Wet conditions could affect Hillsborough, Florida Oaks

Before Triple Crown trail runners enter the race at Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on March 12, four stakes — three graded — serve as the lead for the main event at Tampa Bay Downs.

Two of the graded competitions, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) and $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3T), are taking place on turf or at least scheduled for that surface. Wet weather is forecast for the Tampa area on Saturday, with the National Weather Service suggesting a 90% chance of rain of one-half to three-quarters of an inch as of the March 11 10 a.m. report.

Hillsborough’s 2-1 morning favorite, Peter Brant’s Bleecker Street (Quality Sugar ), raced exclusively on corporate turf to set a 4 to 4 record in his short career for coach Chad Brown. But Brant and Brown have another contender who won on wet ground, a 9-2 third pick. Rocky Sky a daughter of Rock of Gibraltar who entered a small race in Ireland last year on good ground at Navan.

Charles Fipke’s Lady Spectrum (Sightstown ). She entered a race for such an on-field allowance option in September 2021. Practitioner Roger Attfield won on grass and aggregate, with the most prestigious being Natalma Stakes (G1T) as 2 years old in 2020.

By Dede McGehee Gladys Colebrook’s Farm Red Nantucket and Ramana Stables’ Take Charge Ro are the participants in the nine-horse field with victory over the land. Previously won sports at Gulfstream Park West in her 2-year-old season, while the second took the lead during the Wayward Lass Stakes on the Tampa main track on Jan. 15. 1/2 grip on Gulfstream ParkMain song of.

Hillsborough is for older dogs and mares as old as 1 1/8 mile.

The Florida Oaks for 3-year-olds at 1/16 mile drew a controversial field, with five of the nine participants pegged 3-1 to 6-1 on the morning line. A little favorite at 3-1 is a hybrid of Wertheimer and Frere Ambitieuse (Medaglia d’Oro ), ranked second in the Sweetest Chant Share (G3T) at The ocean currents around the bay February 5 for trainer Graham Motion.

Win the bet Alittleloveandluck Owned and trained by Michael Dini, the most loved 7-2s player, a versatile daughter of Interrogation who won or put on grass, synthetic and dirt.

The winner is classified in the lineup as Mrs. Barbara who got his first start since winning the Mazarine Stakes (G3) in the composite game at Woodbine on November 28.

“She’s doing really, really well,” Hall of Fame coach Mark Casse told Honeysuckle publicity. “Looks like there could be rain this weekend, so hopefully, the grass isn’t too soft. Soft turf isn’t what you’re looking for to avoid a bit of layoff. But she’s training really well. .”

Jim Lawson’s Spruce Stable owns Mrs. Barbara. Lawson is the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment.

Daughter of Bodemeister Named after Lawson’s mother and raised by Jim Dandy Stable of the Lawson family. She finished fourth on a good pitch at Natalma last year.

Import to Europe Dolce Zel was the only Florida Oaks contender to win on a less certain surface. She won the ground from good to soft in her final race on October 14 at ParisLongchamp. She’s in Brown’s stable and racing for the Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables and Robert LaPenta collaboration.