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Edgeway Scoots To Dominating Las Flores Score

Pressured early by Private Mission, Hronis Racing's Edgeway sat a close second to the far turn and asserted her superiority approaching the quarter pole en route to a facile seven-length score in the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita.

Trained by John Sadler and ridden by John Velazquez, Edgeway stopped the clock in 1:10.22 while notching her second graded stakes victory at the Arcadia, Calif. track.

With Sadler's Park Avenue scratching earlier in the day, Edgeway was drawn alongside two-time graded winner Private Mission, who drew the rail with Juan Hernandez. With the scratch, the Las Flores, carded as Sunday's first race, boiled down to a field of four older fillies and mares with no show wagering.

Fresh off a gate to wire win going 6 ½ furlongs in the ungraded Kalookan Queen Stakes on Jan. 2, Edgeway, a 5-year-old mare by Competitive Edge, was off a 1-5 and paid $2.

“The focus with her is the fall, we want to get her back to the Breeders' Cup,” said Kosta Hronis. “So staying home, not doing a lot of traveling with her until we have to is how we'll approach it. We'll keep our options open and see how she comes out of the race and then make a plan for the next race.

“This early in the year, we're better off playing it this way. It's a long season and she's five and has been fresh all along, so we'll just keep her that way and just kinda let her make her own schedule.”

Out of the Stormin Fever mare Magical Solution, Edgeway, who was second two starts back in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), now has four stakes wins to go with an overall mark of 11-7-2-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $656,360.

“She was more handy, I mean whatever I wanted to do, she was there when I asked her to do something,” said Velazquez, when comparing Edgeway's win today to her effort in the Kalookan Queen. “When I called on her a little bit she was there instantly and in the stretch, I just kept her happy, not much effort though.”

Ridden by Juan Hernandez and trained by Bob Baffert, Private Mission, who had been idle since running sixth as the 3-5 favorite in the opening day La Brea Stakes (G1), was off at 9-5 while finishing second, five lengths in front of third-placed finisher Dynasty of Her Own.

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Classic Causeway Bound For Blue Grass

Classic Causeway earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 84 for his Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) victory Saturday, four weeks after receiving an 88 in winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) and will be pointed to the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland Race Course next month.

His time of 1:44.90 for the 1 1/16 miles on a track rated as good after a morning drenching was more than a second slower than that of 4-year-old colt Scalding, who won the Michelob Ultra Challenger (G3) three races earlier.

Analysts and handicappers will assign varying degrees of importance to that information as Classic Causeway continues his march on the road to Louisville for the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 7 at Churchill Downs. It is worth noting that while Classic Causeway was in complete control throughout, Scalding was pushed to his utmost by Cody's Wish, who finished a neck back.

The purpose here is not to denigrate the performance of Classic Causeway, the first horse since Destin in 2016 to win both Tampa Bay Downs showcase races for Triple Crown candidates, but to point out how opinions about top 3-year-olds proliferate in the spring like dandelions. As his trainer, Brian Lynch, pointed out, Classic Causeway's time and speed numbers were likely impacted by other factors.

“There was a very strong headwind going up the backstretch, and he was geared down late (by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., with the victory assured),” Lynch said Sunday morning. “I thought his Beyer might have been a little higher, but he did it so nicely it's not something I'm worried about.

“I really look forward to sitting down tonight and having a real good look at the replay. But visually, to my eyes, he ran a 110 Beyer.”

Classic Causeway earned 50 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points for the triumph, moving him into first place with 66 points in the competition to help determine the field of 20 for the Run for the Roses.

The objective now is to have the son of Giant's Causeway out of the Thunder Gulch mare Private World prepared to run his career-best race in eight weeks. Toward that end, Lynch says his final prep race will likely take place April 9 in the Blue Grass at a 1 1/8 miles.

It's an exciting time for Lynch and the colt's breeders and owners, Patrick O'Keefe of Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper, one in which they believe their hand is as strong as anyone else's.

“This is a place I've never been and I'm going to enjoy it,” Lynch said. “I'm glad (Classic Causeway) is on my team and we're not playing against him.”

Certainly, Classic Causeway had things his own way in both Tampa Bay Downs stakes (mostly due to excellent breaks from the gate), and his connections would love to see that continue. There is also a good chance that sometime soon, a rival if going to be just as keen about grabbing the lead when the gate opens, giving Classic Causeway another chance to prove himself as a horse that can rate off the pace and still come running late.

