Born: September 6, 1943
Birthplace: New York City
Family: Wife, Shirley, son, Ethan
Farm Location: Ocala, FL
Tampa Trainer: Roy S. Lerman
Lambholm South owner Roy S. Lerman has been involved with Thoroughbreds as an owner, breeder and trainer for more than 35 years. In the
spring of 2000, he purchased the late Allen Paulson‘s Ocala-based Brookside Farms South, renaming the operation Lambholm South. Five years
later, he purchased historic 1,800-acre Hobeau Farm, expanding Lambholm South‘s holdings. Trainer/General Manager Junior Serna, who
moved to Ocala in 1977, has overseen a training program that has produced such national champions as Slew o‘ Gold, Personal Ensign, Epitome, Flawlessly, Azeri and Speightstown.
The Lambholm South name is also familiar to Tampa Bay Downs fans because of its sponsorship of major race-day events. The Lambholm
South Tampa Bay Derby, a Grade II, $350,000 race for 3-year-old Triple Crown candidates, will be contested March 12, 2016; Lambholm South
is the first title sponsor of the Tampa Bay Derby since 1986. Lambholm South also sponsors the Grade III, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes for older
fillies and mares and is presenting sponsor of the track‘s Festival Preview Day. Lerman is a successful on-track trainer; last season, he saddled
his 4-year-old filly Evidently to win the Florida Cup Distaff Turf in stakes-record time.
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OWNER PROFILES
Midwest Thoroughbreds
Owner: Richard Papiese
Birthplace: East Side of Chicago
Residence: Dyer, IN
Family: Wife, Karen
Farm Location: Anthony, FL
Tampa Trainer: Jamie Ness
On the verge of capturing its sixth consecutive North American wins title, the Midwest Thoroughbreds operation of Dyer, Ind., residents Rich and
Karen Papiese entered a new realm in 2014 by winning the Breeders‘ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita with homebred 5-year-old gelding Work All
Week, bred by the couple in Illinois. Work All Week was their first Breeders‘ Cup starter. Midwest unveiled another homebred superstar this year
in 6-year-old gelding The Pizza Man, who won the Grade I Arlington Million XXXIII Stakes in August and finished second in the Grade I Shadwell
Turf Mile at Keeneland. Roger Brueggemann trained Work All Week and The Pizza Man, while Jamie Ness trains the Midwest string at Tampa
Bay Downs. Midwest, which has won six consecutive Tampa Bay Downs owners‘ crowns (tying last season with Amaty Racing Stables), set an
Oldsmar track record with 79 victories during the 2011-12 meeting. Midwest established a North American record in 2012 with 542 victories and
led all stables in purse earnings with $10,145,328. Papiese — the founder of Midwest Store Fixtures, a leader in the design, manufacturing and
implementation of retail merchandising displays, fixtures and environments — joined forces with Ness in 2008. The following year, Papiese purchased Thunder Ranch in Anthony, Fla., a 137-acre facility where Midwest keeps yearlings, layups, horses recovering from minor ailments and a
handful of retirees. The outfit won the 2011 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs with See I A and won eight races in a row with Guam Typhoon,
claimed for Midwest by Ness at TBD. ―We do a lot of homework, watch a lot of replays,‖ Papiese said. ―We‘re not throwing darts, but obviously
you can do all the work in the world and it‘s still very difficult.‖
Cindy Patrick
Residence: Brooksville, FL
Family: Husband, Gary; daughter, Cheyanna
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Indiana Grand
Cindy Patrick has been among the top owners at Tampa Bay Downs the past two seasons, but she has been a dominant force at Indiana Grand
Race Course. With her husband, R. Gary Patrick, as trainer, Cindy won 37 races to win the title at the Shelbyville, Ind., track for the third consecutive year. In 2013, she won 29 races, one more than Maggi Moss and Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., and improved her total to 33 in 2014.
Cindy is no stranger to long-time Tampa Bay Downs fans. She was the track‘s leading apprentice jockey in 1988 and was the regular jockey on
Gene, who was honored that same year by the National Horsemen‘s Benevolent and Protective Association as its Claimer of the Year. Gene
lived on the family‘s 153-acre farm in Brooksville until his death at age 27.
Cindy and Gary met in 1978 when she was the Princess of the Pendleton (Ore.) Roundup. He has been training for 47 years, and they have
been married 30 years. Their daughter Cheyanna, 19, is a jockey who rode 26 winners at Indiana Grand. A youth barrel-racing champion, she is
enrolled at the University of South Florida and hopes to become a lawyer. Cindy is the daughter of long-time trainer Charlie Ridley. In many regards, the Patricks are the quintessential blue-collar, mom-and-pop operation; they haul their own horses from track to track and Gary shoes his
horses. Gary is a former saddle bronc rider. They also understand the roller-coaster aspect of the racing game. ―A lot of times, it‘s chicken today
and feathers tomorrow,‖ Cindy said. ―You have to keep your head down and keep working, and that‘s what we do.‖
57
OWNER PROFILES
Ridenjac Racing (Dennis Ward)
Born: August 25, 1946
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington
Residence: Tampa
Family: Wife, Jeanne; son Wesley; grandsons, Riley and Jack; granddaughter, Denae
First Win: Portland Meadows, early-1970s (Yes Father)
Started Training: Portland Meadows
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream
Dennis Ward is the father of Wesley Ward, the 1984 Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and a heralded trainer in his own
right. So the elder Ward didn‘t have far to look when naming his stable after Wesley‘s three children: Riley, Denae and Jack (RI-DEN-JAC). Besides paving the road for Wesley, Dennis Ward had a hand in helping tutor three other Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockeys: Dale Beckner
(1994), Ariel Smith (1999) and Christian Santiago Reyes (2009). Dennis Ward was a top apprentice jockey in 1962 at Longacres in Washington
state and also enjoyed success as a jockey in New York and on the East Coast. He stopped riding in 1968, a week after Wesley was born, and
worked as a jockey‘s agent and valet while schooling Wesley on what it takes to be a championship jockey.
Wesley was 16 when he won the Eclipse, winning 335 races. In 2009, he became the first American trainer to win a race at the Royal Ascot
meeting in England; he saddled Strike the Tiger and Jealous Again on successive days with his proud father in attendance. In addition to training
locally, Dennis Ward operates the family‘s Ward Ranch in Ocala. Ward trained Houyhnhnm Stable‘s Great Attack, winner of back-to-back editions of the Turf Sprint.
Bruno Schickedanz
Born: March 2, 1947
Residence: King City, Ontario, Canada
Family: Wife, Elizabeth; two children
Started Ownership: 1981
Tampa Trainer: Yvon Belsoeur
Schickedanz is CEO of B.G. Schickedanz Homes, Inc., builders of homes all around Ontario. He entered racing in the early 1980s as a way to
promote a sales competition within his multi-branch real estate company. The promotion offered a 10% interest in a Thoroughbred to the top producer at each branch. ―I went out to buy a racehorse for my employees, and realized that I didn't have one, so I bought myself one too,‖
Schickendanz told The Blood-Horse. Since his first purchase, Schickendanz has acquired about 200 horses, 60 of which are of racing age, with
about half of those being 2-year-olds. He owns Schickedanz Farm near Berry, Ontario, as well as Rising Sun Stables near Ocala, Fla. His uncle
is Gustav Schickedanz, who has raced Sovereign Award winners Langfuhr, Glanmire and 2003 Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the
Year Wando. Sermon Time was the first stakes winner for Bruno Schickedanz as an owner. Sermon Time produced Wake At Noon, a multiplegrade III stakes winner who earned more than $1.6 million and was Canadian Horse of the Year in 2002. Schickedanz has also raced stakes winners Big Ruckus, Big Virg, Effective Gal, My Heart Sez, Salty Note, Whomsoever Proud and 1995 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly and champion sprinter Scotzanna. He raced Canadian champion One Way Love, champion older horse and sprinter in 2000, in partnership with John Hillier. Schickedanz was leading owner at three meets in 1999: Gulfstream Park, Woodbine and Fort Erie.
58
OWNER PROFILES
Ups and Downs Farm
Owner: Monte Thomas
Born: September 25, 1944
Birthplace: Swedesboro, N.J.
Residence: Citra, FL
Family: Wife, Cathy; daughter, Erica Ruygrok
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Gulfstream Park West, Gulfstream
Thomas began his career in Thoroughbred racing in 1963 when he moved to Charles Town in West Virginia to work with his uncle, Frank Smith.
Thomas learned his trade from the ground up, He became adept at all aspects of the business, from grooming to exercising to life at the racetrack. Thomas, who ships in horses from his Ups & Downs Farm in Citra, Fla., has kept 10 stalls at Tampa Bay Downs the last four seasons. He
raises his young horses at the farm with his wife, Cathy, and their daughter, Erica. Their days are spent managing the 20 or so horses they have
in training, along with three stallions, seven or eight broodmares and clients‘ horses being freshened for a return to competition. The family‘s My
Sweet Dove won the 2013 Sandpiper Stakes here as a 2-year-old. Thomas has a serious reputation as a horseman whose charges almost always are prepared to run their best race. ―I like to try to put them (his horses) where they will be competitive, because it helps their courage not to
get beaten badly the first few times they run,‖ Thomas said. ―As long as you are consistent with whatever your plan is, it can work if you stay with
it.‖ From 1986-2001, the Thomases stepped back from the racing game while Cathy pursued her show horse interests and Monte operated a
thriving blacksmith operation. They also raised and sold exotic animals, such as rheas (relatives of the ostrich), wallabies (members of the kan-
Winning Stables (Gerald Bennett)
Born: March 12, 1944
Birthplace: Springhill, Nova Scotia
Residence: Tampa, FL
Family: Wife, Mary; sons, Dale and Jerry; daughter, Katharine; two grandchildren
Circuit: Tampa Bay Downs, Thistledown Race Course, Presque Isle Downs, Indiana Grand
Tampa Bay Downs Trainer : Gerald Bennett
Gerald Bennett has a reputation for being able to rehabilitate injured racehorses, and that reputation brought him his biggest horse, Beau Genius. Bennett conditioned Beau Genius to victory in 13 stakes including the Haskell Invitational (GI), Philip H. Iselin Handicap (GI), Deputy Minister Handicap, Hallandale Handicap,
Churchill Downs Handicap and the Olympic Stakes. Among other Bennett trainees are Secret Romeo, winner of the 2002 Super Stakes and Pelican Stakes and
second to the excellent sprinter Bonapaw in the $100,000 Arlington Park Sprint Handicap; and Banker‘s Jet, winner of seven stakes and over $670,000.
Bennett was a mainstay in Michigan racing, having dominated the trainer standings at Hazel Park and Detroit Race Course throughout the 1980s and at Great
Lakes Downs. Gerald Bennett conditioned the filly Down From Heaven to nine straight wins at Detroit Race Course from 1988 through 1989 after claiming her for
$5,000. He was leading trainer in 2005 at Great Lakes Downs with 86 wins and 50 percent of his entries finished in the money. Among his many accomplishments, Bennett has won five races in one day. Adding to his talents, Bennett also trained and rehabbed Standardbreds in Ontario, Canada. Gerald Bennett
ended the 2006-2007 Tampa Bay Downs meet as the third leading trainer with 31 wins from 163 starts; on May 5, 2007, Bennett escorted his trainee Bucky's
Prayer to the winner‘s circle after her victory in the Lightning City Stakes. Bennett finished the 2010-2011 Tampa meet tied as leading trainer with Jamie Ness
with 61 victories apiece. His Crimson Knight finished second in the 2011 Tampa Bay Derby at odds of 86-1.
59
RECORDS
Ring Weekend and jockey Daniel Centeno are home free in the 2014 GII Tampa Bay Derby
60
RECORDS SET ON A SINGLE CARD
OWNER, TRAINER & JOCKEY WINS ON A SINGLE CARD
JOCKEYS WINS ON A SINGLE CARD
JOCKEY
WINS
DATE
OWNER, TRAINER & JOCKEY
WINS
Richard DePass
7
15-Mar-80
Christos Gatis (Owner), William Mitchell
3
Rick Luhr
5
10-Dec-83
(Trainer), Manoel Cruz (Jockey)
Jorge Guerra
5
30-Dec-96
Midwest Thoroughbreds (Owner), Jamie Ness
Herson Sanchez
5
2-Jan-96
Jesse Garcia
5
4-May-96
Joe Judice
5
21-Apr-03
Daniel Centeno
5
22-Feb-09
John Velazquez
5
9-Mar-13
Sam Cronk (Trainer), Sean Jones (Jockey)
3
Antonio Gallardo
5
6-Dec-14
Kirk Ziadie (Trainer), Sally Mitchellhill (Jockey)
3
Antonio Gallardo
5
31-Dec-14
K. O'Connell (Trainer), Antonio Gallardo (Jockey)
3
3
(Trainer), Ronnie Allen, Jr. (Jockey)
TRAINER & JOCKEY WINS ON A SINGLE CARD
TRAINER & JOCKEY
WINS
TRAINER WINS ON A SINGLE CARD
TRAINER
WINS
DATE
LARGEST PAYOFFS PER WAGER
Kathleen O'Connell
4
23-Feb-03
Jamie Ness
4
3-Mar-09
$2.00 Win
Jamie Ness
4
19-Jan-12
$2.00 Daily Double
$6,638.60
Don Rice
3
13-Feb-97
$2.00 Exacta
$3,648.20
Sam Cronk
3
28-Dec-97
$1.00 Trifecta
$54,155.60
William Mitchell
3
10-Apr-01
$2.00 Perfecta
$9,754.00
Duane Knipe
3
24-Apr-01
$2.00 Quinella
$5,067.60
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
3
14-Jan-03
$2.00 Pick 3
$41,555.80
Greg Griffith
3
31-Mar-03
$2.00 Pick 4
$248,045.20
Rick Slomkowski
3
25-Jan-07
$1.00 Superfecta
$154,377.50
Kirk Ziadie
3
23-Mar-07
$.10 Superfecta
$38,169.08
Charles Fontana
3
2-Apr-07
$1.00 Super High Five
$60,388.00
Peter Wasiluk, Jr.
3
26-Jan-08
$1.00 Pick 5
$88,417.10
Rick Slomkowski
3
28-Mar-08
Jamie Ness
3
1-Mar-09
Anthony Pecoraro
3
12-Dec-09
Ian Wilkes
3
23-Jan-13
Rory Barron
3
15-Mar-13
Kathleen O'Connell
3
17-Dec-14
Gerald Bennett
3
7-Mar-15
Gerald Bennett
3
14-Mar-15
WAGER
61
PAYOFF
$249.00
RECORDS
Main Track
Distance
Horse
2 furs
Silver Dollar Boy
3 furs
Hot Star
Wynn Dot Comma
4 furs
Camp Izard
4-1/2 furs Geronimo J.
5 furs
Jr‘s Exchange
5-1/2 furs Lady of Greatness
6 furs
It‘s Me Mom
6-1/2 furs Action Andy
7 furs
Catalina Red
Abt. 1m
Prosico
1m 40y
Bear Always
Abt. 1m 40y Ravencliff
1-1/16 m Bold Start
1-1/8 m
Position Leader
1-3/16 m Warning Flag
1-1/4 m
Saffron Hall
1-3/8 m
Bandshee Brad
1-1/2 m
Royal Jacopo
1-5/8 m
Most Valiant
1-3/4 m
Our Day
1-7/8 m
Best Hearted
2 miles
Boss Man Jarett
2/1/2016 Mystic Fox
Turf
Age Weight Time
2
120
:21.8
2
117
:33.40
2
118
:33.40
2
122
:46.8
2
120
:52.8
5
119
:56.57
6
118
01:02.79
4
117
01:08.67
5
121
01:15.47
2
120
01:21.40
4
115
01:37.5
6
118
01:39.07
5
118
01:40.5
6
116
01:42.8
4
122
01:50.6
8
126
01:59.6
6
116
02:05.10
7
118
02:20.3
6
118
2:33
11 110
02:48.2
4
119
03:00.2
5
118
03:18.3
10 118
03:30.3
5
116
03:37.6
Date
Jan. 18, 1990
Feb. 14, 1980
Apr. 21, 2003
May 1, 1993
Mar. 16, 1984
Apr. 2, 2011
Mar. 14, 2012
Apr. 7, 2012
Mar. 10, 2012
Dec. 27, 2014
Mar. 24, 2007
Apr. 20, 2012
Jan. 29, 2008
Mar. 6, 2010
Apr. 9, 1989
Jan. 25, 1986
Mar. 23, 2013
Mar. 26, 2005
Mar. 12, 1955
Mar. 29, 1997
Mar. 20, 1957
Mar. 22, 1986
Apr. 24, 1999
Mar. 27,1988
Steeplechase
Distance
Abt. 2M 1/16
Horse
Red Classic
Age
Weight
6
154
Time
Distance
Horse
Age
Weight
Time
Date
5 Fur
Bold Thunder
5
116
:54.63
1/10/2015
Abt 5 Fur
Charlie Papa
6
118
:56.04
4/21/2007
One Mile
Lucky JJ
3
115
1:33.79
2/12/2000
Abt One Mile
Alley Oop Oop
5
120
1:34.37
1/19/2013
1M 1/16
Legs Galore
4
122
1:39.65
2/20/1999
Abt 1M 1/16
Lentenor
5
118
1:40.95
12/23/2011
1M 1/8
Special Envoy
4
120
1:46.55
3/18/2015
Abt 1M 1/8
Zagora
5
122
1:46.97
3/10/2012
Abt 1M 3/8
Hertzalot
3
117
2:16.35
4/6/2014
Abt 1M 1/2
Top Senor
6
118
2:31.30
2/26/2002
Age
Weight
Time
Arabians
Distance
Horse
Date
5 Furs
Keen Edge
3
117
1:05.1
3/12/1989
5 1/2 Furs
Mr Full Service
10
118
1:12.25
1/20/2002
6 Furs
FMR Country Doc
4
116
1:18.2
4/23/1995
7 Furs
Mucho Caliente
4
122
1:32.59
3/11/2000
Abt 1M (T)
Smoke N Kisses
5
122
1:48.96
4/1/1999
1M 70 Yds
Sams Bey
4
116
1:54.1
2/12/1989
1M 1/16
Patriot Missle
6
122
1:56.0
3/16/1997
1M 1/8
Redames Ben Rabi
7
122
2:00.1
1/28/1986
1M 1/4
Oh By Gosh
5
126
2:19.4
2/9/1992
1M 1/2
Tikisflaming Jet
6
126
2:52.3
1/20/1990
Date
3:43.82 3/04/2000
62
RECORDS
SEASON RECORDS
Season
Largest Handle
ATTENDANCE RECORDS
Largest Attendance
Attendance
Date
Event
2014-2015
$10,587,183 (March 7, 2015)
10,379 (May 2, 2015)
12,746
March 15, 2008
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2013-2014
$10,249,574 (March 8,2014)
10,359 (March 7, 2014)
11,025
March 14, 2010
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2012-2013
$10,291,827.76* (March 9, 2013) 10,476 (March 9, 2013)
11,014
May 5, 2007
Kentucky Derby Day (Street Sense)
2011-2012
$9,183,788* (March 10, 2012)
9,247 (March 10, 2012)
10,755
March 12, 2011
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2010-2011
$10,949,948* (March 12, 2011)
10,755 (March 12, 2011)
10,690
May 3, 2008
Kentucky Derby Day
2009-2010
$10,807,264.71 (March 13, 2010) 11,025 (March 13, 2010)
10,593
March 17, 2007
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2008-2009
$9,165,514* (March 14, 2009)
10,420 (March 14, 2009)
10,476
March 9, 2013
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2007-2008
$10,282,952* (March 15, 2008)
12,746 (March 15, 2008)
10,451
March 19, 2006
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2006-2007
$10,916,634* (March 17, 2007)
11,014 (May 5, 2007)
10,420
March 14, 2009
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2005-2006
$10,529,973* (March 18, 2006)
10,451 (March 18, 2006)
10,311
May 4, 2013
Kentucky Derby Day
2004-2005
$6,889,834* (March 19, 2005)
10,246 (March 19, 2005)
10,246
March 19, 2005
Tampa Bay Derby Day
2003-2004
$5,353,782* (March 14, 2004)
8,131 (March 14, 2004)
10,144
May 2, 2009
Kentucky Derby Day
2002-2003
$3,880,693* (March 8, 2003)
8,340 (May 3, 2003)
9,803
May 7, 2005
Kentucky Derby Day
2001-2002
$3,396,237* (March 17, 2002)
8,332 (May 4, 2002)
9,765
April 8, 1990
Closing Day (Pick 6)
2000-2001
$3,877,477* (March 18, 2001)
8,133 (May 5, 2001)
9,308
May 6, 2000
Kentucky Derby Day
9,247
March 10, 2012
Tampa Bay Derby Day
9,199
May 1, 1999
Kentucky Derby Day
9,028
May 5, 2012
Kentucky Derby Day
8,669
May 2, 1998
Kentucky Derby Day/Turf Course Unveiling
8,533
March 20, 1998
Tampa Bay Derby Day
* co-mingled handle
63
STAKES HISTORIES
It’s Me Mom, ridden by Willie Martinez, gives backers64
a reason to celebrate with her 2011 Minaret Stakes score
STAKES HISTORIES
HOW DOES TAMPA BAY DOWNS NAME ITS STAKES?
