Octane, R Adios Jersey Give Gallardo Tampa Stakes Sweep

Jockey Antonio Gallardo swept the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's Florida Sire Stakes Dec. 10 at Tampa Bay Downs, taking the $100,000 FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes aboard R Adios Jersey  and doubling back three races later to upset the $100,000 FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes with Octane .

Both seven-furlong races were for FTBOA-registered Florida-breds sired by an FTBOA-registered Florida stallion.

Octane, a 3-year-old, upset 1-2 favorite Willy Boi  in the Marion County to earn his fifth win in nine starts. A homebred for Alan Cohen's Arindel, he is trained by Carlos David, who also trains third-place finisher Gatsby —a 4-year-old full brother to the winner.

Willy Boi, a grade 1-placed grade 3 winner, broke on top under jockey Chantal Sutherland—but Gallardo urged Octane to the lead from post 1 to hold a narrow edge up the backstretch and into the turn.

"(Octane) broke a step slow, but he got up there and got the lead, which is what we wanted," David said. "I think Chantal knew Gatsby was back there stalking and was going to try to hold back a little, but speed was holding today, and my horse can go a distance."

With the late scratch of Cattin , Octane and sixth-place finisher Morgan Point  were the only sophomores in the seven-horse field.

"He's a great 3-year-old who has a bright future ahead of him," David said.

Gallardo felt the race was his for the taking when 4-year-old Willy Boi drew even with him approaching the quarter-mile pole but couldn't get past. 

"I was thinking I'm in the game, and I started getting a little more excited," he said.

The final time was 1:23 on a fast track. Octane returned $12.60 on a $2 win ticket.

It was the third stakes victory for the gelding, who won two legs of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park as a 2-year-old. A son of Brethren   out of the winning Aldebaran  mare Star Recruit , he has career earnings of $518,480. 

In addition to Octane and Sunshine Sprint Stakes winner Gatsby, Star Recruit has produced a 2-year-old Brethren filly named Jellybean , who ran third in the Sharp Susan Stakes at Gulfstream in August. The mare has struggled to get pregnant, producing just three foals since she was first reported bred in 2015. She was sent to Uncle Chuck   for 2023. 

Video: FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire S. (BT)

R Adios Jersey Scores Off Layoff

When R Adios Jersey  is at her best, it's like watching poetry in motion. And although the 4-year-old filly might not have been 100% fit after a layoff of almost seven months, trainer Gerald Bennett had her close enough to peak form to dominate five foes Saturday in the City of Ocala.

"You always worry coming in off a layoff, but I'm glad to see her back running," said co-owner Rich Averill of Bradenton, Fla., after R Adios Jersey posted a 1 3/4-length victory over Restofthestory . "Hopefully she comes back from it good, and she can go on to something a little better, maybe."

Averill owns R Adios Jersey in partnership with former major league baseball outfielder Jayson Werth, who left earlier Saturday for a fishing trip in the Bahamas while Averill landed the big one at the Oldsmar oval. Even with Werth not in attendance, there was plenty of excitement during and after the race as Averill, family members, and dozens of friends from nearby Bradenton celebrated.

R Adios Jersey set all the fractions on a fast track, withhe first quarter-mile in :22.42, the half in :44.99, six furlongs in 1:10.36 en route to a final time of 1:23.59.

A year ago, Averill watched R Adios Jersey stroll to an 11-length victory in the same event, and he was hopeful she might open up a bigger margin early in the race. But Gallardo, who had worked her out a couple of times, most recently in company, but was riding her in a race for the first time, let her do her own thing until 4-year-old Restofthestory posed a major threat in the final furlong.

"I could see from working her that she is a free-going filly who knows what she is doing, and you don't have to tell her much," Gallardo said. "She has speed and she has a long stride, so you don't want to get too smart and take her back or lay second because she wants to be free.

"I could hear (Restofthestory) coming late, but I could feel my filly was not done. She's not going to give up, and that gives you a good feeling when your horse tells you, 'Don't worry, I've got you.'"

The daughter of Adios Charlie   paid $3.60 to win as the heavy betting favorite. Sassy Beast  finished third in the six-horse field.

Bennett sensed his charge was tiring late. "It was class. Class got it done," Bennett said.

"She put on about 50-to-75 pounds (during the layoff), but they all need that time off," Bennett said. "She was trying to bear in a little late, but (Gallardo) got her to change leads, and she came back."

Bred by Ocala Stud and J. Michael O'Farrell Jr. out of the unraced Montbrook  mare Marion Theatre, R Adios Jersey was sourced from Ocala Stud's consignment to the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training for $12,000 by Averill Racing. Her record now stands at six wins and a second from nine starts, with earnings of $270,250.

She is the first black-type winner for Marion Theatre, but all of her six foals to race have been winners. Her most recent progeny include a yearling filly by The Big Beast   and a weanling by Win Win Win  . She was reported bred back to Adios Charlie for 2023.

Video: FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire S. (BT)