Saturday Stakes Won By Speedsters at Tampa and By Charming Kitten on Turf at Gulfstream

 

HorseracingFLA Staff Report

Speed ruled at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday as all three stakes races were won by horses that led at every call.

At Gulfstream Park on Saturday, the 2-5 favorite Charming Kitten (photo on home  page) beat Xaverian by 1 ½ lengths in the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes.  The race was two miles on turf for 4-year-olds and up.

John Velazquez rode Charming Kitten for trainer Todd Pletcher and breeders/owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey

The race was run on a course listed as good, after Gulfstream took races off the turf on Friday due to heavy rain.

The winning time was 3:33.87, slow for a stakes race at the rarely run distance.

Xaverian, ridden by Joel Rosario, took the lead entering the final turn.  Charming Kitten caught him about 100 yards from the  finish and  gradually pulled ahead to the  wire.

Gulfstream Park – Jan. 23, 2016, ninth race

1 – Charming Kitten       2.80 2.20 2.10

9 -XAVERIAN                        4.80 3.20

7 -ST. ALBANS BOY                        2.40

$2 EXACTA 1-9 PAID $19.80; $1 TRIFECTA 1-9-7

PAID $29.90; 10 CENT SUPERFECTA 1-9-7-2  PAID

$5.59; $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE 1-9-7-2-8  PAID $120.00

 

Today’s Racing

Gulfstream will have eleven races today with first post of 12:35 p.m.

Tampa Bay will have ten races today with first post time of 12:25 p.m.

There are no stakes races at either track.

Tampa Bay on Saturday

The winners on Tampa Bay’s annual Skyway Festival day were:

*R Girls a Charmer defeated Cosmic Girl by four lengths in the $100,000 Gasparilla at seven furlongs  on dirt for  3-year-old fillies.

R Girls a Charmer won in 1:25.61on a track listed as good.  Antonio Gallardo rode for trainer Mark Casse.

Tampa Bay Downs—Jan. 23, 2016, sixth race

6 -R GIRLS A CHARMER                          3.60 2.60 2.40

7 -COSMIC GIRL                                                 3.00 2.60

3 -MISSALANEY                                                          7.40

$2 EXACTA 6-7 PAID $8.40; $1 TRIFECTA 6-7-3 PAID $47.60; $1 SUPERFECTA 6-7-3-5  PAID $246.40

*Morning Fire beat Epic Journey by 1 ½ lengths in the $100,000 Pasco at seven furlongs on dirt for 3-year+old males.

Daniel Centeno rode Morning Fire for trainer Keith Nations. The Pennsylvania-bred colt won in 1;24.76 on the track listed as good.

Nations said he might point Morning Fire toward the Sam F. Davis Stakes (Grade 3) at 1 1/16 miles at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 13.

In a story early this week, we will have more on Morning Fire in an early preview of Florida races that are on the Kentucky Derby trail.

Tampa Bay Downs—Jan. 23, 2016, seventh race

1 -MORNING FIRE                10.80 4.80 4.00

3 -EPIC JOURNEY                         5.80 4.00

2 -AWESOME SLATE                              6.00

$2 EXACTA 1-3 PAID $51.60; $1 TRIFECTA 1-3-2

PAID $123.00; $1 SUPERFECTA 1-3-2-7 PAID $681.60

*White Clover, at 13-1, won by 2 ¼ lengths over the 7-5 favorite Savings Account in the $50,000 Wayward Lass at  1 1/16 miles on dirt for fillies  and  mares 4-years-old  and up.

Victor Lebron rode the 4-year-old White Clover who won in 1:45.68 on the track that had been upgraded to good. Rusty Arnold trains White Clover.

 

Tampa Bay Downs-Jan. 23, 2016—ninth race

4 -WHITE CLOVER                                  29.80 11.60 7.20

3 -SAVINGS ACCOUNT                                     3.80 3.00

10 -HER MAJESTY’S FLAG                                        7.00

$2 EXACTA 4-3  PAID $99.20; $1 TRIFECTA 4-3-10

PAID $757.60 $1; SUPERFECTA 4-3-10-6  PAID $7,409.10

—  Photo  of Charming Kitten courtesy of Gulfstream Park

— Photo of White Clover courtesy of Tampa Bay Downs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday Stakes Won By Speedsters at Tampa and By Charming Kitten on Turf at Gulfstream