The Names of Tampa Bay Downs
The names of some stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs have obvious origins: the Tampa Bay Derby, the Florida Cup Races, and so forth. The Florida Oaks is named as such simply because races for 3-year-old fillies run at classic distances are all referred to as ―Oaks;‖ the male divisions run
under the much more widely-recognized ―Derby‖ headings. The Florida Cup is comprised of six races restricted to Florida-breds. The Turf Dash
earned its name from the fact that it is a short race run on the lawn. However, some of the stakes races run at Tampa Bay Downs leave patrons
scratching their heads and wondering, ―Now, where did that name come from?‖ The explanations are quite simple…
Local Color
The Pelican Stakes and Sandpiper Stakes are both named after animals common to the Tampa Bay Area; the Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Stakes are named for the counties surrounding Tampa Bay Downs. The Lightning City Stakes is named after widespread, albeit unproven, idea that Tampa Bay is the lightning capital of the world. The Suncoast Stakes is named for the region of Florida in which Tampa
Bay Downs is located; with year-round sunny weather, horsemen are happy to return to Tampa each winter for the Thoroughbred racing.
The Minaret Stakes gets its name from the spires found at the University of Tampa.
University of Tampa‘s Minarets
Space Race
The Challenger and Endeavour Stakes are named after space shuttles that have launched in previous years.
Friends from the Past
The Chris Thomas Turf Classic, which was discontinued after the 2009 running, was named for the prominent late sports talk radio host
and Thoroughbred owner who used to frequent the Oldsmar oval. The Sam F. Davis Stakes was named after the former Tampa Bay
Downs President who helped the track regain financial stability and brought in a period of growth for the track.
Chris Thomas
Space Shuttle Endeavour
Florida Fun
The Gasparilla Stakes is named for Tampa‘s annual Gasparilla Fest, which celebrates the spirit of legendary pirate Jose Gaspar. It is rumored
that Gaspar defected from the Spanish Navy in 1873. Gaspar took the pirate name ―Gasparilla‖ and set up his den off of Florida‘s west coast,
allegedly plundering vessels in the Gulf of Mexico for 38 years.*
Lovely Lass
Jose Gaspar*
The Wayward Lass Stakes is the only stakes at Tampa Bay Downs named after a horse. Wayward Lass, who was the 1981 Eclipse Award-winning
3-year-old filly, was bred in Florida by Hall of Fame trainer Horatio Luro, but she never raced at Tampa Bay Downs.
1981‘s Champion
3-Year-Old Filly
Wayward Lass
65
* THE LEGEND OF GASPARILLA: MYTH AND HISTORY ON FLORIDA‘S WEST COAST by André-Marcel d‘Ans Translated by Marie-Joèle Ingalls
The Challenger
Formerly The Budweiser Challenger Stakes
The Challenger Stakes
WINNER
2015 General a Rod (1:42.89)
2014 Tulira Castle (1:43.68)
2013 Flatter This (1:44.90)
2012 Fort Larned (1:42.93)
2011 Colizeo (1:42.94)
2010 Bold Start (1:42.83)##
2009 Fierce Wind (1:45.01)
2008 Wayzata Bay (1:44.82)
2007 Istan (1:43.64)
2006 Cherokee Prince (1:43.13)
2005 Tap Day (1:44.58)
2004 Attack the Books (1:44)
2003 Admiral Lance (1:38.58)
2002 Classic Case (1:36.16)
2001 First Spear (1:36.56)
2000 Lucky J J (1:33.79)#
1999 Marquette (1:35.16)**
1998 Sejm Run (1:25.1)
1997 Favorable Regard (1:24.4)*
1991 Lee N Otto (1:49.4)%
1990 Darian's Reason (1:47)
1989 Slew of Angels
1988 Storm Predictions
1987 Strike the Knight
JOCKEY
John Velazquez
Angel Serpa
Antonio Gallardo
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Willie Martinez
Willie Martinez
Daniel Centeno
Luis Gonzalez
Jose Ferrer
Mike Allen
Jose Velez
Derek Bell
Pedro Rodriguez
T.D. Houghton
Chris DeCarlo
Pedro Rodriguez
Jean-Luc Samyn
Luis Gonzalez
Kevin Whitley
Willie Martinez
Eduardo Nunez
Ricardo Lopez
Steve Gaffalione
Herson Sanchez
$60,000 Guaranteed
4-Yr-Olds-and-Up
1 1/16 Miles
OWNER
Skychai Racing/Starlight
Curtis C. Green
Blackacre Farms, Inc.
Janis Whitham
Wertheimer and Frere
Lawrence E. Carroll
Minor Stables
World Thoroughbred
Darpat S.L. Stables
Volar Corporation
Edward Evans
Michael Crowe
James Little
Stonerside Stable
Peachtree Stable
Richard Ciardullo, Sr.
J.R. Cavanaugh
Harvey Tenenbaum
Suzanne Gladden
Tedford M. Randolf
Schweiger Stable, Inc.
Sam-Son Farm
Three G Stable
J.M. Cutrona
TRAINER
Todd Pletcher
James DiVito
Kathleen O'Connell
Ian Wilkes
Todd Pletcher
Kenneth McPeek
William Phipps
Judi Hicklin
William Mott
Ron Allen, Sr.
Mark Hennig
David Hinsley
James Little
Mark Casse
Todd Pletcher
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Richard Violette
Julian Canet
Marshall Novak
Glenn Wismer
R.J. Richards, Jr.
James E. Day
Luis Olivares
John F. Reading
2nd
Old Time Hockey
Nicklaus Way
Nicklaus Way (DH)
Wiki
Jardim
J's Sundance Halo
Fearless Vision
Riversrunrylee
Anglers Reef
Seek Gold
Above the Wind
Native Hawk
Askforaraise
Red Masque
Creek's Shore
Cool N Crafty
Belfast Appeal
Rock and Roll
Chin Up
Randy
Gold Peak
Saratoga Spender
3rd
Neck 'n Neck
Managed Account
Argentine Tango (DH)
Imperial Czar
Yummy with Butter
Birdrun
Paradise Dancer
Imawildandcrazyguy
Cherokee Prince
Nightmare Affair
Attack the Books
Burning Roma
North Broad
AWOL Soldier
A.P. Topper
Exclusive Dawn
Whatkindadealisthis
Roguish Prince
Wilt the Tilt
Striding Ruler
Stutz Blackkat
Mitigated Bid
* -- Reinstated, 3-year-olds
## -- Stakes, track record
# -- Turf stakes record, 1 mile
** -- First turf running, 1 mile
% -- Final 2-year-ol,d running
66
General a Rod
The $60,000 Challenger Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:33.79 (turf)
1:42.83 (dirt)
LUCKY J J (2000)
BOLD START (2010)
Slowest Time:
1:38.58 (turf)
1:49.4 (dirt)
ADMIRAL LANCE (2003)
LEE N OTTO (1991)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 14.40 (turf)
$ 61.60 (dirt)
FAVORABLE REGARD (1997)
CHEROKEE PRINCE (2006)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.20
DARIAN‘S REASON (1990)
Closest Winning Margin:
NECK (turf)
HEAD (dirt)
CLASSIC CASE (2002)
ATTACK THE BOOKS (2004)
Largest Winning Margin:
7 ½ Lengths
DARIAN‘S REASON (1990)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
LEE N OTTO (1991); WIKI (2012)
Track Condition:
FIRM
FAST
All turf runnings
All dirt runnings
Richest Purse:
2004 (dirt)
$75,000 (2004); became $60,000 in 2011
Other Notes: General a Rod competed in all three legs of the 2014 Triple Crown, finishing fourth in the Preakness. His
trainer, Todd Pletcher, has won the Challenger three times. Tulira Castle is a son of War Pass, the winner of the 2007
Bessemer Trust Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile. Fort Larned used his 2012 Challenger victory as a springboard,
culminating in a Breeders‘ Cup Classic victory at Santa Anita. Fort Larned also won the Grade III Skip Away at Gulfstream (in track-record time); the Grade III Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap; and the Grade I Whitney Invitational
Handicap at Saratoga. The Challenger started out at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt for 2-year-olds from 1987 – 1991. The 1988
Challenger winner, Storm Predictions, returned the following year to win the Tampa Bay Derby. The Challenger was not
run from 1992 –1996, and was reinstated for the 1996 – 1997 season for 3-year-olds at 7 furlongs. In 1999 the race was
run at a mile on the turf. The 2004 race was put back on the dirt for older horses. The 2006 renewal marked a track and
stakes record for Cherokee Prince with Mike Allen aboard for trainer Ron Allen, Sr. Another member of the Allen family,
Ronnie Jr., was aboard Fort Larned in 2012. Willie Martinez has ridden three winners of the Challenger: Lee N Otto in
1991, Bold Start in 2010 in stakes and track-record time and Colizeo in 2011. The 2010 Belmont Stakes winner, Drosselmeyer, finished fourth in the 2011 Challenger; he went on to win the 2011 Breeders‘ Cup Classic. Istan, the 2007 Challenger winner trained by Hall of Fame conditioner William Mott, went on to win a pair of Grade III stakes later that year.
67
Lambholm South Endeavour
Formerly the Endeavour Breeders’ Cup
The Endeavour Stakes
Grade III
WINNER
JOCKEY
2015 Testa Rossi (1:42.04)**
$150,000
F/M 4-and-Up
1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
Irad Ortiz, Jr. Covello, Coleman & Doheny
Chad Brown
Hard Not to Like
Lots o' Lex
2014 Cloud Scapes (1:42.75)
Erick Rodriguez
Pin Oak Stud
H. Graham Motion
Wholelottashakin
Floral Romance
2013 Old Tune (1:41.48)
Joel Rosario
Stud TNT
Todd Pletcher
Appealing Cat
Last Full Measure
2012 Zagora (1:40.92)
Javier Castellano
Martin S. Schwartz
Chad Brown
Exclusive Love
Keertana
2011 Silver Reunion (1:43.98) Ramon Dominguez
Gov. Brereton C. Jones
H. Graham Motion
C.S. Silk
Denomination
Chiefswood Stable
Eric Coatrieux
Cure for Sale (ARG)
Coulee
Jose Lezcano R. McCauley and C. Purcell
Eddie Kenneally
Elusive Lady
Sousaphone
Frank C. Calabrese
Wayne Catalano
Lear's Princess
Meribel
John Velazquez
Green Hills Farm
Todd Pletcher
Bright Abundance
Warrior Girl
2006 My Lordship (1:40.26)# Cornelio Velasquez
2010 Lomaki (1:46.39)
2009 Ballymore Lady (1:42.37)
Chris DeCarlo
2008 Dreaming of Anna (1:42.38)^ Cornelio Velasquez
2007 Cassydora (1:43.05)
Live Oak Plantation
William Mott
Laurafina
Amorama
2005 Delta Princess (1:43.54)
Herberto Castillo
Saud bin Khaled
William Mott
Fast Cookie
Lentil
2004 Madeira Mist (1:43.54)*
Edgar Prado
Skymarc Farm, Inc.
Christophe Clement
Something Ventured
Coney Kitty
2003 Wander Mon (1:50.89)
Manoel Cruz
Jaime Carrion
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Strait From Texas
Kimster
2002 Chausson Poire (1:50.40)
Tommy Pompell
Pia M. Kirkham
Duane Knipe
Kelly Bag
Golden Antigua
2001 Cybil (1:48.48)
Felix Ortiz
Carol F. Dooner
J.J. Graci
Megans Bluff
Golden Saint
2000 Office Miss (1:48.93)
Joe Bravo
Sam Morell
Gary Sciacca
Seducer
Diablo's First Lady
After getting carried out in deep
stretch, 2014 Florida Oaks winner
Testa Rossi is elevated to first
place in the Endeavour via disqualification..
^ -- Became Grade III in 2008
# -- Stakes record
* -- Now run at 1 1/16-mile
** -- Hard Not to Like DQ'd from 1st
68
T
The Grade III $150,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:40.26
MY LORDSHIP (2006)
Slowest Time
1:51.56
CLOUD SCAPES (2014)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 24.40
CYBIL (2001)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.80
CASSYDORA (2007), ZAGORA (2012)
Closest Winning Margin:
Nose
OFFICE MISS (2000), DREAMING OF ANNA (2008)
Largest Winning Margin:
3 Lengths
CASSYDORA (2007)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .20
MEGANS BLUFF (2001)
Track Condition:
FIRM
All but 2005 and 2011 (good) and 2010 (yielding)
Richest Purse:
2008, 2012-present
$150,000
Other Notes: Testa Rossi became the first Grade III Florida Oaks winner to return to Oldsmar to win the Endeavour while
providing trainer Chad Brown with his second victory in the turf test for older fillies and mares. The disqualification of runnerup Hard Not to Like from first was the first in the history of the race. Breeder-owner Josephine Abercrombie‘s Pin Oak
Stud,and trainer H. Graham Motion, who won with Cloud Scapes in 2014, combined in 2002 to win the Grade III Tampa Bay
Derby with Equality. Cloud Scapes was the third consecutive Endeavour winner to add the Grade III Hillsborough to her
ledger later in the meeting. The 2013 winner, Old Tune, became the first Brazilian-bred distaffer and fourth foreign-bred
horse to win the Endeavour. Old Tune‘s trainer Todd Pletcher also won both races in 2007 with Cassydora. The 2012 Endeavour winner, Zagora, cemented her reputation as the nation‘s top turf mare with subsequent victories in the Grade III
Hillsborough and Gallorette, the Grade II Ballston Spa and the prestigious Breeders‘ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita.
She won the year-end Eclipse Award as the best in her category. Hall of Fame trainer William Mott won the Endeavour in
back-to-back years: in 2005 with Delta Princess and 2006 with My Lordship. Dreaming of Anna — the 2006 Eclipse Award
Juvenile Filly champion — edged Lear‘s Princess by a nose under jockey Cornelio Velasquez in 2008, the first year the Endeavour was a graded stakes. . It was the second Endeavour victory for Velasquez, who was aboard My Lordship in 2006.
Cloud Scapes was the 100th lifetime stakes winner for her sire, Smart Strike.
69
The Florida Cup
Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies—3 Year Olds
$75,000
7 Furlongs
Florida Cup Sophomore Fillies
$75,000 3-Year-Olds
7 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 R Sassy Lass (1:23.31)
Antonio Gallardo
Averill/Silver Oak/Kaufman
Kirk Ziadie
Coco's Wildcat
Royal Jewely
2014 Holiday Magic (1:23.20)
Juan Leyva
Pinnacle, Hendricks, Justice William Kaplan
Quick as a Bunny
Legal Laura
2013 Putitinmypocket (1:25.39)
Juan Leyva
Pinnacle/Wm. Kaplan
William Kaplan
Cindys Casino
Cotton Pickin
2012 Xunlei (1:23.17)
Leandro Goncalves Gold Mark Farm
Dale Romans
Citizen Advocate
Backstage Magic
2011 My Sunshine Gal (1:22.75) *
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Wisteria Lane Stable
Derek Ryan
Devilish Lady
White Merlot
2010 Dances With Ashley (1:23.1
Elvis Trujillo
Denholtz Stables
Martin Wolfson
Island Time
Joanie's Catch
2009 Snow Lass (1:23.78)
R. Homeister, Jr.
Bridlewood Farm
Lynne M. Scace
Sweet Yulianna
Brinca
2008 Moonshine Alice (1:24.29)
Andrew Ramgeet
Kenneth McFarland
Gerald Bennett
Dee's Rose
Tight Precision
2007 Trainee (1:25.71)
Jose Lezcano
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Suaveness
Saint Barbara
2006 Quelle Surprise (1:24.03)
T.D. Houghton
Haras Santa Maria deAraras Richard Ciardullo, Sr.
Love Boot
Running Lass
2005 Running Bobcats (1:24.87)
Julio Garcia
Gatrou Farm
Rodolfo Garcia
Forever Brilliant
British Event
2004 Chenia (1:26.73)
Russell Woolsey
Novak and Richard
Marshall Novak
Bird Chatter
Runaway Rizzi
2003 Just Bill Me (1:24.45)
R. Homeister, Jr.
J. Reynolds & D. Dwyer
Enrique Alonso
Ozilda's Nancy Lee
Sara's Yankee Girl
* -- stakes record
R Sassy Lass wins her second
stakes race of the meeting for
trainer Kirk Ziadie with Antonio
Gallardo in the irons.
70
The Florida Cup
$75,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies
Fastest Time
1:22.75
MY SUNSHINE GAL (2011)
Slowest Time
1:26.73
CHENIA (2004)
Longest Priced Winner
$61.00
QUELLE SURPRISE (2006)
Shortest Priced Winner
$4.20
JUST BILL ME (2003)
Closest Winning Margin
NECK
CHENIA (2004)
Longest Winning Margin
7 ¾ Lengths
JUST BILL ME (2003)
Shortest Price Loser
$ .70
FOREVER BRILLIANT (2005)
Track Condition
Fast
All Runnings
Richest Purse
$85,000
2007
71
The Florida Cup
Florida Cup Sophomore Turf
$75,000 3-Year-Olds
1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 World Approval (1:42.21)
Rafael Hernandez
Mark Casse
Jakob's Way
Prince Vincenzo
2014 Ex Pirate (1:43.42)
Daniel Centeno
Live Oak Plantation
Averill Racing, Clark Freeman
Ralph Ziadie
I'm the Lucky One
Best Plan Yet
2013 Boy of Summer (1:43.67)
Daniel Centeno
Lone Star LLC
Rodolfo Garcia
China Holiday
Balino
2012 Star Channel (1:41.20) *
Pedro Cotto, Jr.
GDS Racing Stable
Todd Pletcher
Didn't Take It
Crafty Unicorn
2011 Extensive (1:43.81)
Leandro Goncalves Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Master Dunker
Dan's My Man
2010 Thunder Brew (1:42.39)
Victor Lebron
Roman Hill Farm, LLC
Anthony Pecoraro
Gator Tiger
Saint Judge
2009 Tamborim (1:43.05)
Daniel Centeno
Haras Santa Maria deAraras William Mott
Duke of Mischief
Cheeks Malone
2008 El Sultry Sun (1:43.45)
Jose Velez, Jr.
Live Oak Plantation
John C. Kimmel
Gibbler's Gold
Waywardwillie
2007 Soldier's Dancer (1:42.71)
Sebastian Madrid
Herman Heinlein
David Vivian
A Bit of Madness
Fair Weather Stan
2006 Mr. Silver (1:42.61)
Abel Castellano, Jr. Thorobeam Farms
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Go Between
World Battle
2005 Nicandro (1:41.73)
Jesse Garcia
Mary Beth Thomas
Myra Mora
Rich In Spirit
Shoot Out
2004 Keystone Point (1:42.58)
Joseph Rocco, Jr.
Mouttet & Hoo
Kirk Ziadie
Indigo Flyer
Soldier of Faine
2003 Hear No Evil (1:42.85)
Eduardo Nunez
Jacks or Better Farm
Kenneth Decker
Amon
Regal Bear
* -- stakes record
World Approval hails from an
impressive family: dam Win
Approval is the mother of three
$1-million-plus earners.
