Older Turf Horses Contest Tampa Bay Stakes

The $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Feb. 13 Tampa Bay Downs card attracted a dozen older turf runners, headed by graded stakes winners Old Time Hockey, War Correspondent, and Reload.

The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Stakes is the 10th race on the 12-race card highlighted by the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds.



A Glen Hill Farm homebred trained by Tom Proctor, Old Time Hockey put in a game finish on the outside to just miss catching Lochte in last year's renewal. The 7-year-old gelded son of Smarty Jones   subsequently won the Tampa Turf Classic for the second year in a row, was unplaced in two stakes, romped by 19 lengths in allowance company, and won the Millions Turf Preview at Gulfstream Park West.



To be ridden by Ronald Allen under co-topweight of 118 pounds, Old Time Hockey is coming off a late-closing fifth, four lengths behind winner Manchurian High, in the Sunshine Millions Turf over a course rated good at Gulfstream Park Jan. 16 his seasonal debut.

ANGST: Sunshine Millions Repeat for Manchurian High

With a record of 8-5-3 from 35 starts, Old Time Hockey brings a $554,520 bankroll into the race, including a victory in the 2012 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar.

Also weighted at 118 with John Velazquez named to ride, War Correspondent returned from a lengthy layoff with a game in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream Jan. 9, pressing the early pace before finishing seventh, three lengths behind winner Heart to Heart.



A 6-year-old War Front   horse trained Christophe Clement, War Correspondent won the Appleton Handicap (gr. IIIT) last March before going to the sidelines. The lightly raced horse who has won or placed in eight of nine starts in a career that began in France is owned by Calumet Farm, Sagamore Farm, and Eclipse Thoroughbreds.

HAMMONDS: War Correspondent Captures Appleton



A Phipps Stable homebred trained by Shug McGaughey, Reload has used his stalking style to win seven of 22 starts, with seven second- or third-place efforts. A 7-year-old Hard Spun   horse, Reload is making his seasonal debut after finishing 2015 with a close-up third as the favorite in the Artie Schiller Stakes over a yielding turf course at a mile at Aqueduct Racetrack in November. Reload notched his only stakes triumph when he rallied along the rail to win the 2014 Canadian Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) and subsequently was sidelined from Feb. 22 fo that year until May 2015.