Gasparilla, Pasco Top Three-Stakes Program at Tampa

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Gasparilla, Pasco Top Three-Stakes Program at Tampa
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Photo: SV Photography
Feeling Mischief wins the Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

A year after eventual Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver kicked off her year in the Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, finishing a close fifth behind victorious Two Sixty, another set of newly-turned 3-year-old fillies compete in the $125,000 event Jan. 16.

The Gasparilla is one of three stakes at Tampa Saturday that also includes the $125,000 Pasco Stakes for 3-year-old males and the $50,000 Wayward Lass for older fillies and mares. The Gasparilla and Pasco are at seven furlongs on dirt, while the Wayward Lass is at 1 1/16 miles.

Seven sophomore fillies are entered in the Gasparilla, the sixth race on the card. The field includes Mellon Patch's Feeling Mischief, who returns to competition after winning the six-furlong Sandpiper Stakes at Tampa Dec. 5. The daughter of Into Mischief  is trained by Michael Campbell and will be ridden again by Jesus Castanon.

Trainer Tim Hamm has two entries: Charge It All, who won an allowance optional claiming race Dec. 20, and Make a Scene, who broke her maiden locally on Dec. 26. Wilmer Garcia rides Charge It All and Roberto Alvarado Jr. is named on Make a Scene.

For some entrants, the Gasparilla is intended as a prep for the $150,000, mile-and-40-yard Suncoast Stakes on Feb. 6, an official Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifier.

Nova Rags - Maiden Win, Belmont Park, October 10, 2020
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Nova Rags breaks his maiden at Belmont Park

There are eight sophomore colts and geldings entered in the Pasco, the day's seventh race. The field includes Michael Shanley's Nova Rags, a Union Rags  colt from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Nova Rags broke his maiden on Oct. 10 at Belmont Park and finished fourth Nov. 8 in the Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack. Leading jockey Samy Camacho is up.

Others to watch include The Distractor, a stakes-placed gelding trained by Kathleen O'Connell, and Newyearsblockparty, a supplemental entry trained by Anthony Pecoraro. 

Hector Diaz Jr. will ride The Distractor and Jose Ferrer will be on Newyearsblockparty.

The Pasco could serve as a launching pad toward the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 6 at Tampa. The Sam F. Davis is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.

Although none of the horses in last year's Pasco did much to attract widespread notice, the two previous winners scaled the heights. 2018 winner World of Trouble  later took the Carter Handicap (G1) and Jaipur Invitational Stakes (G1T), and 2019 winner Win Win Win  captured the Forego Stakes Presented by America's Best Racing (G1) last summer at Saratoga Race Course.

Four participants in the Gasparilla race with the diuretic Lasix, and six race with it in the Pasco. The entire field races with Lasix in the Wayward Lass.

Numerous tracks and jurisdictions have begun a phase-out of the medication, which can control respiratory bleeding but has been criticized for being overused. Elsewhere in the state, Gulfstream Park is contesting all of its stakes this year without Lasix.


Entries: Gasparilla S.

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, January 16, 2021, Race 6

  • STK
  • 7f
  • Dirt
  • $125,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 2:36 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Special Princess (FL) Ademar Santos 118 Walter H. Woodard 8/1
2 2Charge It All (KY) Wilmer A. Garcia 118 Timothy E. Hamm 6/1
3 3Big Rings (FL) Samy Camacho 118 Carlos A. David 5/2
4 4Adios Trippi (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 118 Peter R. Walder 7/2
5 5Marketability (KY) Keiber J. Coa 118 Ian Hemingway 12/1
6 6Make a Scene (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Roberto Alvarado, Jr. 118 Timothy E. Hamm 8/1
7 7Feeling Mischief (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jesus Lopez Castanon 124 Michael B. Campbell 2/1


Entries: Pasco S.

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, January 16, 2021, Race 7

  • STK
  • 7f
  • Dirt
  • $125,000
  • 3 yo
  • 3:07 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Little Demon (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 118 Kathleen O'Connell 5/1
2 2Distorted Limits (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Scott Spieth 118 Kelsey Danner 8/1
3 3Ahimelech (FL) Jesus Lopez Castanon 118 Timothy E. Hamm 8/1
4 4Newyearsblockparty (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose C. Ferrer 120 Anthony Pecoraro 6/1
5 5The Distractor (FL) Hector Rafael Diaz, Jr. 118 Kathleen O'Connell 9/2
6 6Thealligatorhunter (MN) Alonso Quinonez 118 Tim P. Padilla 6/1
7 7Foreman (FL) Daniel Centeno 118 Gerald S. Bennett 12/1
8 8Nova Rags (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Samy Camacho 118 William I. Mott 2/1