72
The Florida Cup
The Florida Cup
$75,000 Sophomore Turf
Fastest Time:
1:41.20
STAR CHANNEL (2012)
Slowest Time
1:43.81
EXTENSIVE (2011)
Longest Priced Winner
$ 77.00
NICANDRO (2005)
Shortest Priced Winner
$ 3.20
SOLDIER‘S DANCER (2007)
Closest Winning Margin
Head
BOY OF SUMMER (2013)
Largest Winning Margin
2 3/4 Lengths
STAR CHANNEL (2012), EX PIRATE (2014)
Shortest Price Loser
$ .30
GO BETWEEN (2006)
Track Condition
Firm
All runnings except 2013 (good)
Richest Purse
$ 85,000
2007
73
The Florida Cup
Florida Cup Soph. Colts/Geldings
WINNER
2015 Charlie's Brother
(1:23.49)
$75,000 3-Year-Olds
7 Furlongs
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
Harry Vega
Stanley Moles/Starr Stables
Lynne Scace
Fast Flying Rumor
Fancy Man
2014 Prudhoe Bay (1:22.58) Angel Serpa
Rustlewood Farm, Inc.
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Brothersofthetime
C. Zee
2013 City of Weston (1:23.52) Paco Lopez
Cloud Nine Lumoni
Antonio Sano
Ruler of Love
Risk Factor
2012 Tarpy's Goal (1:23.52)
Leandro Goncalves
Mike Tarp
Dale Romans
Midnight Serenade
Indirectly A.P.
2011 Manicero (1:22.13) *
2010 Thank U Philippe
(1:22.37)
Paco Lopez
Leo Azpurua, Sr.
Leo Azpurua, Jr.
Turbo Compressor
Jaggermonster
Elvis Trujillo
Kramer Stables, et al
Martin Wolfson
My Charming Clyde
Good Lord
2009 Bee Cee Cee (1:22.80) Daniel Centeno
J. Robert Harris, Jr.
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Biblionico
Golf Pal
2008 Repenting (1:22.79)
Daniel Centeno
Balkrisna Sukharan
Jamie Ness
Brother Joey
Mr. Flatter
2007 Whiskey Lit (1:25.07)
Rajiv Maragh
Rookie Stables
Jane Cibelli
Steelix
Chief Thief
2006 Electrify (1:23.25)
Abel Castellano, Jr.
Padua Stables
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Vanilla Scoop
R Smoken Star
2005 Bernie Blue (1:24.20)
Roberto Perez
Pyrite Stables
Miguel Feliciano
Lite Brigade
Roman Candles
2004 Weigelia (1:24.45)
Aurelio Toribio
Joseph Balsamo
Manuel Azpurua
Avid Skier
Spirit of Montreal
Robert DuBois
Douglas Potter
Who's Crying Now
Paris Adventure
2003 My Champion (1:24.09) J.J. Delgado
* -- stakes record
Veteran jockey Harry
Vega and Charlie‘s
Brother reward trainer
Lynne M. Scace with
a fifth Florida Cup win.
74
The Florida Cup
The Florida Cup
$75,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore
Fastest Time:
1:22.13
MANICERO (2011)
Slowest Time:
1:25.07
WHISKEY LIT (2007)
Longest Priced Winner:
$126.40
MY CHAMPION (2003)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.60
ELECTRIFY (2006), MANICERO (2011)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
CITY OF WESTON (2013)
Largest Winning Margin:
10 1/2 Lengths
REPENTING (2008)
Shortest Priced Loser:
$ .70
ANYTHINGYOUWANT (2009)
Track Condition:
Fast
All runnings
Richest Purse:
$ 85,000
2008
75
The Florida Cup
Florida Cup Distaff Turf
$75,000 F/M 4-and-Up
1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Evidently (1:40.93) *
Rafael Hernandez
Lambholm Stable
Roy Lerman
E B Ryder
Cuppy Cake
2014 Cuppy Cake (1:41.47)
Ricardo Feliciano
Roman Hill Farm, LLC
Anthony Pecoraro
E B Ryder
Lori's Store (DQ from 1)
2013 Hooh Why (1:42.56)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Hoffman, M. & Trostrud, E.
Rick Slomkowski
Inaugurate
Sweet Little Lion
2012 Hooh Why (1:41.46)
R. Homeister, Jr.
Estate of Gail Gee, Hoffman Shirley Girten-Drake
Unbridled Humor
Another Smokey
2011 Trip for A.J. (1:44.04)
Paco Lopez
Peter D. Fuller
Milton Wolfson
Wild Mia
Ruling Class
2010 Closeout (1:41.91)
Jesus Castanon
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Scolara
Many Kisses
2009 Quiet Meadow (1:42.30)
Elvis Trujillo
Hidden Brook
Chad Brown
Scolara
Azura
2008 Bayou's Lassie (1:43.05)
Daniel Centeno
Jacks or Better Farm
Christophe Clement
Inhonorofjohnnie
Adif'rntTune/Jaunty Gale
2007 Quite a Bride (1:42.30)
Carlos Montalvo
Haras Santa Maria deAraras William Mott
Prop Me Up
A Different Tune
2006 Thetactics Ofdance (1:42.70)
Eddie Castro
Preferred Pals,Wachtel Stbl. William Mott
Pattiano
Changing World
2005 Joyful Ballad (1:42.05)
Jose Lezcano
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Marwood
Vidlocity
2004 Skip to Savannah (1:42.12)
Joe Judice
Pinky Mendoza
William Houle
Formal Miss
Mrs. M
2003 Chef's Choice (1:42.65)
Tommy Pompell
Alan Amato
Don Rice
Cellar's Shiraz
Laurica
* -- stakes record
Evidently sets a stakes record of
1:40.93, giving Lambholm Stable and
trainer Roy Lerman a cherished victory.
Rafael M. Hernandez is the jockey.
76
The Florida Cup
$75,000 Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:40.93
EVIDENTLY (2015)
Slowest Time:
1:44.04
TRIP FOR A. J. (2011)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 39.40
EVIDENTLY (2015)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.80
TRIP FOR A.J. (2011)
Closest Winning Margin:
Head
HOOH WHY (2012 AND 2013), CUPPY CAKE (2014)
Largest Winning Margin:
2 ¼ Lengths
QUITE A BRIDE (2007)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .50
SCOLARA (2009)
Track Condition:
Firm
All runnings except 2013 (GOOD)
Richest Purse:
$ 85,000
2007
77
The Florida Cup
Florida Cup Turf Classic
$75,000 4-Year-Olds-and-Up
1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Old Time Hockey (1:47.72)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
I'm the Lucky One
Allie's Event
2014 Old Time Hockey (1:48.87)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Racing Aptitude
Bad Debt
2013 Hobbs (1:49.22)
Daniel Centeno
Peter D. Kelly
Kathy Mongeon
Star Channel
Bad Debt
2012 Roman Tiger (1:48.10)
Angel Serpa
Dennis Manning
Dennis Manning
Vanquisher
Slew's Answer
2011 Slew's Answer (1:50.16)
Leandro Goncalves Live Oak Plantation
H. Graham Motion
Blazen
Vanquisher
2010 Picou (1:47.00) *
Elvis Trujillo
John Eaton & Steve Laymon Chad Brown
Allie's Event
Vanquisher
2009 Fearless Eagle (1:48.09)
Elvis Trujillo
Isaac Muhtar
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Marquet Cat
Ruff and Ready
2008 Soldier's Dancer (1:49.95)
Daniel Centeno
Herbert Heinlein
David Vivian
Silver Tree
Fearless Eagle
2007 Go Between (1:48.06)
Carlos Montalvo
Peter Vegso
William Mott
Therecomesatiger
Art of Diplomacy
2006 Silver Tree (1:48.45)
Eddie Castro
Peter Vegso
William Mott
Icy Atlantic
Ballonenostrikes
2005 Revved Up (1:49.62)
Eddie Castro
Live Oak Plantation
Christophe Clement
Admiral Lance
Attack the Books
2004 Restage (1:49.24)
Jesus Castanon
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Final Prophecy
Drink a Toast
2003 Guardianofthegate (1:48.33)
Tommy Pompell
Brett Rice
Don Rice
Sir Brian's Sword
Love the Game
* -- stakes record
Old Time Hockey does it again,
getting up in the shadow of the
wire under jockey Ronnie Allen, Jr. Tom Proctor trains the
veteran for breeder-owner
Glen Hill Farm.
78
The $75,000 Florida Cup
Tampa Turf Classic
Fastest Time
1:47.00
PICOU (2010)
Slowest Time
1:50.16
SLEW‘S ANSWER (2011)
Longest Priced Winner
$10.80
FEARLESS EAGLE (2009)
Shortest Priced Winner
$ 3.20
SILVER TREE (2006)
Closest winning Margin
NOSE
RESTAGE (2004)
Largest Winning Margin
3¼ Lengths
REVVED UP (2005)
Shortest Priced Loser
$ 1.40
ORCHARD PARK (2004)
Track Condition
FIRM
All runnings except 2013 (good)
Richest Purse
$ 85,000
2007
79
The Florida Cup
Florida Cup Sprint
$75,000 4-Year-Olds-and-Up
6 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Lake Drive South (1:10.44)
Luis Garcia
Dierdre T. Marsh
Kathleen O'Connell
Star Harbour
Prudhoe Bay
2014 Sneaking Uponyou (1:09.08)
Huber Villa-Gomez Jagger Inc.
Jamie Ness
City of Weston
Evolution Rocks
2013 Wild About Chrome (1:10.91)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Jim & Nannette McCullough James McCullough
Sneaking Uponyou
Soaring Stocks
2012 It's Me Mom (1:08.67)*
Jorge Vargas
Thomas and Jean Bosch
Lynne M. Scace
My Charming Clyde
Jackfrost Ofcourse
2011 Sneaking Uponyou (1:08.69)
Huber Villa-Gomez Jagger Inc.
Jamie Ness
Tommy's Memory
On the Vineyard
2010 Tommy's Memory (1:09.56)
David Amiss
Thomas J. Ryan
Anthony Ryan
Blind River Fox
For All Who Conga
2009 On the Vineyard (1:09.59)
Willie Martinez
Lynne M. Scace
Lynne M. Scace
How's Your Halo
Ruby's Red Socks
2008 Blue Pepsi Lodge (1:10.65)
Wesley Henry, Sr
Chester Bishop
Kirk Ziadie
Lookinforthesecret
BL's a Runner
2007 Roman Candles (1:10.61)
Jose Martinez, Jr.
C. Robert Valeri
Lynne M. Scace
Lookinforthesecret
Weigelia
2006 Nightmare Affair (1:10.21)
Eddie Castro
Timber Side Stables
Manuel Azpurua
Vazandar
Above the Wind
2005 Nightmare Affair (1:10.15)
Eddie Castro
Timber Side Stables
Manuel Azpurua
Scrubs
Hi Time Scott
2004 Scrubs (1:10.70)
Winston Thompson Jacks or Better Farm
Kenneth Decker
Rock Country
Built Up
2003 Built Up (1:10.72)
Eibar Coa
Enrique Alonso
Straight A
Hana Highway
Raymond Susi
* -- stakes, track record
Lake Drive South, ridden by
Luis Garcia, is the first Florida
Cup winner for top trainer
Kathleen O‘Connell.
80
The $75,000 Florida Cup
Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn & Suites Sprint
Fastest Time:
1:08.67
IT‘S ME MOM (2012)
Slowest Time:
1:10.91
WILD ABOUT CHROME (2013)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 63.00
ON THE VINEYARD (2009)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.20
IT‘S ME MOM (2012)
Closest Winning Margin:
Neck
BLUE PEPSI LODGE (2008)
Largest Winning Margin:
7 Lengths
SNEAKING UPONYOU (2011)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
LOOKINFORTHESECRET (2008)
Track Condition:
Fast
All runnings
Richest Purse:
$ 85,000
2008
81
The Florida Oaks
The Florida Oaks
$200,000 Fillies 3-Year-Olds
1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Quality Rocks (1:43.39)
Jose Lezcano
Flavor/Brous/Wachtel/Destiny
William Mott
Consumer Credit
Lismore
2014 Testa Rossi (1:43.51) ##
Jose Lezcano
Covello,J.,Coleman,T.,Doheny
Chad Brown
Istanford
Interrupted
2013 Tapicat (1:41.89) *
Joel Rosario
Besilu Stables
William Mott
Kitten's Dumplings
Wave Theory
2012 Dixie Strike (1:43.30)
Jose Lezcano
John Oxley
Mark Casse
More Than Love
Regalo Mia
2011 Dynamic Holiday (1:45.56) ^
Ramon Dominguez
Augustin Stable
H. Graham Motion
Holidaysatthefarm
Niji's Grand Girl
2010 Diva Delite (1:46.10)
R. Homeister, Jr.
B. Vivian & D. Vittese
David Vivian
C C's Pal
Mallory Square
2009 Don't Forget Gil (1:43.65) **
Rajiv Maragh
Alan Brodsky
Mark Hennig
Ameribelle
Rock Candy
2008 Awesome Chic (1:44.38)
Irwin J. Rosendo
Aurora Springs Stable
Rafael Ramos
Elusive Lady
My Baby Baby
2007 Cotton Blossom (1:45.06)
John Velazquez
Dogwood Stable
Todd Pletcher
Suaveness
Maria's Kitty
2006 Bushfire (1:46.25)
John Velazquez
Ron and Ricki Rashinski
Eddie Kenneally
Saratoga Drive
Crystal Current
2005 R Lady Joy (1:44.58)
Jose Lezcano
Richard Averill
Kirk Ziadie
Toll Taker
Gotta Rush
2004 Ender's Sister (1:45.66)
Pat Day
Green Lantern Stables
George Arnold, II
Menifeeque
America America
2003 Ebony Breeze (1:45.20)
Mark Guidry
Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Dakota Light
Crimson and Roses
2002 French Satin (1:45.2)
Ramon Dominguez
Sabine Stables
Steven Standridge
Romancin Dixie
Ciudad De Carson
2001 Quick Tip (1:45.1)
Richard Migliore
W.S. Farish
Neil J. Howard
Southern Fiction
Emery Board
2000 Secret Status (1:45)
Pat Day
Farish/Elkins/Webber
Neil J. Howard
March Magic
Musical
1999 Crown Jewel (1:46.3)
Luis Martinez
Donald Murray
Evelio Garcia
Madison's Charm
Here I Go
1998 Pantufla (1:45.2)
Pat Day
Helen Alexander
David Carroll
Puddlejump
Try N Sue
1997 Anklet (1:45)
Shane Sellers
Loeb/Ray/Sullivan
Elliott Walden
Global Star
Screamer
1996 Mindy Gayle (1:45.4)
Jorge Guerra
Tanenbaum Racing Stable
Julian Canet
Plum Country
Weekend In Seattle
1995 Sneaky Quiet (1:45.4)
Mike Smith
W.S. Farish/Webber
Neil J. Howard
Commando Dance
Smooth Quest
1994 Cavada (1:46.2)
Kevin Whitley
Bebe Dalton
K. Kelley
Come On Joy
Strategic Maneuver
1993 Star Jolie (1:45.3)
Eduardo Nunez
Five Star Stables
Ron McKenzie
Hollywood Wildcat
Jacody
1992 Luv Me Luv Me Not (1:45.3)
Willie Martinez
Philip and Judy Maas
Glenn Wismer
Now Dance
Foxy Persuasion
1991 Designated Dancer (1:45.2)
Willie Martinez
David Melin
O.S. Edwards
Car Gal
Fantastic Morning
1990 Dance Colony (1:45.1)
Herb McCauley
Buckland Farms
Ross Pearce
Premier Question
Sun Luck
1989 She's Scrumptious (1:46)
Rick Adkins
Philip and Judy Maas
Glenn Wismer
Iron and Silver
Georgies Doctor
1988 Colonial Waters (1:44.4)
Victor Molina
Buckland Farms
John P. Campo
Tomorrow's Child
Tilt My Halo
1987 Single Blade (1:45.3)
Julio Pezua
Greentree Stable
R. Reinacher
Without Feathers
Merry Mercedes
1986 Noranc (1:44.3)
Herb McCauley
GallopingAcres/HiddenPoint
J. Provost
Man A Stan
An Affirmation
1985 Erstwhile (1:48)
Charles Hussey
Hunter Farm
Cam Gambolati
Erin's Double
Flickering Match
1984 Sure Too Explode (1:24.2) ^^
Rick Luhr
F. Lehmann
S. Ingram
April Sonnet
Northern Jazz
* -- turf stakes record
^ -- run on turf at 1 1/16 Miles
82
** -- dirt stakes record
^^ -- run at seven furlongs
## -- purse increased to
$200,000
The Grade III $200,000 Florida Oaks
Fastest Time:
1:43.65 (MAIN TRACK)
1:41.89 (TURF)
DON‘T FORGET GIL (2009)
TAPICAT (2013)
Slowest Time
1:48.0
ERSTWHILE (1985)
Longest Priced Winner:
$169.20
SHE‘S SCRUMPTIOUS (1989)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$2.60
EBONY BREEZE (2003)
Closest Winning Margin:
Nose
MINDY GAYLE (1996), DIXIE STRIKE (2012)
Largest Winning Margin:
9 Lengths
R LADY JOY (2005)
Shortest Price Loser:
$.30
PLUM COUNTRY (1996),
STRATEGIC MANEUVER (1994)
Track Condition:
FIRM
All turf runnings but 2011 (good)
Richest Purse:
2006, 2014-present
$200,000
Other Notes:
Jockey Jose Lezcano has won three of the last four editions of the Florida Oaks and four
overall, the most of any jockey. The triumph by Quality Rocks was the third for Hall of Fame trainer William Mott, the
most of any conditioner. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day won the race three times. In 1996, the Florida Oaks attained Grade
III status; it lost graded status twice in ensuing years but was graded for the 2013 edition. It was contested on the turf for
the first time in 2011. Jockey Jorge Guerra won the Tampa Bay Derby and the Florida Oaks on the same day in 1996, a
first-time accomplishment for any rider. Pat Day won both races in 1998; Richard Migliore won both in 2001; and Ramon
Dominguez won both in 2002. Trainer Glenn Wismer has won the race twice, in 1989 and 1992. In 1992, Wismer‘s Luv
Me Luv Me Not won the Florida Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks. The trainer-owner-jockey combination of Will Farish, Neil
Howard and Pat Day has won the Florida Oaks twice, in 1995 and 2000. Howard and Farish also won in 2001 (with
jockey Richard Migliore). Buckland Farm has had two victories as owners in the Florida Oaks in 1988 and 1990. Secret
Status, the 2000 winner, went on to win the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. The 2003 winner, Ebony Breeze, developed into a multiple-graded stakes winner and millionaire for George Steinbrenner‘s Kinsman Stable.
83
Quality Rocks, trained by Hall of
Famer William Mott, provides past
leading Tampa Bay Downs jockey
Jose Lezcano with his third Florida
Oaks victory in four years.
The Gasparilla Stakes
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Irish Jasper (1:22.41) *
Victor Lebron
Metro Thoroughbreds LLC
Derek Ryan
Huasca
Coco's Wildcat
2014 Nesso (1:24.93)
Abdiel Jaen
Amaty Racing Stables
Herman Wilensky
Ice for the Lady
Runway Giant
2013 Vitameta (1:23.86)
Jose Cruz
Arindel Farm
David Fawkes
Cindys Casino
Martha's Moon
2012 Salad Girl (1:24.14)
Angel Serpa
Joel Kligman
Edward Plesa, Jr.
Delightful Magic
Ciguaraya
2011 Devilish Lady (1:25.28)
Daniel Centeno
Cairoli Racing Stable
Antonio Sano
My Pal Chrisy
Fashionable Elsa
2010 Diva Delite (1:25)
R. Homeister, Jr.
B. Vivian & D. Vittese
David Vivian
Dattt Echo
Miss Aristocrat
2009 Rock Candy (1:25.63)
Carlos Montalvo
W. Farish, Mrs. W. Kilroy
Mike Zwiesler
Vicki'sprideandjoy
Market Vendor
2008 Awesome Chic (1:25.98)
Irwin J. Rosendo
Aurora Spring Stables
Rafael Ramos
Formal Arrangement
Unfolding Wish
2007 Suaveness (1:24.03)
Charles Forrest
Robert Arango
Robert Arango
Foret
Pretoria Light
2006 Sweet Fervor (1:23.78)
T.D. Houghton
Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Sparkling Pink
Taylor Madison
2005 Cool Spell (1:24.36)
Daniel Centeno
Burris, Mr. and Mrs. W.D.
