Shivaree, Heiressall Prevail in FTBOA Stakes at Tampa
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Photo: SV Photography
Shivaree wins the FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs
After racing in grade 1 company at times this year, including a second to Tiz the Law in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), Shivaree appreciated easier company and rolled to victory in the $100,000 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association Marion County Florida Sire Stakes for Florida-breds Dec. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs.
A 5-1 shot, the 3-year-old son of Awesome of Course won going away by 2 1/4 lengths over Jackson, with favored Noble Drama another half-length back in third. He sped seven furlongs under Roberto Alvarado Jr. on a fast track in a stakes-record 1:21.68.
Bred and owned by Fred Brei's Jacks or Better Farm, he boosted his bankroll to $433,475 by earning $60,000 with his fourth victory in 15 starts. Shivaree is out of the Anasheed mare Garter Belt.
"It's a nice feeling," trainer Ralph Nicks said. "With him turning 4, hopefully he can be one of the better Florida-bred 4-year-olds. We gave him a break after the Travers (G1), which he needed, and he wasn't quite all the way back for his last race (a fourth-place finish Nov. 14 in the Millions Sprint Preview Stakes at Gulfstream Park West).
"He stalked the pace today the way we wanted, he didn't have to be sent and we knew he'd stay steady and try hard down the lane. I knew he had a big chance at the sixteenth pole. Roberto gave him a patient ride, got through traffic well, and was aggressive when he needed to be."
Alvarado was riding a horse for Nicks for the first time, and he made a good impression, just as Shivaree ($13.60) did on him.
"When I asked him around the (three-eighths) pole, he took a little while to get going, but as soon as I got him into the clear and we got going, he just took off," Alvarado said. "I knew I had a chance to get (Jackson), and my horse finished great."
Video: FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire S. (BT)
The FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes for colts and geldings was one of two FTBOA-sponsored stakes races Saturday, the other being the $100,000 FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes, which was won by My Purple Haze Stables' Heiressall over Independent Miss and The Goddess Lyssa.
The winner improved to 7-for-20 and boosted her earnings to $358,038. She is a homebred daughter of Wildcat Heir out of the Unbridled's Song mare All Bridled.
Heiressall ($5.80), who won the Sheer Drama Stakes at Gulfstream Park two races back, benefited from an early speed duel between The Goddess Lyssa and Tiz Possible Dear, allowing jockey Antonio Gallardo to track them smoothly from third place. Heiressall took over from The Goddess Lyssa at the eighth pole and was home free. Her time of 1:23.35 was well off Shivaree's clocking for the same distance a couple of hours earlier.
"She is a professional girl. She is all business on the racetrack," winning trainer Terri Pompay said. "She loves what she does; you just have to put her in the right spots, and she does her job."