Tampa Bay Stakes 2015 at Tampa Bay Downs

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Tampa Bay Downs takes place at Tampa Bay Downs in none other than Tampa, Florida on Saturday, January 24. Horses four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Tampa Bay Downs turf track and go 1 1/16 miles for a purse of $150,000.

A full field of 12 plus two Alternate Entries have been confirmed for the Tampa Bay Derby - race 8 on Tampa Bay Downs Saturday card. Post time is 3:50 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 14 possible entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

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2015 Tampa Bay Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Guys Reward - Dale Romans pupil won this race last year in a 15-1 upset and also won the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park in July with some sketchy results sprinkled in there as well. He has failed to place in his last three starts overall - a fourth last time out in the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs November 8 followed a fifth in the minor More Than Ready Mile in September and a fourth in the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger at Monmouth Park in August. He finished ninth in this race in 2012 as but has mixed good results with bad since. Jockey Abdeil Jean hopes to cure the crazy inconsistency of Guy's Reward from the outside post.

Sky Flight - Mark Casse trained colt will race for just the fifth time but does have three wins in his four starts thus far. He makes his graded stakes debut on the heels of a three race win streak - the best coming last time out in his stakes debut - the minor Tropical Park Derby at Tampa Bay Downs December 20. He look more than ready for his step up and will have Julien Leparoux in the irons from gate 4 Saturday.

Tampa Bay Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Super Soldier - Michele Boyce trained gelding has 12 career starts with six wins, a second and two third place finishes but makes his stakes debut Saturday. He enters in some terrific form however - five wins and a second place finish in his last six starts overall - in Allowance company. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track January 3. Super Soldier will be hoping his current roll translates to stakes company when he leaves from post 3 with Luis Garcia in the reins.

Lochte - Marcus Vitali trained gelding made his graded stakes debut one to remember - a win in the 2014 Grade 1 Tampa Bay Downs Turf at 39-1 odds and followed that with a good second in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in March and a third in the Grade 1 Maker's 46 Mile in April. He has been up and down since - a disastrous thirteenth in the Grade 2 Monmouth in Stakes in June and an eighth in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes in July were the lowest point. He has been OK in his last four starts - a fifth in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes last time out followed a fourth in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap, a second in an Allowance and a nice win in the minor The Vid Stakes at Gulfstream September 13. He looks to gain back a little bit of his graded stakes mojo Saturday from post 7 with Paco Lopez guiding him.

Allie's Event - has 43 career starts for trainer Lori Smock with 11 wins, 14 seconds and four third place finishes. He makes his third appearance in this race - he was fourth in 2012 and sixth in 2013 - the last time he raced in graded stakes company. He won an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track December 3 and was fourth last time out in a similar race also on this track January 3 and also had a second in the minor Presque Isle Downs Stakes in September. But he has mostly been up and down in Allowance company. Allie's Event tries for his first stakes score Saturday with Pablo Morales in the saddle from the rail.

Tricky Hat - Chilean born Shug McGaughey trained gelding hadn't looked good before a nice win in the minor John's Call Stakes at Saratoga August 6 - a result that was followed by a fifth in the Grade 3 Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes September 13 and a fourth last time out in the Grade 3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 16. Before his minor stakes score was an ugly fourteenth in the Grade 2 Monmouth Stakes after a fifth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes in April. He has 17 career starts with five wins, a second and four third place finishes. Tricky Hat will look to cure his inconsistent ways with Leandro Goncalves aboard from post 2.

One Touch - will make his graded stakes debut but brings a nice three race win streak into Saturday's race - an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track last time out followed another win in a similar race in October and a maiden score in his seventh career start - at Kentucky Downs September 17. Victor Lenron has been tabbed to keep the roll going as One Touch steps up from post 5.

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Margano - has 25 career starts with five wins, five seconds and three third place finishes and enters off two OK performances - a fifth last time out in the Grade 3 WL McKnight Handicap at Gulfstream followed a third in the Grade 3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct in November. His other three starts last year resulted in a third in an Allowance at Keeneland October 9, a nice win in the PTHA President's Cup Stakes at Parx September 13 and a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in August. He looks to break through in graded stakes company for the first time from post 11 with Daniel Centeno guiding him.

Hobo Ridge - has 52 career starts for trainer Kenneth Cox with 10 wins, 10 seconds and 10 third place finishes. He makes just his second graded stakes start - the first was a sixth in the Grade 3 Cliff Hangers Stakes in August, 2013. He did win the minor Turning for Home Stakes at Parx in August for his best career results and has since posted a pair of seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming races and a seventh last time out in a similar race in November. He has looked so-so against lesser competition but will likely be in tough from post 6 Saturday.

Rose Brier - has placed in 19 of 22 starts for trainer Jane Cibelli but finished fourth in his only graded stakes appearance - the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes in May, 2014. He has since reeled off three wins, three seconds and a third place finish - the best of which was a win in the minor Bert Allen Stakes at Laurel Park in September. He is coming off consecutive seconds this winter - a Starter Optional Claiming last time out and the minor Emerald Stakes in December - both results at Gulfstream. Rose Brier leaves from post 9 Saturday with Antonio Gallardo in the irons.

Rerun - Chad Stewart trained gelding makes his graded stakes debut having recorded four wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 13 career start. He enters off a second and a fourth respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races on this track after a sixth in the minor Flying Pigeon Stakes at Gulfstream and a pair of Allowance wins here around this time last year. Rerun looks for his first stakes score Saturday on his favorite track - from gate 8 with Fernando De La Cruz in charge.

Old Time Hockey - Thomas Proctor trained gelding won the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap August 11 2012 and took until March, 2014 to post victory again - a win an Allowance Optional Claiming which was followed by another win - in the minor Tampa Turf Classic Stakes a month later. He has failed to place in his last six starts overall - a fifth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar in November followed three straight sixth place finishes including the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap in July, a fourth in minor stakes action and a tenth in the Grade 2 Elkhorn. He hopes to snap a long skid Saturday from gate 10. Ronald Allen Jr. has the mount.

Dramedy - Alternate Entry has 10 career starts with two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He made his stakes debut three back and finished fourth in the minor First responder Stakes at Parx and went on to a seventh in his graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track.

War Correspondent - Alternate Entry could reasonably be a factor is he does indeed race. The Chirstophe Clemet French based trainee has placed in all six career starts - two wins, three seconds and a third place finish. He has just two starts in North America - a good second last time out in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Monmouth Park in September.


2015 Tampa Bay Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Tampa Bay Downs's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:50 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer ML Odds
1 Allie's Event P. Morales L. Smock
12-1
2 Tricky Hat (CHI) L. Goncalves C. McGaughey III
8-1
3 Super Soldier L. Garcia M. Boyce
8-1
4 Sky Flight J. Leparoux M. Casse
7-2
5 One Touch V. Lebron W. Mogge
30-1
6 Hobo Ridge . K. Cox
30-1
7 Lochte P. Lopez M. Vitali
6-1
8 Rerun F. De La Cruz C. Stewart
15-1
9 Rose Brier A. Gallardo J. Cibelli
10-1
10 Old Time Hockey R. Allen, Jr. T. Proctor
10-1
11 Margano D. Centeno A. Delacour
4-1
12 Guys Reward A. Jaen D. Romans
6-1
13 Dramedy P. Morales G. Aschinger
15-1
14 War Correspondent J. Bravo C. Clement
3-1