Tampa Bay Derby

Chad Brown has selected Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride his GIII Tampa Bay Derby winner Domestic Product (Practical Joke) in this year's GI Kentucky Derby. The mount opened up when Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) won Saturday's GI Blue Grass S. with Tyler Gaffalione aboard. Gaffalione, also the regular rider of Domestic Product, will stick with the highly regarded Sierra Leone, who could be the second choice in the Derby. "We were lucky enough to pick up Irad Ortiz on (Domestic Product). So he's going to ride him in the Derby,...

Morplay Racing's No More Time (Not This Time), winner of the GIII Sam F. Davis S. and narrow runner-up in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, breezed a half-mile in :48.60 (8/52) Saturday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center in preparation for a planned start in the GI Kentucky Derby. "He worked by himself. He went good and also had a strong gallop-out," trainer Jose D'Angelo said. "Everything's good. We're hoping to get into the Kentucky Derby." Prior to Saturday's three major prep races at Santa Anita, Keeneland, and...

After receiving a seven-day suspension and a $1,000 fine after a horse he trained tested positive for a metabolite of Tramadol, trainer Rusty Arnold went on the offensive. While he did not argue the fact that the horse tested positive, he has said that it is grossly unfair that the HISA/HIWU continues to suspended trainers for minute amounts of drugs that aren't considered performance-enhancing. Advocating for a major change in how these infractions are dealt with, Arnold was this week's guest on the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland....

When Domestic Product (Practical Joke) bullied his way through traffic to get his nose in front in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Saturday, he not only earned valuable qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Derby, he also provided a timely update for his half-sister who is scheduled to sell during the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales' Company's March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Tuesday. "She's been very popular today, let's put it that way," Becky Thomas said of the filly from the first crop of Complexity (hip...

It's still not clear exactly what went wrong Saturday when a tote failure impacted several tracks, including Tampa Bay Downs. The Oldsmar, Florida track took a huge hit when it was forced to run the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby as a non-wagering event and to also cancel the last race of the day. Tampa Bay Downs Vice President and General Manager Pete Berube estimates that the track lost as much as $4.5 million in handle because betting wasn't available. There was a massive telecommunications network failure Saturday afternoon...

D. J. Stable and Robert Cotran's Hades (Awesome Slew), coming off a win in the Feb. 3 GIII Holy Bull S., tuned up for an expected start in the Mar. 30 GI Curlin Florida Derby with a five-furlong work in 1:00.34 (2/14) Sunday at Gulfstream Park. The gelding worked in company with 3-year-old maiden Halon (Flameaway). "It was what I call a 'Wow!' work," trainer Joe Orseno said. "I put a horse in front of him to have a horse to run at a little bit. At the quarter-pole, I...

In a GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby delayed more than 30 minutes due to a tote issue plaguing much of the East Coast, Klaravich Stables homebred DOMESTIC PRODUCT (c, 3, Practical Joke--Goods and Services, by Paynter) won in a wild scramble at the finish. Recent GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner No More Time (Not This Time) was nosed out for the win and held second over recent Swale S. third Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo), while pacesetter Good Money (Good Magic) just missed the board. The final...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and Tampa Bay Downs will highlight accredited aftercare during Saturday's card, which features the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The track will honor TAA with a named race on the day's undercard. Following the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance named race, a presentation will be made in the winner's circle and winning connections will be given a TAA blanket and gift bag with branded merchandise. A representative from TAA will also be on-site to host the winners of the VIP Experience from the "Off to the Races" online...

Tapit Trice (Tapit) won the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby in his stakes debut back on Mar. 11, but that horse was never going to win the GI Kentucky Derby. Yes, he had become a Grade II winner, is by Tapit, cost $1.3 million at Keeneland September sale and is in the capable hands of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. But the Tapit Trice that won the Tampa Bay Derby looked like an immature horse who had yet to figure the game out. Combine that with the fact...

We've taken the plunge into the deeper end of the prep pool for the GI Kentucky Derby. Five nine-furlong stakes each awarding 100 qualifying points are scheduled over the next two Saturdays, after which this list will expand to the Top 20. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 6-5-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: 1st GII Fountain of Youth S....

In a horse otherwise so well equipped for the Triple Crown trail, it's a major concern still to be quoting Milton every time the gates open: "They also serve who only stand and wait." As such, Tapit Trice (Tapit) looks like proving quite a test of the GI Kentucky Derby preparation favored by modern trainers. For all the thrilling power and fluency of his action, he's still all thumbs in terms of his professionalism. The way he got himself out of trouble in the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby...

Figures released last week by Equibase showed that U.S. handle declined by 5.21% in February. This comes after handle declined by 7.19% in January. For the year, that's a drop off of 6.22% and, if those numbers hold up throughout the year, total handle will be off by $750 million and the year-over-year percentage decline will be the worst the sport has suffered since 2010. And it's not just that racing has gotten off to a slow, reversible start this year when it comes to wagering. Whatever is going on,...