John Hennig
Sherrie Belle
Gallant Secret
2004 Crafty Tears (1:26.81)
Federico Mata
Equest Racing Stable
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Wild Speed
Ladyinareddress
2003 Ebony Breeze (1:25.01)
Joe Judice
Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Crimson and Roses
Splasha
2002 Afnan (1:24.91)
Jesus Castanon
Bayard Sharp, Rich Nielson Mike Zwiesler
Expected Roll
Rebecca's Charm
2001 Frozen Dinner (1:28.69)
Felix Ortiz
Pyrite Stables
Miguel Feliciano
Bigcuz
Hidden Creek
2000 Silver Stockings (1:25.23)
Juan Umana
Savas, Chait, Inwood Farm
L.L. Palmer
Castlebrook
Bea D J
1999 Crown Jewel (1:26.54) ^
Luis Martinez
Donald Murray
Evelio Garcia
A Par Tea
Shutrina Sand
1998 Tasso's Magic Roo (1:25.3)
Marland Suckie
Eileen Bathen
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Beaties for Real
Catherine's Girl
1997 Zesty Zoe (1:24.4)
Danny Scocca
Stonehedge Farm
Kathleen O'Connell
Bracey
Poopsie
1996 Suggestion (1:26.4)
Chin Yang
Kenny Davis
Ray Tamargo
Pariente Barbara
Believe It Shesdue
1995 Calming Sea (1:28.2)
Robert Messina
Dakar Stable
Anthony Ferraro
Smooth Quest
Simply Blue
1994 Cavada (1:25.2)
Kevin Whitley
Bebe Dalton
Kathleen Kelley
Shananie's Beat
Deaf Power
1993 Lindsey Lane (1:26.3) **
William Henry
Stonehedge Farm
Kathleen O'Connell
Sezyou Queen
Thou Shalt Not Lie
1992 My Gallant Birdie (1:47.0) ^^
Herson Sanchez
Alan Haft/Martin Haft
Angel Rosado
Aggie Gene
Foxy Persuasion
1990 Learn By Heart
Heriberto Rivera, Jr. Harold Queen
Andrea Cunningham
1989 Tajawa
1988 Bold Midway
1987 Smart Honors
1986 Never Company
1985 Never Company
1984 Never Company ***
* -- stakes record
^ -- purse formerly $25,000-added
** -- first time 3-year-olds only
^^ -- run at 1 1/16 miles
*** -- run at 6 furlongs
84
The $100,000 Gasparilla Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:22.41
IRISH JASPER (2014)
Slowest Time:
1:28.69
FROZEN DINNER (2001)
Longest Priced Winner:
$141.40
SUAVENESS (2007)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$2.80
DEVILISH LADY (2011)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
CAVADA (1994), CALMING SEA (1995)
Largest Winning Margin:
8 ½ Lengths
ZESTY ZOE (1997)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .50
HIDDEN CREEK (2001)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1996 (good ) and 2001 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
$100,000
2012-present
Other Notes:
Irish Jasper showed her Gasparilla victory was not a flash in the pan, winning the Belle Harbor Stakes at
Aqueduct and the Grade III Adena Springs Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. As a 2-year-old, 2014 winner Nesso finished second in stakes at Del Mar and Santa Anita before competing in the Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The 2013
Gasparilla winner, Vitameta, is a daughter of Street Sense, who won the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby (then-Grade III) and
Kentucky Derby; her broodmare sire, Grindstone, won the 1996 Kentucky Derby. Salad Girl‘s 2012 victory was the first
triumph in a stakes worth at least $100,000 for jockey Angel Serpa, who was a finalist for a 2010 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. The Gasparilla was open to older fillies and mares prior to 1993. Never Company won three
times in a row in 1984, 1985, and 1986. In 1984, the race was run at 6 furlongs. Stonehedge Farm with trainer Kathleen
O‘Connell won the Gasparilla twice: in 1993 with Lindsey Lane and again in 1997 with Zesty Zoe. The race was not run
in 1991. It was run at 1 1/16 miles in 1992 and was won by My Gallant Birdie in 1:47.0. Jockey Daniel Centeno has won
the Gasparilla twice: in 2005 with Cool Spell and in 2011 with Devilish Lady. In 2010, Diva Delite and jockey Rosemary
Homeister, Jr. used a Gasparilla victory as a springboard to Florida Oaks glory. In 1994, Cavada also won the Suncoast
Stakes and the Florida Oaks. The purse was increased by $35,000 for the 2012 edition.
Irish Jasper kept winning
after setting a stakes
record in Oldsmar, capturing a Grade III contest at
Pimlico.
85
The Hillsborough Stakes—Grade II
$ 200,000
Fillies and Mares 4 Year Olds and Up
The Hillsborough Stakes
Grade III
$150,000 F/M 4-and-Up
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
2015 Stephanie's Kitten (1:49.05)
John Velazquez
2014 Cloud Scapes (1:51.56)
Erick Rodriguez
2013 Old Tune (1:48.92)
TRAINER
About 1 1/8 miles on the Turf
1 1/8 Miles (Turf)
2nd
3rd
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey Chad Brown
Ball Dancing
Speed Seeker
Pin Oak Stud
H. Graham Motion
Waterway Run
Riposte
Joel Rosario
Stud TNT
Todd Pletcher
Forces of Darkness
Mystical Star
2012 Zagora (1:46.97) ^
Javier Castellano
Martin S. Schwartz
Chad Brown
Federation (GB)
Unbridled Humor
2011 Denomination (1:48.69)
Frederic Lenclud
Ghislaine Head
Christophe Clement
Zagora (FR)
Keertana
2010 Phola (1:52.51)
Ramon Dominguez J.J. Pletcher, et al
Todd Pletcher
Cure For Sale (ARG)
Liberally (IRE)
2009 Backseat Rhythm (1:51.43)
Eibar Coa
Patrick Reynolds
Elusive Lady
Ballymore Lady
2008 Dreaming of Anna (1:52.18)
Cornelio Velasquez Frank C. Calabrese
Wayne Catalano
Lady Digby
Mary Louhana
2007 Cassydora (GB) 1:48.90
John Velazquez
Green Hills Farm
Todd Pletcher
My Typhoon
Masseuse
2006 Ready's Girl (1:50.50)
John Velazquez
James Scatuorchio
Todd Pletcher
Amorama (FR)
Marchonin
2005 Rizzi Girl (1:52.59)
Oliver Castillo
Joshua and Marnie Whitney William Downing
Sister Star
Noisette
2004 Coney Kitty (1:48.83)##
Jose Santos
Betz, Humphrey, Seelbinder James Toner
Madeira Mist
Alternate
2003 Strait From Texas (1:41.14)
Jesus Castanon
J & J Investments
James Michael
Dedication
Stylish
2002 Platinum Tiara (1:41.34)
Manoel Cruz
M375 Thoroughbreds
Joe Waunsch
Step With Style
Loya Two
2001 Song for Annie (1:41.23)
Larry Melancon
Live Oak Plantation
Henry Cochran
Megans Bluff
Inside Affair
2000 St. Clair Ridge (1:41.17)***
Pat Day
Van Meter II, et al
Elliott Walden
Office Miss
Royal Bloomer
1999 Pleasant Temper (1:42.62)**
Pat Day
Mark Stanley
Elliott Walden
Sandy Gator
Scatter Buy
Paul Pompa, Jr.
Multiple Grade I winner
Stephanie‘s Kitten and Hall
of Fame jockey John Velazquez power home.
^ -- stakes record
** -- purse $50,000
*** -- purse $75,000
## -- achieved Grade III status
1 1/16 miles from 1999-2003
86
The Grade II $200,000 Hillsborough Stakes
Fastest Time: 1 1/16th
1:41.14
STRAIT FROM TEXAS (2003)
Fastest Time: 1 1/8th
1:46.97
ZAGORA(2012)
Slowest Time: 1 1/16th
1:42.62
PLEASANT TEMPER (1999)
Slowest Time: 1 1/8th
1:52.59
RIZZI GIRL (2005)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 29.20
PLATINUM TIARA (2002)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.40
PLEASANT TEMPER (1999), ST. CLAIR RIDGE (2000)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
BACKSEAT RHYTHM (2009), CLOUD SCAPES (2014)
Largest Winning Margin:
6 ¾ Lengths
DREAMING OF ANNA (2008)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
SNOWDROPS (2005)
Track Condition:
FIRM
All runnings but 1999 and 2005 (good) and 2008 (yielding)
Richest Purse:
2008
$175,000
Other Notes: Stephanie‘s Kitten‘s victory raised her career earnings above $2.7-million and counting. Her resume of
Grade I triumphs includes the Darley Alcibiades, the Longines Just a Game and the Flower Bowl Stakes. Her jockey,
Hall of Fame member John Velazquez, has won the Hillsborough three times, the most of any rider. Cloud Scapes became the fifth distaffer, and third in succession, to win both the Hillsborough and Grade III Endeavour in the same year in
2014. She is a homebred product of Josephine Abercrombie‘s Pin Oak Stud, LLC operation. Old Tune‘s 2013 Hillsborough victory was her sixth consecutive stakes score. She won Brazil‘s Filly Triple Crown in 2012. Her trainer, Todd
Pletcher, won three previous editions of the Hillsborough: in 2006 with Ready‘s Girl, in 2007 with Cassydora and in 2010
with Phola. After winning both the Grade III Endeavour and the Hillsborough in 2012, Zagora won the Grade III Gallorette
at Pimlico, the Grade II Ballston Spa at Saratoga and the Breeders‘ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita. She was
also a Grade I winner in 2011. The Hillsborough attained Grade III status in 2004. In 2008, Dreaming of Anna swept both
the Endeavour Breeders‘ Cup on Festival Preview Day and the Hillsborough on Festival Day. The 2002 winner, Platinum Tiara, was owned by M375 Thoroughbreds, a partnership that included former major league pitcher Rob Murphy.
87
The Inaugural
The Inaugural
$100,000 Guaranteed
2-Year-Olds
6 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2014 Catalina Red (1:09.32) *
Daniel Centeno
Anthony A. Lenci
Chad Stewart
Charlie's Brother
Duke of Luke
2013 Cool Cowboy (1:11.13) ##
Eduardo Perez
Savoy Stable
Dale Bennett
Early Entry
Trisha's Trove
2012 Purple Egg (1:09.93) Roberto Alvarado, Jr.
Goodwood Racing II
Jane Cibelli
Brave Dave
Capital City
Pablo Morales
T'braue,Brenda/Andrea'sFrm
Daniel Pita
Wildcat Creek
Dangerous Trick
2010 Manicero (1:11.57)
Luis Saez
Leo Azpurua, Sr.
Leo Azpurua, Jr.
Bert B Don
Uno Caliente
2009 Gesu (1:11.58)
Paco Lopez
James W. Steil
Joe Calascibetta
Hellen's Choice
Mr. Green
2008 Top Speed (1:10.91)
Eibar Coa
Harry and Tom Meyerhoff
Michael Trombetta
General Quarters
Miles and Miles
2007 Honey Honey Honey (1:11.15)^
Jose Lopez
Jacks or Better Farm
Stanley Gold
Run Sully Run
Surrealdeal
2006 Dream of Angels (1:10.89)
Richard Eramia
Pamela Halter
Steven Standridge
Captain Cameron
El Bandito Rojo
2005 R Loyal Man (1:11.91)
Rajiv Maragh
Alfred Kowalewski
Timothy Ritvo
Forestry Prince
Neverbeendancin'
2004 Hostile Witness (1:12.23)
Cecilio Penalba
Thomas Willmott
Larry Bates
Sounds Impossible
Captain Lindsay
2003 Tricks of Glory (1:12.21)
Federico Mata
Equest Racing Stable
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Aloha Mya
Misguided Left
2002 Awesome of Course (1:11.99)
Jesus Castanon
Jacks or Better Farm
Kenneth Decker
Run For You
Penthouse Promise
2001 Bog Hunter (1:11.43) Bobby J. Walker, Jr.
Nelson Jones
Debbie Thacker
Showmeitall
How About My Place
2011 Angelofdistinction (1:11.49)
2000 One Special Judge (1:11.16) Sidney LeJeune, Jr.
Peppertree Farms
Ron Moquett
Diablo's Choice
Run Kush Run
1999 B L's Appeal (1:11.87)
Kevin Whitley
Monarch Stables, Inc.
Larry Pilotti
Rich Celebration
Bearcat Ruckus
1998 San Gennaro (1:10.98)
Pedro Rodriguez
Richard Ciardullo, Sr.
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Do It My Way
Cut For Luv
1997 Sejm Run (1:11.3)
Luis Gonzalez
Harvey Tenenbaum
Julian Canet
Glow Over Pyrite
Rock and Roll
1996 Darling Jeb (1:13)
Enrique Jurado
Joel W. Sainer
David Braddy
Threshhold
Triple Great
1995 Betweenhereorthere (1:24.1)**
Ender Jimenez
Dominick Vittese
Daviod Vivian
Cashier Coyote
Dirtman
1994 Soldier On (1:25.2)
Eddie Algarin
Frederick Kirby
Frederick Kirby
Brunette Crusader
Valid Coup
1993 Roglee (1:25.2)
William Henry
Roger Kumar
Glenn Wismer
Exclusive Praline
Loadofhope
1992 Virgil Cain (1:24)
Eduardo Nunez
S.W. Ballou
Daniel Hurtak
Numerically
Aarons Classi Boy
1991 No Mecourtney (1:26.3)
Eric Valles
Oliver S. Edwards
Valerie Sciaretta
Critical Quad
Oh My Blue Boy
Schweiger Stable, Inc.
Robert Richards, Jr.
1990 Darian's Reason
1989 Ignition Switch
1988 Storm Predictions
1987 Cook's Brown Rice
1986 Tough Castin'
* -- stakes record
^ -- Run in December 2007
** -- Formerly run at 7 furlongs
## -- purse increased to $100,000
88
The $100,000 Inaugural Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:09.32
CATALINA RED (2014)
Slowest Time:
1:14.0
LINDSEY LANE (1993)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 79.40
HONEY HONEY HONEY (2008)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.00
COOL COWBOY (2013)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
HONEY HONEY HONEY (2008)
Largest Winning Margin:
7 1/4 Lengths
CATALINA RED (2014)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ 1.10
KING DIABLO (1996)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1999 (good)
Richest Purse:
$100,000
2013-present
Other Notes:
Catalina Red shattered the stakes record while rewarding trainer Chad Stewart and five-time leading
jockey Daniel Centeno with their first Inaugural victories. The 2013 Inaugural Stakes winner, Cool Cowboy is a son of
2009 Eclipse Award-winning Outstanding Sprinter, Kodiak Kowboy. The 2012 winner, Purple Egg, was the first Inaugural
Stakes winner to finish in under 1:10 since the race was shortened from seven furlongs in 1996. The fourth-place finisher
in that race, Falling Sky, won the Grade III, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and finished third in the
Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. The purse was $25,000 from 1986 through 1998; in 1999 it was run for $40,000
and in 2000 the race was valued at $50,000. In December of 2007, the Inaugural began running for $65,000 and was
raised again for the 2011 edition. The 2011 Tampa Bay Derby winner, Watch Me Go, finished fifth in the 2010 Inaugural.
The 1988 Inaugural winner, Storm Predictions, won the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby in 1989 and also won the Challenger
stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and the Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream and the Americana Handicap at Calder.
Catalina Red blazes to victory in the
fastest six-furlong time ever run by a
2-year-old at the Oldsmar oval for
trainer Chad Stewart and jockey
Daniel Centeno.
89
The Lightning City
The Lightning City Stakes
$100,000 Guaranteed
F/M 3-and-Up
5 Furlongs (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Double Secret (56.64)
Augusto Marin
Adolfo J. Exposito
Adolfo Exposito
You Bought Her
Love Train
2014 Shrinking Violet (55.54) %
Quincy Hamilton
Wesley A. Ward
Wesley A. Ward
Allwewantforxmas
Ageless
2013 Smartys Emperoress (55.50)*^ Angel Serpa
Jerry Jamgotchian
James Spicknall
Trippin' Along
Christina d'Oro
2011 Jenny's So Great (56.02)
R. Homeister, Jr.
Vicki and Bill Poston
Jason Servis
Supreme
Bounding Bi/Suzzona
2010 Suzzona (56.83)
Hector Ramos
Sandy Valley Farms
Benny Feliciano
Trippi's Sailor
Tremendamente
2009 Taletobetold (58.19)
Tony Farina
Robert DeWitt
Eddie Kenneally
Easy Ashley
Kosmo's Buddy
2008 Game N Laughin' (57.21)
Dean Butler
Diamond G Ranch, Inc.
Bernell B. Rhone
Jazzy
Charlie Papa
2007 Royal Regan (56.61)**
Pedro Cotto, Jr.
J. Pesci, S. Sharma, W.
Cathy Rountree
Bucky's Prayer
Message of a Myth
2007 Bucky's Prayer (55.50) *
Luis Gonzalez
Winning Stables, Inc.
Gerald Bennett
Zooming By
Mohegan Sky
2006 Jewels N Gems (57.14)
Eddie Castro
Richard Averill
Kirk Ziadie
Jabalski Princess
Yes It's Gold
2005 Whenthedoveflies (56.54)
Jose Lezcano
Kalacan Racing Stable
Kirk Ziadie
Inhonorofjohnnie
Impressive Star
% -- purse increased to $100,000
* -- stakes record
^ -- run in Jan. during 2012-13
Owner-trainer Adolfo Exposito of
Wildwood, Fla., springs a shocker
with grass-loving Double Secret in
the Lightning City.
90
The $100,000 Lightning City Stakes
Fastest Time
:55.50
BUCKY‘S PRAYER (2007), SMARTYS EMPERORESS (2013)
Slowest Time
:58.19
TALETOBETOLD (2009)
Longest Priced Winner
$ 63.40
DOUBLE SECRET (2015)
Shortest Priced Winner
$ 3.80
WHENTHEDOVEFLIES (2005)
Closest Winning Margin
Nose
SMARTYS EMPERORESS (2013)
Largest Winning Margin
5 Lengths
WHENTHEDOVEFLIES (2005)
Shortest Priced Loser
$0.70
MADAME GIRY (2013)
Track Condition
Richest Purse
FIRM
$ 100,000
All runnings but 2009 (good), 2015 (good)
2014-present
Other Notes:
Double Secret‘s 2015 shocker marked the second consecutive year the winner was owned and trained
by the same individual. Adolfo Exposito manages an eight-horse stable in the Ocala, Fla., area. Shrinking Violet, the
2014 winner, is a girl for all seasons and all racetracks. Her successful venture to Tampa Bay Downs for the Lightning
City Stakes marked the 10th different track at which she had competed. Shrinking Violet‘s trainer, Wesley Ward, was an
Eclipse Award winner as an apprentice jockey and is the son of Tampa Bay Downs trainer Dennis Ward. The 2013 winner, Smartys Emperoress, tied the stakes record in her Lightning City victory; in her only previous start at Tampa Bay
Downs, she won a five-furlong allowance/optional claiming turf race in 55.42 seconds. The 2011 winner, Jenny‘s So
Great, was bred by pop singing star David Cassidy, perhaps best known for playing Keith Partridge on ―The Partridge
Family.‖ Jenny‘s So Great was the first betting favorite to win since Bucky‘s Prayer at the end of the 2006-07 season.
Suzzona is the most accomplished Lightning City winner; she also captured stakes at Pimlico, Monmouth and Parx.
Trainer Kirk Ziadie has won two editions of the Lightning City Stakes: in 2005 with Whenthedoveflies and in 2006
with .Jewels N Gems. The purse for the Lightning City was increased from $75,000 to $100,000 for the 2014 renewal.
