Jouster shot to the front as Domain Expertise settled in the second half of the field heading into the first turn. Residing in the two path while covered up midpack down the backstretch, the 5-1 chance took aim at the front approaching the quarter pole and was fanned four wide around the final turn. Picking up the tempo but with seemingly too much to do as Jouster was free-running in early stretch, the Chad Brown runner proved undeterred as Antonio Gallardo asked for more and his charge responded, reeling in the frontrunner late and pegging her rival at the wire.
“I think I had a pretty good trip,” said Gallardo. “She felt comfortable all the way around. Really, when I put her in the clear, she exploded. She exploded like a good filly. I was trying my hardest and you're not thinking about [whether you're going to catch Jouster, the pacesetter], you're thinking about riding your horse and trying to catch her.”
Runner up in her career debut at Saratoga last September, the Klaravich Stables runner was seventh over the yielding Pimlico turf in the Selima S. Oct. 3, but rebounded to win in a Tampa maiden Dec. 5. Sent off at 7-1 last time out, the chestnut finished third, beaten two lengths, in Gulfstream's GIII Sweetest Chant S. Jan. 30.
Pedigree Notes:
With Saturday's victory at Tampa, Domain Expertise became the 102nd black-type and the 50th graded winner for her sire, Kitten's Joy. The $200,000 KEENOV weanling purchase is the fourth foal out of MSP Teroda, who is also responsible for Sombeyay (Into Mischief), winner of the GIII Sanford S. at two before adding the GIII Canadian Turf S. the following season. The 13-year-old mare produced a Bolt d'Oro filly in 2020 and was bred back to Mendelssohn.
Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
FLORIDA OAKS-GIII, $152,500, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-6, 3yo, f,
1 1/16mT, 1:41.12, fm.
1–DOMAIN EXPERTISE, 117, f, 3, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Teroda (MSP, $171,033), by Limehouse
2nd Dam: Leza, by Strawberry Road (Aus)
3rd Dam: Goldenley (Arg), by Farley (Arg)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($200,000
Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-J D Stuart,
Mueller Farms, Inc. & Kenneth L. & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Antonio A. Gallardo. $90,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-2-1-1, $125,700. *1/2 to Sombeyay (Into Mischief),
MGSW, $412,650. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Jouster, 119, f, 3, Noble Mission (GB)–Playtime, by Street Cry
(Ire). 'TDN Rising Star'. ($360,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Starlight
Racing; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$30,000.
3–Oyster Box, 119, f, 3, Tapit–Starformer, by Dynaformer.
O-Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck); B-Juddmonte Farms Inc
(KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $15,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 5.40, 0.70, 5.50.
Also Ran: Mia Martina, Queen of the Green, Be Sneaky, Flight to Shanghai, Forever Boss, Big Band Luzziann, Alex's First. Scratched: Big Bad Diva, Hindsight.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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