91
The Manatee
WINNER
2014 Risky Rachel (1:23.48) ^
2013 Spectacular Sky (1:23.51)
2012 Taylors Irish (1:23.55)
2011 Hyperlink (1:23.52)
2010 Lady Alexander (1:23.80)
2009 Rising Fever (BRZ) 1:25.22)
2008 Marina Ballerina (1:24.22)
2007 Summer Cruise (1:25.43)
2006 Ebony Breeze (1:25.03)
2005 Grab Bag (1:24.22)
2004 Mary Murphy (1:26.64)
2003 Romancin Dixie (1:25.51)
2002 Little Won (1:24.37)
2001 Silver Stockings (1:24.45)
2000 Misstress (1:24.56)
1999 Inside Affair (1:25.85)*
1998 Hail the Queen (1:25.1)
1997 Littlest Secretary (1:25.3)
1996 Naughty Notions (1:25.1)
1995 Show No Fear (1:24.2)
1994 Show No Fear (1:25.3)
1993 Forli's Lass (1:23.3)
1992 Magal (1:25)
1991 Victorious Trick (1:26)
1990 Leave It Be
1989 Foxy Alexis
1988 Brief Fame
1987 An Affirmation
1986 Is Rosalind
1985 Delicate Lady
JOCKEY
Daniel Centeno
Daniel Centeno
Pedro Cotto, Jr.
Daniel Centeno
Ricardo Feliciano
Daniel Centeno
Pedro Cotto, Jr.
Carlos Montalvo
T.D. Houghton
Tom Turner
Pedro Rodriguez
Jose Espada
Derek Bell
Felix Ortiz
Pedro Rodriguez
Luis Martinez
Ricardo Lopez
Paula Bacon
Benny Feliciano
Eduardo Nunez
Eduardo Nunez
William Henry
Willie Martinez
Ricardo Lopez
OWNER
Sanford Bacon
Farnsworth Stables LLC
Michael Newman
Joseph Engelhart
Rosemarie Kesselring
David Soifer
Robert L. Pastor
Will Farish and Gasparilla
Kinsman Stable
Henry Waring
M375 Thoroughbreds
Dorothy Leonard
Elisa Spencer
Inwood Farm
D & H Stable
Harold Queen
Cass Stable/Foggiano
Deborrah Artz
M. and J. Mulholland
Ramon Coto
R. Coto and C.Y. Justi
Star Racing Stables
Dolores Tamargo
John Franks
Liberty D Stable, Inc.
92
^ -- stakes record
* -- formerly $25,000 added
(Formerly run as the Lassie Stakes)
TRAINER
Juan Coronel
Martin Wolfson
Charles Harvatt
Kenneth McPeek
Bruce Alexander
Christophe Clement
Steve Margolis
Michael Zwiesler
Edward Sexton
Thomas Skiffington
Joseph Waunsch
Perry Johnson
David Hinsley
L.L. Palmer
William Downing
Shirley Girten
Donna Foggiano
Don Rice
John Hennig
Hank Caballero
Luis Olivares
Art Pedregal, Jr.
Ray Tamargo
David Bell
Norm Wismer
2nd
Cookie
Cheechako
Island Bound
Choragus
Satans Quick Chick
Star Operator
Meredith Bee
Gadolinium
Toll Taker
Ebony Breeze
Really Royal
Four Plus Four
Flashing Lil
Inside Affair
Little Won
Kipper Quila
Blind Trust
Whats It Gonna Be
Portent
Jellied Madrilene
Slew Knew
Magal
Forli's Lass
Jo Jo's Sparkle
3rd
Ambusher
Appealing Stella
Much Rejoicing
Tripped
Choragus
Dee's Rose
Haddie Be Good
Zooming By
Beautiful Bets
Habiboo
Cherry Tree Hill
Belle Artiste
Alley Ball
Little Won
Shutrina Sand
Lolabell
Whats It Gonna Be
Effervescence
Show No Fear
Wild Lady A
Jovial Sez
Golden Wildcat
Premier Question
Sassy N Brassy
The $50,000 Manatee Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:23.48
RISKY RACHEL (2014)
Slowest Time:
1:26.00
VICTORIOUS TRICK (1991)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 116.40
ROMANCIN DIXIE (2003)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.80
RISKY RACHEL (2014)
Closest Winning Margin:
HEAD
MISSTRESS (2000), LITTLE WON (2002)
LITTLEST SECRETARY (1997)
Largest Winning Margin:
3 ¾ Length
RISKY RACHEL (2014)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
EBONY BREEZE (2005)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1991 and 2007 (good); 2006, 2010 (wet fast)
Richest Purse:
$ 65,000
2008
Other Notes: The New York-bred 6-year-old mare Risky Rachel made the Manatee her sixth career stakes victory, following her earlier score in the Minaret. She eclipsed the stakes record set the previous year by Spectacular Sky. Risky
Rachel is a daughter of Limehouse, who won the 2004 Tampa Bay Derby. Spectacular Sky followed up her stakesrecord Manatee triumph with a solid second in the Grade II Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream. Daniel Centeno, the
leading jockey at Tampa Bay Downs last season, has won four of the past six editions of the race. The 2012 winner,
Taylors Irish, has scored all six career victories at Tampa Bay Downs. Her jockey, Pedro Cotto, Jr., won on Marina Ballerina in 2008. Jockey Eduardo Nunez won this race twice with Show No Fear in 1994 and 1995. Show No Fear made 103
career starts, winning 13 races; her back-to-back Manatee triumphs were her only stakes scores. Jockeys Ricardo Lopez and Pedro Rodriguez won the Manatee twice.
Empire State-bred mare Risky Rachel improves to 2-for-2 at the Oldsmar oval with her stakes-record performance in the 2014 Manatee.
93
The Minaret
The Minaret Stakes
WINNER
JOCKEY
$50,000 Guaranteed
F/M 3-and-Up
6 Furlongs
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 You Bought Her (1:09.92)
Brian Pedroza
Richard Perkins/Hinsley Rac-
David Hinsley
R Free Roll
Puddifoot
2014 Risky Rachel (1:10.95)
Daniel Centeno
Sanford Bacon
Juan Coronel
Cor Cor
Ambusher
2012 Appealing Stella (1:12.57)
Angel Serpa
Cindy Nassal
Jane Cibelli
Becausei'mworthit
Nakano
2011 It's Me Mom (1:09.68) *
Willie Martinez
Thomas and Jean Bosch
Lynne Scace
Moon Buzz
Yournotthebossofme
2011 Stormy Publisher (1:10.71)
Frederic Lenclud
Waratah Thoroughbreds
Christophe Clement
My Irish Girl
Choragus
2010 Perf (1:10.78)
Luis Gonzalez
Harold L. Queen
Mary Bennett
Rate of Exchange
Nicks
2009 Dream Rush (1:10.73)
Daniel Centeno
Minor Stables
William Phipps
Rising Fever (BRZ)
Star Operator
2008 Taylor Madison (1:10.65)
Carlos Montalvo
Dini Racing Stable, et al
Michael Dini
Twiceasbeautiful
Rockaway Beach
2007 Summer Cruise (1:11.06)
Carlos Montalvo
Will Farish/Gasparilla
Michael Zwiesler
Rgirldoesn'tbluff
Taylor Madison
2006 Platinum Perfect (1:10.68)
Jose Lezcano
Robert Valeri
Lynne Scace
Beautiful Bets
Louve Sauvage
2005 Slew's Final Answer (1:10.54)
Jose Ferrer
Live Oak Plantation
William Mott
Diablosangeleyes
Beautiful Honor
2004 Sea Span (1:10.42)
Jesus Castanon
James R. Lewis
Emanuel Tortora
Mooji Moo
Diablosangeleyes
2003 Smoke Chaser (1:12.18)
Joseph Judice
Savoy Stables/Goldish
Kathleen O'Connell
Little Won
Roman Romance
2002 Away (1:11.47)
Chris DeCarlo
John Kimmel, et al
John Kimmel
Flashing Lil
Little Won
2000 Shutrina Sand (1:11.41)
Luis Gonzalez
Chris Powell
Deborrah Artz
Little Won
Lady Cherise
1999 Lolabell (1:11.41)
William Henry
Mrs. James B. Malcolm
John Hennig
Make Me Conquer
Kipper Quila
1998 Whats It Gonna Be (1:12.0)
Jesse Garcia
Bob Peterson
Bob Peterson
Mydaddysthemann
Fortunate Smile
1997 Whats It Gonna Be (1:12.1)
Jesse Garcia
Bob Peterson
Bob Peterson
Bushy's Pride
Blueshirts' Dream
1996 Pyxen (1:12.3)
Chin Yang
Jean Schunmann
Paul Cimini
Free Quest
Portent/Double Dan (DH)
1995 Shananie's Beat (1:11.4)
Jorge Guerra
Stonehedge Farm
Kathleen O'Connell
Wild Lady A
Hooded Dancer
1994 Slew Knew (1:12.3)
Ron Buchanan
Mar Vic Stable
Diana Cesarini
Debby's Honeypie
Primetimeexclusive
1993 Forli's Lass (1:10.2)
William Henry
Star Racing Stable
Art Pedregal
Summerhill Girl
Magal
1992 Forli's Lass (1:11.3)
William Henry
Star Racing Stable
Art Pedregal
Magal
Summerhill Girl
1991 Majesty's Missy
Chris Morales
James B. Tafel
Luis Olivares
Winds of Forli
Victorious Trick
1990 Sunny Stunner
1989 Diamond Sunjet
1988 Millie Prospect
1987 Gentle Screen
1986 Medieval Decoy
1985 Isayso
1983FleurdePrintemps/ParisRoulette
1983 Sugar's Appeal/Bee A Problem
* -- stakes record
DH -- dead heat
1983-84 -- run in two divisions
94
The $50,000 Minaret Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:09.68
IT‘S ME MOM (2011)
Slowest Time:
1:12.3
SLEW KNEW (1994)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 72.00
PYXEN (1996)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.60
IT‘S ME MOM (2011)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
WHATS IT GONNA BE (1998), LITTLE WON (2000),
STORMY PUBLISHER (2011)
Largest Winning Margin:
8 1/4 Lengths
IT‘S ME MOM (2011)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .80
MAKE ME CONQUER (1997)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings except 2012 (WET FAST)
Richest Purse:
$ 65,000
2008
Other Notes: You Bought Her‘s victory was the first career stakes triumph for jockey Brian Pedroza. It came four weeks
after a runner-up effort in the Lightning City Stakes on the turf. Owner Sanford Bacon of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., bred
2014 winner Risky Rachel from his champion mare Dancin Renee, who died less than 24 hours earlier at Old Friends
Equine Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Kentucky. Appealing Stella‘s 2013 victory was the first for owner Cindy Nassal, who bred the now-5-year-old mare with her husband Bill at their Stonecliff Farm in Ocala. It‘s Me Mom and her connections celebrated New Year‘s Eve in grand style in 2011, winning the Minaret in stakes-record time by the largest margin in race history. Two horses have won consecutive runnings of the Minaret: Forli‘s Lass in 1992-93 and Whats It
Gonna Be in 1997-98. IJockey William Henry won this race three times.
You Bought Her registers
the upset as jockey Brian
Pedroza wins his first
career stakes race.
95
The Pasco
The Pasco Stakes
$100,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Olds
7 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Catalina Red (1:21.40) ^
Daniel Centeno
Chad Stewart
X Y Jet
Charlie's Brother
2014 Mighty Brown (1:24.17)
Dean Butler
Anthony A. Lenci
TriStarRacing&TheFarmOn4
Tim Ice
Cool Cowboy
Giancarlo
2013 Dynamic Sky (1:22.79)
Luis Contreras
John C. Oxley
Mark Casse
Sky Commander
Divine Ambition
2012 Prospective (1:23.88)
Luis Contreras
John C. Oxley
Mark Casse
Wildcat Creek
Adirondack King
2011 Manicero (1:24.58)***
Luis Saez
Leo Azpurua, Sr.
Leo Azpurua, Jr.
Bert B Don
Depeche Chat
2010 Uptowncharlybrown (1:24.28)
Daniel Centeno
Fantasy Lane Stables
Alan Seewald
Big Looie
Black Diamond Cat
2009 Musket Man (1:25.63)
Luis Gonzalez
Eric Fein, Vic Carlson
Derek Ryan
General Quarters
Miles and Miles
2008 Honey Honey Honey (1:24.75) Jose Lopez
Jacks or Better Farm
Stanley Gold
Gentleman James
Surrealdeal
2007 Barkley Sound (1:24.31)
Enrique Jurado
Pinebloom Stables
Joan Scott
Steelix
Dippi Trippi
2006 R Loyal Man (1:22.55)*
Manoel Cruz
Alfred Kowalewski
Timothy Ritvo
Electrify
Doc Cheney
2005 Electric Light (1:23.67)
Winston Thompson Live Oak Plantation
Nick Zito
Captain Lindsay
Dazzling Dr. Cevin
2004 Misguided Left (1:25.94)
Jesus Castanon
Joel W. Sainer
J. David Braddy
Wire Bound
Bourbon N Blues
2003 Super Fuse (1:25.07)
Carlos Gonzalez
C. T. Stable, LLC
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Hear No Evil
Kipper Chemo
2002 Major Focus (1:24.53)
Earlie Fires
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Expected Hour
Ran South
2001 One Special Judge (1:25.31)
Sidney LeJeune, Jr. Peppertree Farm
Ronald Moquett
Simply Sir
Mute Gingrich
2000 Bearcat Ruckus (1:24.87)*
Derek Bell
Teaberry Acres
Javier Contreras
Tour the Hive
Sweeping Analysis
1999 Slew the Message (1:24.1)
T.D. Houghton
Chris Powell
Jason Stodghill
Do It My Way
Skootin Skooter
* -- purse formerly $25,000 added
** -- purse formerly $50,000
*** -- purse formerly $75,000
^ -- stakes, track record
96
The $100,000 Pasco Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:21:40
CATALINA RED (2014)
Slowest Time:
1:25.94
MISGUIDED LEFT (2004)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 36.80
BEARCAT RUCKUS (2000)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.00
ONE SPECIAL JUDGE (2001)
Closest Winning Margin:
NECK
SUPER FUSE (2003), CATALINA RED (2014)
Largest Winning Margin:
5 1/2 Lengths
HONEY HONEY HONEY (2008)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ 1.10
RUN SULLY RUN (2008)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings
Richest Purse:
$ 100,000
2012-present
Other Notes:
For the first time, the Pasco Stakes was contested by 2-year-olds during the 2014-2015 meeting. Catalina Red demolished the stakes and track record for trainer Chad Stewart and jockey Daniel Centeno. The previous
Pasco winner, Mighty Brown, is a son of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion Big Brown. Dynamic Sky‘s victory in 2013 represented back-to-back Pasco scores for his connections: owner John Oxley, trainer Mark Casse and
jockey Luis Contreras. Prospective found Tampa Bay Downs much to his liking in 2012. After his Pasco Stakes victory,
he finished second in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes before winning the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby. The 2009 Pasco
Stakes winner, Musket Man, won the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby and Grade II Illinois Derby and finished third in the
Kentucky Derby and Preakness, while 2009 runner-up General Quarters used the race as a springboard to victories in
the Grade III Sam F. Davis and the Grade I Blue Grass at Keeneland. Jockey Earlie Fires, who won the 2002 Pasco on
Major Focus at age 54, is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Catalina Red, Daniel Centeno
up, rallies to nip X Y Jet in
track-record time of 1:21.40 for
seven furlongs. Trained by
Chad Stewart, Catalina Red is
owned by Anthony A. Lenci.
97
The Pelican
The Pelican Stakes
$60,000 Guaranteed
4-Year-Olds-and-Up
6 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Star Harbour (1:10.78) ##
Geovany Garcia
Billy, Donna & Justin Hays
Joe Woodard
Helooksthepart
Risk Factor
2014 Palace Barista (1:09.94)
Harry Vega
Lynne M. Scace
Lynne M. Scace
W.B. Smudge
One Buck Roma
2013 Action Andy (1:09.14) *
Danny Coa
Robert Gerczak
Carlos Garcia
Indiano
Black Belt
2012 Action Andy (1:09.58)
Jesse Garcia
Robert Gerczak
Carlos Garcia
Good Lord
Why Pretend
2011 See I A (1:10.18)
Huber Villa-Gomez Midwest Thoroughbreds
Jamie Ness
Gary D
Good Lord
2010 Sneaking Uponyou (1:11.21)
Daniel Centeno
Jagger, Inc.
Jamie Ness
Conchacer
War Fighter
2009 Blind River Fox (1:10.09)
Willie Martinez
Winning Stables, et al
Gerald Bennett
Ruby's Red Socks
Duke's Flying Tiger
2008 Lookinforthesecret (1:09.30)
Daniel Centeno
Balkrisna Sukharan
Jamie Ness
He's So Chic
It's His Time
2007 Roman Candles (1:09.88)
Jose Martinez, Jr.
C. Robert Valeri
Lynne M. Scace
Wonone
D'artagnans'spirit
2006 Above the Wind (1:10.83)
Federico Mata
Hamco Group
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Morine's Victory
Pirate King
2005 Above the Wind (1:10.04)^
Federico Mata
Hamco Group
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Ranger Chance
Sing Me Back Home
2003 Above the Wind (1:10.89)
Federico Mata
Hamco Group
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Secret Romeo
Wackey For Love
2002 Secret Romeo (1:10.87)
Federico Mata
A A C Stables
Gerald Bennett
Tour the Hive
Winnie's Pooh Bear
2001 Winnie's Pooh Bear (1:11.0)
T.D. Houghton
A A C Stables
Gerald Bennett
Distinctive Mr. B
Mountain Top
2000 Mountain Top (1:10.69)
Juan Umana
John D. Murphy
Michael Gorman
Diamond Studs
Distinctive Mr. B
1999 San Gennaro (1:10.66) Dec.
Pedro Rodriguez
Richard Ciardullo, Sr.
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Salty Glance
Mann the Shipp
1999 Brisco Jack (1:10.48) **
William Henry
Martin L. Cherry
Raymond Tamargo
Blues Away
Mann the Shipp
1997 Brisco Jack (1:12.1)
Ricardo Lopez
Donald Murray
Evelio Garcia
Ray of Gold
Triple Great
1996 Little Don (1:11.2)
Bubba G. Wilson
Duane Knipe
Duane Knipe
Prince of Gallapiat
Journeys Express
1995 Fort Edward (1:10.40) Dec.
Jorge Guerra
Dennis Brida
Dennis Brida
Here Come Da Perks Bankers Forbes
1995 Not Surprising (1:10.4) Jan.
William Henry
Robert Van Worp
Judson Van Worp
Honor Colony
Reigning Glory
1994 Not Surprising (1:10.2)
William Henry
Robert Van Worp
Judson Van Worp
Oh So Striking
Bob the Hat
1993 Lord Try On (1:10.3)
Eddie Algarin
River Bend Farm
E.P. Cantlon, Sr.
Intown for the Day
Junk Bond King
1992 Hidden Tomahawk (1:11.3)
Ismael Gonzalez
J.R. Solomon
R.J. Richards, Jr.
Aim High Daniel
Franklin Me
1991 Mr. Hot Shot
Jose A. Rivera, II
James Stewart
William Stewart
Jilsie's Gigalo
Position Leader
1990 Cook's Brown Rice
Victor H. Molina
Rupert Brown
Joseph Fabrizio
Strike the Knight
Katie Come Lately
1989 Intown for the Day (1:09.1)
Rick Adkins
T.D. Shank
Robin Shank
Sunny Go North
Private Express
1988 Bobin's Key
1987 Tyantson
1986 Rupert's Wing ^^
1983 Big Mary
* -- Stakes record
^ -- Run in January 2005
** -- Purse formerly $25,000
^^ -- Renewed in 1986
## -- purse increased to $100,000
98
STAKES HISTORIES
The $100,000 Pelican Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:09.14
ACTION ANDY (2012)
Slowest Time:
1:12.1
BRISCO JACK (1997)
Longest Priced Winner:
$132.40
ABOVE THE WIND (2003)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.80
NOT SURPRISING (1995), ACTION ANDY (2012)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
LORD TRY ON (1993), STAR HARBOUR (2015)
Largest Winning Margin:
11 ½ Lengths
NOT SURPRISING (1995)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
Entry: PLEASANT TOO and WILD RAINBOWS (1996)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1995 (good) and 1997 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
$ 100,000
2015-present
Other Notes: Star Harbour‘s sire is the late Indian Charlie, who won the 1998 Santa Anita Derby and finished third in the
Kentucky Derby. Palace Barista won the 2014 Pelican in only his third lifetime start. Before setting the stakes record in
2013, Action Andy enjoyed a stellar 2012 campaign. He won the Super Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, the Da Hoss at Colonial, the Maryland Million Sprint Handicap and the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, the latter two at Laurel.
Jockey William Henry won this race three times: twice (1994 and 1995) with the combination of Not Surprising, owner
Robert Van Worp and trainer Judson Van Worp. Not Surprising‘s 1995 Pelican victory kicked off a year in which he won the
Eclipse Award as the nation‘s top sprinter with eight victories, including four graded stakes in New York. Above the Wind
won this race three times. All three came with Federico Mata in the irons and Ronald Allen, Sr. as the trainer. Above the
Wind was not the favorite in any of his Pelican triumphs; he paid $132.40 to win in 2003 as the longest shot in a 12-horse
field. Mata also won the Pelican aboard Secret Romeo in 2002, his first of four consecutive victories. Trainer Gerald Bennett has won the Pelican three times. Jockey Daniel Centeno and trainer Jamie Ness have won the Pelican twice together:
in 2008 with Lookinforthesecret and 2010 with Sneaking Uponyou. Ness won the Pelican a third time in 2011 with See I A.
Star Harbour and
jockey Geovany Garcia
(inside) hang on for a
thrilling Pelican triumph.
99
The Sam F. Davis Stakes Grade III
Sam F. Davis Stakes--Grade III
$250,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Olds
1 1/16 Miles
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Ocean Knight (1:43.74)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Stonestreet Stables LLC
Kiaran McLaughlin
Divining Rod
My Johnny Be Good
2014 Vinceremos (1:47.34)
Edgar Prado
WinStar Farm & Twin Creeks Todd Pletcher
Harpoon
Cousin Stephen
2013 Falling Sky (1:44.79)
Jose Espinoza
N'wtownAnner,C'vello,B'lger John Terranova II
Dynamic Sky
My Name Is Michael
2012 Battle Hardened (1:44.58) ##
Julien Leparoux
M. Tabor & Mrs. J. Magnier
Eddie Kenneally
Prospective*
Reveron
2011 Brethren (1:45.07)
Ramon Dominguez WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
Too Experience
Watch Me Go*
2010 Rule (1:44.15)
John Velazquez
WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
Schoolyard Dreams
Uptowncharlybrown
2009 General Quarters (1:43.54) ^
James Lopez
Thomas McCarthy
Mark Miller
Sumo
Musket Man*
2008 Fierce Wind (1:44.13)
Cornelio Velasquez Four Roses Thoroughbred
Nicholas Zito
Big Truck*
Smooth Air
2007 Any Given Saturday (1:44.47)
John Velazquez
WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
All I Can Get
James Wilfred
2006 Bluegrass Cat (1:44.17)
John Velazquez
WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
Deputy Glitters*
R Loyal Man
2005 Andromeda's Hero (1:46.63)
Rafael Bejarano
Robert LaPenta
Nicholas Zito
Summer Legacy
Captain Lindsay
2004 Kaufy Mate (1:44.60)
Ramsey Zimmerman
Gregory Kaufman
Kirk Ziadie
The Cliff's Edge
Zakocity
2003 White Buck (1:45.47)
Roger Velez
Olga Paradise
Jerry Paradise
Freedom Lane
Coach Jimi Lee
2002 Bunk N Ted (1:49.86)
Derek Bell
Danny Hunt
Kenneth Wirth
Tails of the Crypt
Raymond Springs
2001 Burning Roma (1:45.2)*
Juan Umana
Harold Queen
Heather Giglio
American Prince
Talking Red
2000 Go Lib Go (1:44.84)
Robert Landry
Ray Cottrell
Kenneth McPeek
Kombat Kat
Cool N Crafty
1999 San Gennaro (1:45.54)
Pedro Rodriguez
Richard Ciardullo, Sr.
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Groomstick Stock's
Gander
1998 Dabney Carr (1:46.1)
Kevin Whitley
My Jolee Stable/Everard
E. Zemp-Everard
Rock and Roll
Midnight Coyote
1997 Wilt the Tilt (1:46.0)
Luis Gonzalez
Michael Smith
Cyndi Smith
Part the Waters
Favorable Regard
1996 Thundering Storm (1:47.3)*
Jorge Guerra
Deborrah Artz
Don Rice
Copy Cat
My Game
1995 Akiba (1:47.2)
Santos Chavez
Scott Savin
Hubert "Sonny" Hine
Dr. Ktonborg
Dontstopthejukebox
1994 Parental Pressure (1:47.2)
Jack Lauzon
Hammer Kopf Farm, et al
Fred Loschke
Able Buck
Mr. Blueberry
1993 Marco Bay (1:45.3)*
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Jay Shaw
Sarah Lundy
Antrim Rd.
Flashy Regent
1992 Randy (1:46.2)
Herson Sanchez
Martin Haft
Angel Rosado
Wolf Brigade
Critical Quad
1991 Speedy Cure (1:47.4)*
Ricardo Lopez
Susan Fisher
Harvey Culp
One No Trump
Northern No Trump
1990 Fiery Best
M.A. Santos
Berens & Garazi
Jose Mendez
1989 Papa Leonard
1988 House Account
1987 Phantom Jet*
^ -- stakes record
1986 Fellow's Lady
* -- Tampa Bay Derby winner
1985 Tamao's Gray
1984 Morning Bob/D. White**
1983 Saverton
1982 Tampa Bay Buck
1981 Croziers Ace
100
** -- run in two divisions
## -- purse increased to $250,000
The $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:43.54
GENERAL QUARTERS (2009)
Slowest Time:
1:49.86
BUNK N TED (2002)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 56.40
WHITE BUCK (2003)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.40
ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (2007)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
RANDY (1992), AKIBA (1995), VINCEREMOS (2014)
Largest Winning Margin:
6 ¾ Lengths
SAN GENNARO (1999)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .40
WOLF BRIGADE (1992)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but for 1991 and 1998 (good); 2003 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
$ 250,000
2011-present
Other Notes:
Ocean Knight‘s sire is Curlin, the two-time Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame member who won the
2007 Preakness and Breeders‘ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge and earned $10.5-million. Vinceremos, the 2014 Sam F.
Davis winner, is named for the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee, Fla. Owner WinStar Farm and
trainer Todd Pletcher have combined to win the race five times since 2006 (WinStar owns Vinceremos in partnership
with Twin Creeks Racing Stables). Falling Sky was purchased less than three weeks before the 2013 Sam F. Davis
Stakes at the Ocala Breeders‘ Sales Company‘s winter mixed sale for $425,000 by the partnership of Maurice and
Samantha Regan‘s Newtown Anner Stud, James Covello and Joseph Bulger. Five Tampa Bay Derby winners have won
this race: Phantom Jet (1987), Speedy Cure (1991), Marco Bay (1993), Thundering Storm (1996) and Burning Roma
(2001). Trainer Nick Zito has won the Sam F. Davis Stakes twice: in 2005 with Andromeda‘s Hero and in 2008 with
Fierce Wind. The Sam F. Davis received Grade III status for the first time in 2009, the year in which General Quarters
set a stakes record for the race. The 2001 winner, Burning Roma, was owned by Clearwater‘s Harold Queen, who won
the 2010 Breeders‘ Cup Sprint with Big Drama.
Ocean Knight and jockey Irad Ortiz,
Jr., surge past Divining Rod in the final
strides for a neck victory. Trained by
Kiaran McLaughlin, the winner is
owned by Stonestreet Stables, which
owned his famous sire Curlin.
101
The Sandpiper
The Sandpiper Stakes
$100,000 Guaranteed
Fillies 2-Year-Olds 6 Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2014 R Sassy Lass (1:10.48)
Antonio Gallardo
Averill/Silver Oak/Kaufman
Kirk Ziadie
Coco's Wildcat
Innovative Idea
2013 My Sweet Dove (1:11.42) ##
F. DeLa Cruz
Peter A. Lawson
Monte Thomas
Enquete
Secret Kitten
2012 Cor Cor (1:10.02) *
Scott Spieth
S. Ballou & H. Waldron
Joan Scott
Vitameta
R Free Roll
2011 Quick Flip (1:10.96)
Pedro Cotto, Jr.
Klaravich/W.H. Lawrence
Terri Pompay
Blue Forty
Live Every Day
2010 Devilish Lady (1:11.51)
Daniel Centeno
Cairoli Racing Stable
Antonio Sano
It's Me Mom
Juanita
2009 Criolla Bonita (1:12.00)
Abel Lezcano
Shirley Duco
Hector Mackenzie
Joanie's Catch
Yournotthebossofme
2008 Dr. Zic (1:10.77)
Daniel Centeno
Derby Lane Farm, et al
Joan Scott
Sunday In Malibu
Hooh Why
2007 Unfolding Wish (1:11.37)
Carlos Montalvo
Kinsman Stable
Dale Bennett
Bear Lahania
Awesome Chic
2006 Special Cheers (1:11.60)
Luis Gonzalez
Elizabeth Muirhead, et al
James Little
Storm Savvy
Foret
2005 Misty Rosette (1:10.33) ^
Sebastian Madrid
Sonia Chapman
James Chapman
Runaway in Love
Running Lass
2005 Portsea (1:11.26)
Chris DeCarlo
Vinery Stables
Todd Pletcher
Lady In Pink
Joyous Song
2004 Wild Speed (1:11.93)
Derek Bell
Victoria Farm
Javier Contreras
Crafty Tears
Atti Girl Fergie
2003 Ebony Breeze (1:11.4)
Pedro Rodriguez
Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Ozilda's Nancy Lee
Lavander Lass
2002 Rebecca's Charm (1:11.42)
Aurelio Toribio, Jr.
Rousseau Racing
Robert Hale
Expected Roll
Forum Search
2001 Political Wife (1:13.0)
Federico Mata
Emerald Pastures Farm
Cathy Rountree
Quite Spender
Bigcuz
2000 Whitney's Best (1:11.51)
Luis Gonzalez
Carl Bowling/Robert Velotta
Chris Velotta
Sami's Proud Squaw
Bea D J
1999 Shutrina Sand (1:11.42) %
William Henry
Chris Powell
Jason Stodghill
Bella Gatto
Sweet Singing Sami
1998 Tasso's Magic Roo (1:11.3)
Marland Suckie
Eileen Bathen
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Proud Ridge
Beaties for Real
1997 Star Performer (1:14.2)
William Henry
Carl Cooper/Robert Brown
Carl Cooper
Dawn Pretty
Prospective Rosie
1996 Mercedes Song (1:13.1)
Paula Bacon
Deborrah Artz
Don Rice
Flo's Z Fury
American Tango
1995 Expensive Lunch (1:14.4)
William Henry
Les Stables, Inc.
Fred Warren
Miss Carson
Commando Dancer
1994 Shananie's Beat (1:11.3)
William Henry
Stonehedge Farm
Kathleen O'Connell
Tipper Too
Sweet Hollyann
1993 Lindsey Lane (1:14.0)
William Henry
Stonehedge Farm
Kathleen O'Connell
Real Bucks
Consentida
1992 Bet Your Bonnet (1:13.2)
Pedro Rodriguez
F. Berens and S. Garazi
Jose Mendez
Phi Phi Hi D
Aggie Gene
1991 Tenacious Treasure (1:13.5)
Ricardo Lopez
Bee Bee Stable, Inc.
Emanuel Tortora
Dark Stage
Vatican Dancer
John Franks
David Bell
1990 Premier Question
1989 Grau Madchen
* -- stakes record
1988 Bill of Sale
^ -- run in Jan. of 2004-05 season
1987 Beau Love Flowers
% -- purse formerly $25,000-added
1986 Sagadhoc **
** -- run at 5 1/2 furlongs
1985 Flickering Match
*** -- run in two divisions
1984 Strawberry Road
## -- purse increased to $100,000
1983 Sugar Charlotte ***
1983 Best Game ***
1982 Supertam ***
1982 Exclusive Love ***
1981 Cherokee Frolic
102
The $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes
Fastest Time
1:10.02
COR COR (2012)
Slowest Time
1:14.4
EXPENSIVE LUNCH (1995)
Longest Priced Winner:
$28.20
MERCEDES SONG (1996)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.60
SHANANIE‘S BEAT (1994)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
STAR PERFORMER (1997), SPECIAL CHEERS (2007)
Largest Winning Margin:
9 Lengths
SHANANIE‘S BEAT (1994)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .60
ENQUETE (2013)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1995 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
$ 100,000
2013-present
Other Notes: Four months after her Sandpiper triumph, R Sassy Lass won the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South
Sophomore Fillies Stakes. My Sweet Dove‘s broodmare sire, Dove Hunt, won five Grade III stakes in his career. In addition to her record-setting 2012 Sandpiper triumph, Cor Cor won the Battle of New Orleans Stakes at Fair Grounds and
the Ocala Breeders‘ Sales Filly Division Sprint at Ocala Training Center. Jockey William Henry won the Sandpiper
Stakes five times in seven years: with Shutrina‘s Sand (1999), Star Performer (1997), Expensive Lunch (1995),
Shananie‘s Beat (1994), and Lindsey Lane (1993). Two of those wins (in 1993 and 1994) were with owner Stonehedge
Farm and trainer Kathleen O‘Connell. In 1986, the Sandpiper was run at 5 ½ furlongs; the 1982 and 1983 races were
run in two divisions. In the 2004-2005 racing season, the Sandpiper was run in January of that meet; the 2005-2006 edition was carded in December, as were all subsequent runnings. The late George Steinbrenner‘s Kinsman Stable has
won this race twice: in 2003 with Ebony Breeze (trained by William Mott and ridden by Pedro Rodriguez) and in 2008
with Unfolding Wish (trained by Dale Bennett and booted home by Carlos Montalvo.) Jockey Daniel Centeno won twice,
in 2008 with Dr. Zic and in 2010 with Devilish Lady. Dr. Zic, trained by Joan Scott, won the Grade I Vinery Madison at
Keeneland in 2010. Luis Gonzalez won the Sandpiper aboard Whitney‘s Best in 2000 and Special Cheers in 2006.
R Sassy Lass turns potential
into performance by responding
to jockey Antonio Gallardo‘s
urgings to capture the 34th edition of the Sandpiper.
103
The Suncoast Stakes
The Suncoast Stakes
$100,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Old Fillies
Mile-and-40-Yards
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
2015 Include Betty (1:41.49)
R. Homeister, Jr.
Brereton Jones,Tim Thornton Thomas Proctor
Huasca
Ancient Goddess
2014 Please Explain (1:44.94)
Julien Leparoux
Niall Racing
Thomas Proctor
Nesso
Light Bringer
2013 Manuka Honey (1:41.75)
Edgar Prado
Curragh Stables
John Terranova II
Wild About Irene
Cindys Casino
2012 Wait Til Dawn (1:40.58)
Javier Castellano
Michael Tabor
Todd Pletcher
Ciguaraya
Melrose Woods
2011 Wyomia (1:39.93)
Frederic Lenclud
B. Anderson and E. Seltzer
Curtis Garrison
Devilish Lady
Her Smile
2010 Diva Delite (1:41.58)
R. Homeister, Jr.
B. Vivian and D. Vittese
David Vivian
Miss Aristocrat
Imaginary Saint
2009 Rock Candy (1:41.22)
Carlos Montalvo
W. Farish & Mrs. W.S. Kilroy Mike Zwiesler
Ameribelle
Don't Forget Gil
2008 Vaulcluse (1:39.36) *
Eibar Coa
Melnyk Racing Stable
Thomas Albertrani
My Baby Baby
No Use Denying
2007 Autobahn Girl (1:38.39) ^
Daniel Centeno
Live Oak Plantation
Nicholas Zito
Trainee
Saint Barbara
2006 Crystal Current (1:45.37)
Cornelio Velasquez Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Saffronista
Taylor Madison
2005 Toll Taker (1:45.15)
Cornelio Velasquez Sea Gull Associates
Timothy Hills
Gotta Rush
Gallant Secret
2004 Ender's Sister (1:47.16)
Brian Peck
Green Lantern Stables
George Arnold, II
Fall Fashion
Ladyinareddress
2003 Just Bill Me (1:46.57)
R. Homeister, Jr.
J. Reynolds/D. Dwyer
Enrique Alonso
Crimson and Roses
Dakota Light
2002 Romancin Dixie (1:50.03)
Dale Lynch
Dorothy Leonard
Perry Johnson
Ease Ahead
Quick Bird
2001 Classy Place (1:48.88)
Paula Bacon
Blaine Davidson
Don Rice
Frozen Dinner
Chinsegut
2000 Silver Stockings (1:45.99)
Juan Umana
Savas/Chait/Inwood Farm
L.L. Palmer
Grey Sky
My Special K's
1999 Crown Jewel (1:47.0) **
Luis Martinez
Donald Murray
Evelio Garcia
Second Degree
Christie Light
1998 Tasso's Magic Roo (1:46.3)
Marland Suckie
Eileen Bathen
Richard Ciardullo, Jr.
Catherine's Girl
Gemley
1997 Poopsie (1:44.4)
William Daniels
Stephen Ferguson
Stephen Casey
Pyrite Annie
Zesty Zoe
1996 Faithful City (1:46.2)
Jorge Guerra
White Cross Stable
Luke Poulos
Mercedes Song
Elise's Valentine
1995 Commando Dancer (1:46.2)
Jesse Garcia
Eugene C. Cashman
Frederick Kirby
Street Code
Smooth Quest
1994 Cavada (1:46.1)
Kevin Whitley
Bebe Dalton
Kathleen Kelley
Sweet Hollyann
Dominating Dottiet
1993 Thou Shalt Not Lie (1:47.0)
Kevin Whitley
Don Campbell (lessee)
Don Campbell
O.P. Cat
Sezyou Queen
1992 My Gallant Birdie (1:26.2)
Herson Sanchez
Alan and Martin Haft
Angel Rosado
Aggie Gene
Pi Phi Hi D
1991 Dark Stage (1:26 4/5)
Danny Scocca
Verbanic and Obser
John Foggiano
Quiet Chaos
Vatican Dancer
John Franks
David Bell
1990 Premier Question
1989 Grau Madchen
1988 Leave It Be
* -- stakes record
1987 An Irish Dream
^ -- formerly seven furlongs
1986 Royal Tasha
** -- purse formerly $25,000 added
1985 Flickering Match
^^ -- two divisions 1982 & 1983
1984 Sure Too Explode
1983 Silvered Silk/Millcreek Court
1982 Burned Crisp/GenuineDiamond
1981 Secret Kingdom
104
The $100,000 Suncoast Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:39.36
1:38.39
VAULCLUSE (2008) (1 MILE 40 YARDS)
AUTOBAHN GIRL (2007) (ABOUT 1 MILE)
Slowest Time:
1:50.03
ROMANCIN DIXIE (2002) (1 1/16-MILE)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 39.80
INCLUDE BETTY (2015)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.80
TASSO‘S MAGIC ROO (1998)
Closest Winning Margin:
Head
WYOMIA (2011)
Largest Winning Margin:
10 ½ Lengths
TASSO‘S MAGIC ROO (1998)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ 1.00
SECOND DEGREE (1999)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 2002 (sloppy) and 1991 (good)
Richest Purse:
$ 100,000
2012-present
Other Notes:
Include Betty‘s victory ended a streak of three consecutive favorites winning the Suncoast. It marked
back-to-back victories in the race for trainer Tom Proctor and was the third Suncoast score for jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr. Manuka Honey‘s 2013 victory was one of three stakes triumphs during that season for trainer John Terranova II.
From 1993 to 2006, the Suncoast was run at 1 1/16 miles. It was run at about one mile in 2007 and the following year
switched to its current mile and 40 yards. In 1982 and 1983 it was run in two divisions. Jockey Kevin Whitley won twice
with Thou Shalt Not Lie (1993) and Cavada (1994). Flickering Match and Tasso‘s Magic Roo both swept the now-defunct
Tampa Bay Challenge Series, which was comprised of all 3-year-old filly races held at Tampa Bay Downs. Flickering
Match was owned and trained by Carroll Barnhill of nearby Bradenton. In 2008, Vaulcluse won the race in 1:39.36, setting a new track and stakes record for the distance. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez won back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 with
Toll Taker and Crystal Current.
Include Betty and jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr., stage a
whirlwind rally from last to win,
rewarding trainer Tom Proctor
with back-to-back Suncoast
victories.
105
The Super Stakes
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2014 Our Double Play (1:22.09) ^
2013 Good Lord (1:22.03)+
2012 Action Andy (1:23.22)
2011 Capt. Candyman Can (1:23.25)
2010 Musket Man (1:23.10)
2009 Hypocrite (1:22.84)
2008 Lookinforthesecret (1:23.18)
2007 D'artagnans'spirit (1:23.62)**
2006 Sir Shackleton (1:22.28)
2005 Above the Wind (1:22.60)
2004 Above the Wind (1:23.78)
2003 Above the Wind (1:24.57)
2002 Secret Romeo (1:22.62)
2001 Sea of Tranquility (1:24.08)
2000 Conan (1:23.99)
1999 Man the Shipp (1:23.91)
1998 Pleasant Too (1:24.2)
1997 Request a Star (1:25.2)
1996 Winous Point (1:25.1)
1995 Boisterous (1:23.1)
1994 Not Surprising (1:24.3)
1993 King Corrie (1:23.4)
1992 Aim High Daniel (1:25.2)
1991 Democritus (1:26.3)
Victor Lebron
Fernando DeLa Cruz
Danny Coa
Frederic Lenclud
Daniel Centeno
Manoel Cruz
Daniel Centeno
Jose Lezcano
Jeremy Rose
Federico Mata
Federico Mata
Federico Mata
T.D. Houghton
Luis Gonzalez
Dodie Duys
Joseph Rocco, Sr.
Heriberto Rivera, Jr.
Punchie Goberdhan
Fred Castillo
Jesse Garcia
William Henry
Robert Landry
David Neider
Ricardo Lopez
Rigney Racing
Thomas Shank/Stan Young
Robert Gerczak
Rosemary Rauch/David Zell
Eric Fein
J. Tortora, T. & R. Ancona
Balkrisna Sukharan
Richard Averill
Tracy Farmer
Hamco Group
Hamco Group
Hamco Group
A A C Stables
Triple M Farm Inc.
Vivian and Cleo Hall
Barry Shipp
Harold Queen
Paul O'Toole
Eutropia Farm
D.J. Campbell (lessee)
Robert Van Worp
Aubrey W. Minshall
J. Crayton Pruitt
Fred Boyd
Philip Bauer
Forrest Kaelin
Carlos Garcia
Ian Wilkes
Derek Ryan
Emanuel Tortora
Jamie Ness
Kirk Ziadie
Nick Zito
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Ronald Allen, Sr.
Gerald Bennett
Richard Paulus
Tandi Wheeler
James DiVito
Shirley Girten
Jason Stodghill
Jerry Lepre
Donald Campbell
Judson Van Worp
Sherry Noakes
T. Wynn Jolley
E.P. Cantlon, Jr.
Sneaking Uponyou
Action Andy
Watch Me Go
Legal Move
Guam Typhoon
Paradise Dancer
I'vegottabeme
Weigelia
Purim
Avis Skier
Scrubs
Attack the Books
Tour of the Cat
Fort Metfield
Fort Metfield
Sea Legs
Man the Shipp
Pleasant Too
Letters of Truth
Mr. Tooth
Premier Angel
Lord Try On
Hidden Tomahawk
Bandit Corsair
Action Andy
Bellefire
Gold Strike Begins
A Diehl
Chief Talkeetna
Let It Rock
Paradise Dancer
Above the Wind
Above the Wind
Attack the Books
Attack the Books
DrThunder/Sea of Tranquility
Mountain Top
American Dot Com
Royal Romp
Diplomatic Corps
Axe of Courage
Country Coy
Boisterous
Not Surprising
Junk Bond King
Lord John
Proud Lion Club
Mr. Hot Shot
^ -- Purse increased to $100,000
* -- track, stakes record
** --purse increased to $75,000
106
The $75,000 Super Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:22.03
GOOD LORD (2013)
Slowest Time:
1:26.3
DEMOCRITUS (1991)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 74.60
ABOVE THE WIND (2003)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.80
MUSKET MAN (2010)
Closest Winning Margin:
HEAD
MAN THE SHIPP (1999), SECRET ROMEO (2002)
Largest Winning Margin:
3 3/4 Lengths
OUR DOUBLE PLAY (2014)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .20
NOT SURPRISING (1995)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings but 1991, 1994 and 1998 (good); 1997 (sloppy);
2011 (wet fast)
Richest Purse:
$ 100,000
2014-present
Other Notes: Owners Richard and Tammy Rigney named the 2014 Super Stakes winner after their twin daughters, Claire
and Madison. In 2013, the popular 6-year-old gelding Good Lord set a track record in his victory for trainer Forrest Kaelin,
who was a jockey here in 1956 when the track was called Sunshine Park. Good Lord broke the stakes record of 2006 winner Sir Shackleton, a multiple-graded stakes winner. Above the Wind (owned by the Hamco Group, trained by Ron Allen,
Sr. and ridden by Federico Mata) won this race three times, from 2003-05. The 2011 winner, Capt. Candyman Can, was
trained by former Carl Nafzger assistant Ian Wilkes. The 2012 winner, Action Andy, won the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis
Memorial Dash at Laurel in October of 2012. Musket Man, the 2009 Tampa Bay Derby winner, returned to Oldsmar in
2010 to annex the Super.
Our Double Play used a
string of bullet workouts to
prepare for his outstanding 2014 Super
Stakes victory, the first
stakes triumph for trainer
Phil Bauer.
107
Tampa Bay Stakes Grade III
The Tampa Bay Stakes--Grade III
$150,000 4-Year-Olds-and-Up
(Formerly the Tampa Bay Breeders’ Cup)
1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Lochte (1:41.63)
Paco Lopez
Crossed Sabres Farm
Marcus Vitali
Old Time Hockey
Sky Flight
2014 Guys Reward (1:43.44)
Abdiel Jaen
Michael J. Bruder
Dale Romans
Salto
Golden Sabre
2013 Swift Warrior (1:43.14)
Jose Espinoza
James Covello, James Dolan John Terranova II
Alley Oop Oop (DH)
Doubles Partner (DH)
2012 Roman Tiger (1:40.42)
Angel Serpa
Dennis Manning
Dennis Manning
El Commodore
Swift Warrior
2011 Doubles Partner (1:40.67)**
Julien Leparoux
WinStar Farm
Todd Pletcher
Rahystrada
Voodoo Swinge
2010 Karelian (1:42.61)
R. Homeister, Jr.
Green Lantern Stables
George Arnold, II
Gio Ponti
Rahystrada
2009 Victory Alleged (1:41.35)
Carlos Marquez
Mac Fehsenfeld
Dennis Manning
Classic Campaign
Society's Chairman
2008 Cosmonaut (1:44.14)
Edgar Prado
Flying Zee Stable
Philip Serpe
Ballonenostrikes
Soldier's Dancer
2007 Hotstufanthensome (1:41.24)#
Rajiv Maragh
Runnin Horse Farms
Norman Pointer
Classic Campaign
Defer
2006 Fort Prado (1:40.76)
Brice Blanc
Team Block, et al
Chris Block
Icy Atlantic
Interpatation
2005 Wire Bound (1:40.14)
Eduardo Nunez
Silver Diamond Thoro'breds Manuel Criollo
Remind
Above the Wind
2004 Burning Roma (1:41.68)
Jesus Castanon
Harold Queen
Heather Giglio
Remind
Native Hawk
2003 Burning Roma (1:41.53)
Jesus Castanon
Harold Queen
Heather Giglio
Tour of the Cat
First lieutenant
2002 Boastful (1:40.95)
T.D. Houghton
Kinsman Stable
William Mott
Dog Tags
Tour of the Cat
2001 Delay of Game (1:41.91)
Chris DeCarlo
John Peace
George Arnold, II
Johnny Dollar
An Oscar for Bert
2000 Delay of Game (1:39.72)
Ramon Perez
John Peace
George Arnold, II
Nasello
Bogatyr
1999 Legs Galore (1:39.65) *^
William Henry
Ann and Clinton Lagrosa
Reed Combest
Tangazi
Orleans Road
1998 Ship Liner (1:44.1)
Punchie Goberdhan Philip Williams
Don Pittman
Fig Fest
Pleasant Too
1997 Request a Star (1:45.2)
Punchie Goberdhan Paul O'Toole
Jason Stodghill
Pleasant Too
Country Coy
1996 Iron Racketeer (1:46.2)
Danny Scocca
Charles Fink
Mike Falzone
Jane's Jet
Letters of Truth
1995 Not Surprising (1:44.2)
William Henry
Robert Van Worp
Judson Van Worp
Mighty Avanti
Boisterous
1994 Pride of Burkaan (1:44.2)
Eric Valles
A. Johnson & G. Murchibon
Leo Azpurua, Jr.
Not Surprising
Repletion
1993 Lord John (1:45.1)
William Henry
John Callaway
John Callaway
Island Chatter
Wynsum Wayward
1992 Lord John (1:45.8)
Willie Martinez
John Callaway
John Callaway
Color Me Ande
Rebounding Thrill
1991 Gallant Mel (1:45.2)
Ricardo Lopez
Edwards and Mitchell
Don Campbell
Velcro Fly
Dangerous Dawn
1990 Majesty's Imp
Ricardo Lopez
Batarasan Stable
Sturges Ducoing
1989 Gallant Mel
Ricardo Lopez
Edwards & Penhale
Don Campbell
* -- stakes record
1988 Homebuilder
Larry Saumell
Ryehill Farm
Woody Stephens
^ -- first turf edition
1987 My Prince Charming
O.B. Aviles
Estate of Don Aronow
Newcomb Green
** -- awarded Grade III status
108
# -- purse increased to $150,000
The Grade III $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:39.65
LEGS GALORE (1999)
Slowest Time:
1:51.1
LORD JOHN (1992)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 59.40
ROMAN TIGER (2012)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.00
DELAY OF GAME (2000)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
KARELIAN (2010), ROMAN TIGER (2012)
Largest Winning Margin:
5 ¾ Lengths
DELAY OF GAME (2000)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .20
GIO PONTI (2010)
Track Condition:
FIRM
All but 2008 (SOFT), ‘13 (GOOD), ‘14 (YLDG.), ‘15 (GOOD)
Richest Purse:
2007-present
$150,000
Other Notes:
As a 4-year-old, Lochte won the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in 2014 and placed in two other
Grade I stakes. Guys Reward, the 2014 winner, is no stranger to graded turf stakes success; in 2012, he won the Grade
II Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs. Swift Warrior, who finished third in the 2012 Tampa Bay Stakes, won the
2013 renewal three weeks after capturing the Grade III John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes at Sam Houston. The race
was run at 1 1/8 miles until 1993, when it was run at 1 1/16. It was moved to the turf in 1999. John Callaway won twice
as owner/trainer with Lord John in 1992 and 1993. Jockey William Henry won three times: in 1993 with Lord John, in
1995 with Not Surprising and in 1999 with Legs Galore. Not Surprising went on to be voted an Eclipse Award as Outstanding Sprinter based on eight stakes victories in 1995, including a quartet of graded New York events. Jockey
Punchie Goberdhan won twice: in 1997 with Request a Star and in 1998 with Ship Liner. Delay of Game was a two-time
winner in 2000 and 2001. Burning Roma (with jockey Jesus Castanon, trainer Heather Giglio and owner Harold Queen)
won twice, in 2003 and 2004. Previously known as the Tampa Bay Breeders‘ Cup, the race enjoyed its most exciting
renewal in 2010, when Karelian and jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr., edged Eclipse champion Gio Ponti and Ramon
Dominguez by a nose.
Trainer Dennis Manning won in 2009 with Victory Alleged and
Lochte (No. 7) and jockey
Paco Lopez hold off Old
Time Hockey, outside, and
Sky Flight to win the Grade
III Tampa Bay Stakes.
109
The Tampa Bay Derby—Grade II
The Tampa Bay Derby - Grade II
$350,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Olds
1 1/16 Miles
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Carpe Diem (1:43.60)
John Velazquez
WinStar Farm & Stonestreet Todd Pletcher
Ami's Flatter
Divining Rod
2014 Ring Weekend (1:43.71)
Daniel Centeno
St.Elias&WestPointThoro'br H. Graham Motion
Vinceremos
Surfing U S A
2013 Verrazano (1:43.96)
John Velazquez
Let's Go Stable, Tabor et al
Todd Pletcher
Java's War
Falling Sky
2012 Prospective (1:43.35)
Luis Contreras
John C. Oxley
Mark Casse
Golden Ticket
Cozzetti
2011 Watch Me Go (1:44.25)** ##
Luis Garcia
Gilbert G. Campbell
Kathleen O'Connell
Crimson Knight
Brethren
2010 Odysseus (1:44.31)
Rajiv Maragh
Padua Stables
Tom Albertrani
Schoolyard Dreams
Super Saver*
2009 Musket Man (1:43.67)
Daniel Centeno
Eric Fein & Vic Carlson
Derek Ryan
Join in the Dance
Justdontcallmejeri
2008 Big Truck (1:44.25)
Eibar Coa
Eric Fein
Barclay Tagg
Atoned
Dynamic Wayne
2007 Street Sense (1:43.11) * ^
Calvin Borel
James Tafel
Carl Nafzger
Any Given Saturday
Delightful Kiss
2006 Deputy Glitters (1:44.26)
Jose Lezcano
J. Lacombe Stable
Tom Albertrani
Bluegrass Cat
Winnies Tigger Too
2005 Sun King (1:43.98)
Edgar Prado
Tracy Farmer
Nicholas Zito
Forever Wild
Global Trader
2004 Limehouse (1:43.99)
Pat Day
Dogwood Stables
Todd Pletcher
Mustanfar
Swingforthefences
2003 Region of Merit (1:44.61)
Eibar Coa
Calumet Farm
Christophe Clement
Aristocat
Hear No Evil
2002 Equality (1:43.66) ***
Ramon Dominguez Pin Oak Farm
H. Graham Motion
Tails of the Crypt
Political Attack
2001 Burning Roma (1:44.30)
Richard Migliore
Harold Queen
Heather Giglio
American Prince
Paging
2000 Wheelaway (1:43.90)
Richard Migliore
C. Kimmel & P. Solondz
John Kimmel
Impeachment
Perfect Cat
1999 Pineaff (1:45.33)
Jose A. Santos
Roy and Joyce Monroe
Kenneth McPeek
Menifee
Doneraile Court
1998 Parade Ground (1:45.2)
Pat Day
W. Farish and S. Hilbert
Neil Howard
Middlesex Drive
Rock and Roll
1997 Zede (1:44.4)
Jerry Bailey
Allen Paulson
William Mott
Brisco Jack
Favorable Regard
1996 Thundering Storm (1:43.4)
Jorge Guerra
Deborrah Artz
Don Rice
El Amante
Natural Selection
1995 Gadzook (1:45.1)
Gary Boulanger
Du-Zee Stables
J. Bert Sonnier
Composer
Bet Your Bucks
1994 Prix de Crouton (1:46.3)
Mickey Walls
Lorne and Kathleen Berg
Lorne Berg
Able Buck
Parental Pressure
1993 Marco Bay (1:44.2)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Jay Shaw
Sarah Lundy
Thriller Chiller
Tunecke Charlie
1992 Careful Gesture (1:45.4)
Robert Lester
Cecilia Dixon
Elbert Dixon
Chief Speaker
Clipper Won
1991 Speedy Cure (1:46.1)
Ricardo Lopez
Susan B. Fisher
Harvey Culp
Link
Shudanz
1990 Champagneforashley (1:44
Jacinto Vasquez
Baker/Kaskel/Feinbloom
Howard Tesher
Slew of Angels
Always Running
1989 Storm Predictions (1:43.4)
Steve Gaffalione
Three G Stables
Luis Olivares
With Approval
Mercedes Won
1988 Cefis (1:44.2)
Eddie Maple
Ryehill-Kirkham Partnership Woody Stephens
Buck Forbes
Twice Too Many
1987 Phantom Jet (1:43.4)
Keith Allen
Aisco Stables
Phil Gleaves
Homebuilder
You're No Bargain
1986 My Prince Charming (1:46.3)
Craig Perret
Aronow Stable
Newcomb Green
Lucky Rebeau
Major Moran
1985 Regal Remark (1:46.4)
Jeffrey Fell
Sam-Son Farm
James Day
Verification
Sport Jet
1984 Bold Southerner (1:44.3)
Wayne Crews
Rusticwoods Farm
Paul Maxwell
Rexson's Hope
Stickler
Slew o' Gold
Quick Dip
1983 Morganmorganmorgan(1:47.1) Willie Rodriguez
Morgan Bishop
110 Arthur Monteiro
1982 Reinvested (1:45.1)
Rick Luhr
Harborview Farm
Stanley M. Hough
Stage Reviewer
Real Twister
1981 Paristo (1:45.2)
David Ashcroft
Belmont Farm
George Handy
Bravestofall
Darby Gillic
^ -- stakes record
** -- achieved Grade II status
* -- Kentucky Derby winner
*** -- achieved Grade III status
## -- purse increased to $350,000
The Grade II $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby
Fastest Time:
1:43.11
STREET SENSE (2007)
Slowest Time:
1:47.1
MORGANMORGANMORGAN (1983)
Longest Priced Winner:
$179.40
BOLD SOUTHERNER (1984)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.10
SUN KING (2005)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
BOLD SOUTHERNER (1984), STREET SENSE (2007),
ODYSSEUS (2010)
Largest Winning Margin:
5 Lengths
THUNDERING STORM (1996), CARPE DIEM (2015)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .05
WAR PASS (2008)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings except 1986 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
$ 350,000
2011-present
Other Notes:
Following Carpe Diem‘s victory, Todd Pletcher has won the Tampa Bay Derby three times, the most of
any conditioner. It was Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez‘s second Tampa Bay Derby. Carpe Diem went on to win the
Grade I Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland. In 2014, Ring Weekend rewarded trainer H. Graham Motion and jockey Daniel
Centeno with their second Tampa Bay Derby victories. Motion won in 2002 with Equality, and Centeno was aboard Musket Man in 2009. Ring Weekend won the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf at Santa Anita as a 4-year-old on the day of
the Tampa Bay Derby. The top three finishers in the 2013 Tampa Bay Derby — Verrazano, Java‘s War and Falling Sky
— competed in the Kentucky Derby, marking a first for the Grade II event. In 2007, Street Sense (owned by James Tafel, trained by Carl Nafzger and ridden by Calvin Borel) became the first Tampa Bay Derby participant to win the Grade I
Kentucky Derby. The colt went on to win the Grade I Travers Stakes and the Grade II Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. In
2010, Super Saver became the second Tampa Bay Derby graduate to win the Kentucky Derby, for owner WinStar Farm
and trainer Pletcher. In 2002, the Tampa Bay Derby attained Grade III status. It was elevated to Grade II for the 2011
edition. Eric Fein is the only owner to have won the race twice: in 2008 with Big Truck and in 2009 with Musket Man,
who finished third in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Cefis, trained by Hall of Fame legend Woody Stephens, staged
a whirlwind rally from last place to win the 1988 renewal.
Carpe Diem leaves no
doubt who is best in the
Tampa Bay Derby. Hall of
Fame jockey John Velazquez rides the champ.
111
STAKES HISTORIES
The Turf Dash
The Turf Dash
$100,000 Guaranteed
3-Year-Olds-and-Up
5 Furlongs (Turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Bold Thunder (54.63) *
Daniel Centeno
Andrew Sulley
Patricia Farro
Green Mask
Stormofthecentury
2014 Ancil (54.88) ##
Daniel Centeno
ScottFarmer,KathyThompso Joan Scott
Pyrite Green
Tell All You Know
2013 Great Attack (56.13)
Angel Serpa
Houyhnhnm Stable
Wesley Ward
Silver Cloud
Hold On Smokey
2012 Great Attack (55.93)
Jeffrey Sanchez
Houyhnhnm Stable
Wesley Ward
Western Prospector
Private Jet
2011 Bridgetown (55.28)
Willie Martinez
Melnyk Racing Stables
Todd Pletcher
Great Attack
Quite a Dude
2010 Sneaking Uponyou (58.11)
Huber Villa-Gomez Jagger, Inc.
Jamie Ness
Probation Ready
Twiceasbeautiful
2009 Castles in the Sky (55.75)
Daniel Centeno
Balkrisna Sukharan
Jamie Ness
Cooper County
Our Friend Harvey
2008 Lookinforthesecret (57.70)
Daniel Centeno
Balkrisna Sukharan
Jamie Ness
Prosico
Fort Prado
2007 Lookinforthesecret (56.61)
Daniel Centeno
Ness Racing Stable
Jamie Ness
Mr. Silver
The Nth Degree
2006 Western Kind (56.55)
Juan Umana
Grace Harris
Dewaine Glenn
Whenthedoveflies
Around the Cape
2005 Whenthedoveflies (57.62)
Jose Lezcano
Kalacan Racing Stable
Kirk Ziadie
Scattering Breezes
Relaunch Star
* -- stakes, track record
## -- purse increased to $100,000
Jockey Daniel Centeno
continues his domination of
the Turf Dash on Bold
Thunder, who sets a
course record.
112
STAKES HISTORIES
The $100,000 Turf Dash
Fastest Time
:54.63
BOLD THUNDER (2015)
Slowest Time
:58.11
SNEAKING UPONYOU (2010)
Longest Priced Winner
$17.00
SNEAKING UPONYOU (2010)
Shortest Priced Winner
$ 3.80
WHENTHEDOVEFLIES (2005)
Closest Winning Margin
NECK
WESTERN KIND (2006), CASTLES IN THE SKY (2009),
BRIDGETOWN (2011)
Largest Winning Margin
3 1/4 Lengths
BOLD THUNDER (2015)
Shortest Priced Loser
$0.90
CHAMBERLAIN BRIDGE (2009)
Track Condition
FIRM
2005, 2010, 2012, 2013 (good), 2008 (yielding)
Richest Purse
$ 100,000
2014-present
Other notes:
Five-time Tampa Bay Downs leading jockey Daniel Centeno has won five of the 11 runnings of the Turf
Dash; he helped Bold Thunder to a stakes and course-record performance last winter. With his record-shattering performance in the 2014 Turf Dash, 5-year-old gelding Ancil earned an invitation to Royal Ascot in England for his owners, Kathy
Thompson of Brooksville, Fla., and Scott Farmer, and his trainer, Joan Scott. It was one of five stakes victories during the
2013-14 meeting for Centeno. Trainer Dennis Ward saddled two-time Turf Dash Stakes winner Great Attack in 2012 and
2013 for his son, trainer Wesley Ward. Great Attack won the Grade III Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in 2012
on Kentucky Derby Day and has competed in two editions of the Breeders‘ Cup Turf Sprint. He finished second in the 2011
Turf Dash. Great Attack is owned by Jeffrey Seder‘s Houyhnhnm Stable. The Houyhnhnms were a race of intelligent
horses in Jonathan Swift‘s classic Gulliver’s Travels. Trainer Jamie Ness was unbeatable in this race from 2007-10, winning back-to-back with Lookinforthesecret, then saddling Castles in the Sky and Sneaking Uponyou. Centeno was aboard
for the first three Ness triumphs and Huber Villa-Gomez rode Sneaking Uponyou. Bridgetown, the 2011 Turf Dash winner,
was second in the 2009 Breeders‘ Cup Juvenile Turf.
113
The Wayward Lass
STAKES HISTORIES
The Wayward Lass Stakes
$50,000 Guaranteed
F/M 4-and-Up
1 1/16 Miles
OWNER
TRAINER
2nd
3rd
2015 Awesome Flower (1:43.87)^
JOCKEY
Fernando De La
Cruz
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey Michael Maker
Elusive Fate
Swinger's Party
2014 Dress the Part (1:45.13)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Ambusher
Montana Native
2013 Magic Hour (1:45.48)
Ronnie Allen, Jr.
Janis R. Whitham
Ian Wilkes
Fire Assay
I Like It
2012 Arena Elvira (1:44.57)
Leandro Goncalves Carolyn Wilson
William Mott
R Gypsy Gold
Dash Dot Dash
2011 Choragus (1:44.39)
Leandro Goncalves Lothenbach Stables
Anthony Reinstedler
C C's Pal
Striking Dancer
2010 Don't Forget Gil (1:44.76)
Daniel Centeno
Alan Brodsky
Mark Hennig
Choragus
Miss Match (ARG)
2009 Striking Tomisue (1:45.50)
J. Bridgmohan
TomisueHilbert&J.R. Menard Nicholas Zito
Moon Catcher
Boudoir
2008 Cash's Girl (1:44.93)
Pablo Morales
Cash is King LLC
Tim Ritchey
Lil's Lassie
Colony Queen
2007 Funny Annie (1:45.23)
Cecelio Penalba
Matthews Stable
Michael K. McDonald
Porta Clasica
Gadolinium
2006 Tasha Sangue (1:45.61)
Carlos Montalvo
George I. Elso
Walter Rosas-Canessa Preach It
Pitanga
2005 Joyful Ballad (1:44.71)
Jose Lezcano
Glen Hill Farm
Thomas Proctor
Slews Final Answer
Grab Bag
2004 Pampered Princess (1:45.77)
Jesus Castanon
Martin Cherry
Martin Wolfson
Crimson and Roses
Dakota Light
2003 Win's Fair Lady (1:43.94)
Joseph Judice
Sabine Stables
Steven Standridge
La Nina Dancer
Four Plus Four
2002 Technical Key (1:45.20)
Bobby Walker, Jr.
Steve Richardson
Don Rice
Coolbythepool
Pearly White
2001 Inside Affair (1:45.10)
Juan Umana
Harold Queen
Heather Giglio
Royal Fair
Silver Stockings
2000 Inside Affair (1:45.23)
William Henry
Harold Queen
Anthony Dutrow
Misstress
Kipper Quila
1999 Little Won (1:46.45) *
Joseph Rocco, Sr.
John Spencer, III
Arnold Fink
Native Gate Dancer
Summit Park
1998 Topic Gallapiat (1:46.0)
Gary Bain
Richard Cummins
Bob Peterson
Hail the Queen
Cindy's Sonnet
1997 Jeffreys Mom (1:46.2)
Jose Velez, Jr.
Queen's Land Farm
R.J. Richards, Jr.
Duchess Grace
Effervescence
1996 Roadways (1:48.0)
Jesse Garcia
P. D. K. Racing Ltd.
Kenneth Wirth
Littlest Secretary
Kate Howard
1995 Cavada (1:45.0)
Ricardo Lopez
Bebe Dalton
Archie Smith, Jr.
Jellied Madrilene
Norfolk Lavender
1994 Current Gossip (1:46.0)
Sebastian Madrid
Sheila Dimare
David Brownlee
Miss Obsession
Debby's Honeypiat
1993 Magal (1:44.4)
Scott Spieth
Dolores Tamargo
Ray Tamargo
My Gallant Birdie
Golden Wildcat
1992 Forli's Lass (1:45.4)
William Henry
Star Racing Stable
Art Pedregal, Jr.
Sassy N Brassy
Magal
1991 Leave It Be (1:46.0)
Maureen Andrews
D. Liberty Stables
Norm Wismer
Sassy N Brassy
Victorious Trick
WINNER
1990 Tia Juanita
1989 Stutz Goldrush
1988 Queen Alexandra
1987 Queen Alexandra
1986 Is Rosalind
1985 Sunset Strait **
^ -- stakes record
114
* -- purse formerly $25,000-added
** -- run at 1 1/8 miles
Awesome Flower
shows her class and
determination to annex
the Wayward Lass.
STAKES HISTORIES
The $50,000 Wayward Lass Stakes
Fastest Time:
1:43.87
AWESOME FLOWER (2015)
Slowest Time:
1:48.0
ROADWAYS (1996)
Longest Priced Winner:
$95.00
TASHA SANGUE (2006)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.40
MAGAL (1993)
Closest Winning Margin:
NOSE
INSIDE AFFAIR (2000)
Largest Winning Margin:
10 Lengths
WIN‘S FAIR LADY (2003)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
MAGAL (1992)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings except 1991 and 1996 (good) and 2003 (wet fast)
Richest Purse:
2008
$ 65,000
Other Notes:
Awesome Flower seems to be getting better with age. The 6-year-old mare‘s Wayward Lass victory was
her fourth stakes triumph since June of 2014. Dress the Part, the 2014 winner, was 3-for-3 at Tampa Bay Downs during
the 2013-14 season, all with Ronnie Allen, Jr., in the irons. Her sire, Malibu Moon, also sired 2013 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner Orb. The 2013 Wayward Lass Stakes winner, Janis R. Whitham‘s 4-year-old homebred
Magic Hour, takes a backseat to few Thoroughbreds in terms of pedigree. Her sire, Awesome Again, won the 1998 Breeders‘ Cup Classic. Magic Hour‘s dam Affluent won four Grade I stakes for Whitham and trainer Ron McAnally; Affluent‘s
sire, the great Affirmed, won the 1978 Triple Crown. Arena Elvira‘s thrilling Wayward Lass victory in 2012 was her fifth consecutive stakes score for local owner Carolyn Wilson. Previously, Arena Elvira won a pair of stakes at Saratoga in the
summer of 2011, the Grade III Turnback the Alarm at Aqueduct and the Grade II Falls City Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Arena Elvira‘s Wayward Lass jockey, Leandro Goncalves, won the 2011 edition on Choragus. Don‘t Forget Gil, the 2010
winner, loved Tampa Bay Downs; she won the Grade III Florida Oaks in 2009. In 1985, the first running of the Wayward
Lass Stakes was at 1 1/8 miles. Jockey William Henry won this race twice: in 1992 with Forli‘s Lass and in 2000 with Inside
Affair, for owner Harold Queen. Inside Affair won again for Queen in 2001 with Juan Umana in the irons. Queen Alexandra
won both the 1987 and 1988 editions of the Wayward Lass Stakes. She was trained by George Baker.
115
STAKES HISTORIES
Discontinued Stakes
The Discovery
Fillies 2 Year Olds
$40,000 Guaranteed
Seven Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
1991 Aggie Gene (1:27.3)
1990 Erica's Dream (1:25.45)+
William Henry
Ricardo Lopez
Star Racing Stables
Shirley Howell
Art Pedregal, Jr.
B. E. Howell
Blanche Be Mine
National Finalist
Bet Your Bonnet
Wekive Run
+ Stakes Record
GTBOA Stallion Season Auction Stakes
$25,000
3 Year Olds & Up
1 1/16 Miles
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2000 Ben's Quixote (1:41.23)
Jesse Garcia
Sarah and Kenneth Ramsey Kenneth Wirth
2ND
3RD
Keep Striking
Kool Ruckus
The Pinellas Stakes
$50,000 Guaranteed
Fillies 3 YearsOlds
1 1/16 on the turf
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
2001 The Goddess Athird (1:43.08)
2000 Jera (1:41.46)+
1999 Sangam (1:44.19)*
Danny Scocca
Derek Bell
Jim McAleney
Gilbert G. Campbell
Steve Trizis
A. Bhangoo
Kathleen O'Connell
Peter Klesaris
Arthur Silvera
Chausson Poire
Grey Sky
Schmoopy
Across the Creek
Trouville
Dyna Might
* Purse formerly $25,000 added
+ Stakes Record
116
STAKES HISTORIES
Discontinued Stakes
The Tampa Bay Downs Steeplechase
$25,000
Maiden 4 Year Olds & Up
2 1/16 Miles
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
2001 P. C. Plod (3:46.83)
2000 Red Classic (3:43.82)+
Craig Thornton
Sean Clancy
Mrs. S. K. Johnston
Brushwood Stables
Janet Elliot
James Lawrence
How Goes It
Banjo Man
Clearance Code
Hall of Angels
+ Stakes Record
The Vulcan Stakes
$25,000 Guaranteed
3 Year Olds
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
1999 Mr. Carter (1:12.94)
1998 Broom Rider (1:12.2)+
Lenny Frazzitta, Jr. Gladys Moreland
Dodie Duys
Allen Koslin
Six Furlongs
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
Zelko Krcmar
Larry Bates
Hogans Chief
Pretty Dee Dee
Dusty Ibis
Poppas Beach, Daring Lass (DH)
(DH) Dead Heat
+ Stakes Record
117
STAKES HISTORIES
Discontinued Stakes
The Chris Thomas Turf ClasFormerly the Columbia Stakes
$75,000 Guaranteed
3 Year Olds & Up
1 1/8 Miles (turf)
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
2009 Dinner in Odem (1:46.68)
2008 Revved Up (1:48.48)
2007 Therecomesatiger (1:49.53)
2006 Revved Up (1:48.25)
2005 Hear No Evil (1:49.40)^
2004 Restage (1:48.03)
2003 Guardianofthegate (1:50.16)
2002 Guardianofthegate (1:48.12)
2001 Guardianofthegate (1:47.9)
2000 Lilys Cousin (1:46.34)+
Phil Teator
Daniel Centeno
Luis Gonzalez
Eddie Castro
Melvin Toro
Jesus Castanon
Tommy Pompell
Dodie Duys
Paula Bacon
Derek Bell
Peter & Sharyn Wasiluk
Live Oak Plantation
Charles Patton
Live Oak Plantation
Jacks or Better Farm
Glen Hill Farm
Brett Rice
Brett Rice
Brett Rice
Lois Allen
Peter Wasiluk
Christophe Clement
Thomas Proctor
Christophe Clement
Kenneth Decker
Thomas Proctor
Don Rice
Don Rice
Don Rice
V. W. Reedy
Sir Dave
Victory Alleged
Revved Up
Ballonenostrikes
Revved Up
Coahoma
Total Anilation
Fun ‗N' Gun
Trooper Red
Atiba
Sporting Art
I‘m Only Laughing
Puppeteer
Big Tex
Headline
Milky Way Guy
Dell Place
Viva Pentelicus
Special Coach
Ben's Quixote
+ Stakes record
^ Name Changed to Chris Thomas Turf Classic in 2005
-- In 2010 race suspended
Dinner in Odem puts
his neck in front to
capture the 10th
running of the Chris
Thomas Turf Classic
118
STAKES HISTORIES
Discontinued Stakes
The $75,000 Chris Thomas Turf Classic
Fastest Time:
1:46.34
LILYS COUSIN (2000)
Slowest Time:
1:50.16
GUARDIANOFTHEGATE (2003)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 34.40
GUARDIANOFTHEGATE (2001)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 3.20
REVVED UP (2006)
Closest Winning Margin:
NECK
GUARDIANOFTHEGATE (2001),
DINNER IN ODEM (2009)
Largest Winning Margin
4 Lengths
GUARDIANOFTHEGATE (2002)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ 1.00
TV SPORTS DIRECTOR (2002)
Track Condition:
FIRM
All runnings
Richest Purse:
2005
$75,000
Other Notes:
Thomas was a popular radio talk-show host who was also a Thoroughbred owner.
Owner Brett Rice and trainer Don Rice won three times with Guardianofthegate in 2001, 2002, and 2003, with three different jockeys: Paula Bacon, Dodie Duys and Tommy Pompell. Restage, with jockey Jesus Castanon and trainer Thomas Proctor, was the first winner of the Chris Thomas Turf Classic when it was renamed in 2004. Proctor subsequently
won the race again with Therecomesatiger in 2007 for owner Charles Patton and jockey Luis Gonzalez. Revved Up has
won the race twice for owner Live Oak Plantation and trainer Christophe Clement: in 2006 under Eddie Castro and in
2008 with Daniel Centeno in the irons. The winner of the 2009 Chris Thomas Turf Classic, Dinner in Odem, has earned
almost $400,000 in his career.
119
ARABIAN STAKES HISTORIES
The Diamond Derby
(Discontinued)
$75,000 Est.
Arabian 4 Year Olds
Seven Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
2003 Stellarr (1:35.13)
2002 Doran Sbfar (1:34.9)
2001 Pardon My French (1:33.41)
2000 Mucho Caliente (1:32.59)+
1999 Dreams of Valor (1:32.85)
1998 Tigres Light (1:35.0)
1997 The Wiking (1:34.3)
1996 Jest You Wait (1:34.2)
Jesus Bracho
Jesus Castanon
Federico Mata
Juan Umana
Tommy Zamora
Mike Pindell
C. K. Murphy
Sean Jones
Dianne Waldron
Dianne Waldron
Trackside Farm
Town and Country Farms
Margo Wallace (lessee)
Town and Country Farms
Town and Country Farms
Dunromin Arabians
Dianne Waldron
Phil Saxer
Loren Nichols
Hilton Werneth
Lynn Ashby
Roger Werneth
Roger Werneth
Lynn Ashby
Just Lyke Me
Bonuz
Raising Cano
Djolly Good
Seyvilla Proof
Paving the Way
Vanilla Shaikh
Noble Man
Tops the Stars
On the Mufv
LF Fleetwood Mac
Storrmy Weather
Genuine Monarch
Tigger
Lucky Shawn
Light the Night
+ Stakes Record
$75,000 Diamond Derby
Fastest Time:
1:32.59
MUCHO CALIENTE (2000)
Slowest Time:
1:35.0
TIGRES LIGHT (1998)
Longest Priced Winner:
$ 21.40
MUCHO CALIENTE (2000)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.60
TIGRES LIGHT (1998)
Closest Winning Margin:
NECK
DREAMS OF VALOR (1999)
Largest Winning Margin:
12 ½ Lengths
JEST YOU WAIT (1996)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .80
SEYVILLA PROOF (1999)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings
Richest Purse:
1999
$95,000
Other Notes:
No jockey won this race more than once. Owner Town and Country Farms
won three times: twice with trainer Roger Werneth (in 1997 and 1998)
and once with Hilton Werneth (in 2000).
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ARABIAN STAKES HISTORIES
The Sapphire
(Discontinued)
$75,000 Est.
Arabian 4 Year Old Fillies
Seven Furlongs
WINNER
JOCKEY
OWNER
TRAINER
2ND
3RD
2003 More Adorable (1:37.73)
2002 Tornade Du Loup (1:35.99)
2001 Djezebel (1:35.12)
2000 Adoraable (1:37.2)
1999 Royal Atheena (1:34.79)+
1998 Dixie Darlene (1:36.0)
1997 Super Tiki (1:38.4)
1996 Sweet Girl Ma (1:36.4)
+ Stakes Record
Christobal Morales
Jesus Castanon
Jesus Castanon
Gary Boag
Tommy Zamora
Sean Jones
Sean Jones
Roxane Losey
Kinsman / Cheryl Wright
Dianne Waldron
Dianne Waldron
Kinsman / Cheryl Wright
Genellen and H. Pike
Bill Waldron
J. and L. E. Brauninger, Jr.
Sharon and Bob Magness
Maureen Stillwell
Phil Saxer
Maureen Stillwell
Phil Saxer
Lynn Ashby
Bill Waldron
Lynn Ashby
Lynn Ashby
Dream Keeper
French Braids
Djenzel
Prince Tiki
Lore
Star of Orzell
Shes the Most
Electyra
Sey Proofs Fara
Allez France
Vamonos Juanita
Mega C S
Zeralda Josniere
Golly What a Day
Hidden Treasure
Miss Bobbie Socks
The $75,000 Sapphire Sprint
Fastest Time:
1:34.79
ROYAL ATHEENA (1999)
Slowest Time:
1:38.4
SUPER TIKI (1997)
Longest Priced Winner:
$10.00
TORNADE DU LOUP (2002)
Shortest Priced Winner:
$ 2.40
DIXIE DARLENE (1998)
Closest Winning Margin:
HEAD
ADORAABLE (2000), TORNADE DU LOUP (2002)
Largest Winning Margin:
8 Lengths
SWEET GIRL MA (1996)
Shortest Price Loser:
$ .70
FRENCH BRAIDS (2002), A FOREIGN AFFAIR (2002)
Track Condition:
FAST
All runnings except 2003 (sloppy)
Richest Purse:
1999
$100,000
Other Notes:
Jockey Jesus Castanon won this race twice for owner Dianne K. Waldron: in 2001 with
Djezebel and in 2002 with Tornade Du Loup. Jockey Sean Jones also won twice: in 1997
with Super Tiki, and in 1998 with Dixie Darlene. Trainer Lynn Ashby won three times: in 1996
with Sweet Girl Ma, in 1997 with Super Tiki, and in 1999 with Royal Atheena.
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