Here is what Lynch really likes.

“One of the difficult things with horses is to keep that 'want-to' in them, when you're not forcing them as much to do it. He seems to have plenty of 'want-to,' ” Lynch said. “This colt is very good at what he does, and he looks so comfortable doing it. At every stage of the race, he looked like a winner.”

Ortiz, who has enjoyed a tremendous career over the last four weeks at Tampa Bay Downs, winning nine times from 18 mounts, including six stakes, three of them graded, also deserved plenty of credit for both of Classic Causeway's victories.

There is no truth to the rumor Lynch plans to keep the rider under lock and key until Classic Causeway's next start.

“He's got a great set of hands and horses settle for him and respond when he calls for them,” Lynch said. “He is a very gifted, talented young man.”

Michael Maker, the trainer of Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Grantham, was proud of the colt's effort, worth 20 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points. “He ran well, no doubt about it,” said Maker, who added that Grantham's next start will likely come in the Blue Grass or the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania Stakes (G3) on the turf on April 8 at the Lexington track.

Shipsational ran well to finish third, following his second-place effort in the Sam F. Davis, and picked up 10 points. Trainer Edward Barker said the plan is to keep the New York-bred on the Kentucky Derby trail, with his next start in either the $1-million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on April 2 at Gulfstream Park or the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) on April 9 at Aqueduct. With 14 points currently, it is highly probable Shipsational needs another top-three finish to be an automatic Kentucky Derby qualifier.

“Our horse ran a tremendous race – we just lost too much ground on the turns,” Barker said. “(Classic Causeway) is a very good horse, but he had it all his own way and we only got beat (2 ½ lengths). We'll meet him again, I think.”

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Tampa Bay Downs’ Festival Card Shatters Track Wagering Records

Wagering on the Festival Day 42 card Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, highlighted by the $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2), shattered the previous single-day track record by more than $5.5-million.

The total handle of $20,778,222, a 36% increase from last season's Festival Day/Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby program, was the most of any racetrack in the country Saturday. Early morning rain and overcast skies throughout the first half of the afternoon did nothing to diminish the passion of a crowd of 5,381 that wagered $751,667 on-track.

The $3,686,488 wagered alone on the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, won by Classic Causeway, is also an all-time Tampa Bay Downs record.

“We are gratified by the tremendous support from our Tampa Bay area fans, our horsemen and bettors across the country,” said Peter Berube, the track's Vice President and General Manager. “The quality of Saturday's card, which included five stakes races worth $1-million in purses, is a testament to the efforts of Racing Secretary Allison De Luca and her team.

“Our track maintenance department, headed by Tom McLaughlin, did a superb job under challenging conditions in keeping both the main track and the turf course as fair and safe as possible despite the severe weather early in the day. All of our employees deserve a big shout-out for their efforts in making the day so memorable,” Berube said.

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Lynch: Classic Causeway Has Not Missed A Beat Heading Into Tampa Bay Derby

Brian Lynch was looking for confirmation Saturday that Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Classic Causeway was feeling as good as he looks.

The 3-year-old colt provided it in abundance, breezing 5 furlongs in 59.95 seconds at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach. Next stop: Tampa Bay Downs, where he will be a big favorite in Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.

“We've been fortunate to not miss a beat with him,” the trainer said this morning. “He has had two strong workouts (since the Sam F. Davis), and he is on schedule to go back to a track he really liked. We're looking forward to getting back over there.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr., who rode five winners on Sam F. Davis Day on Feb. 12, will again be aboard.

Classic Causeway, who is owned by Kentucky West Racing, LLC and Clarke M. Cooper, is expected to face at least 10 rivals, including Sam F. Davis runner-up Shipsational, in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, which is a major points race on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.” The top four finishers will receive 50, 20, 10 and 5 points toward qualifying for the Run for the Roses on May 7 at Churchill Downs.

If Classic Causeway runs as well as Lynch says he's doing, you won't want to be late to the party.

“He came out of the (Sam F. Davis) very well, he's carrying good weight and he has great energy, so we're counting our blessings,” Lynch said. “He seemed to really like the racetrack, so we thought the smart thing was to take him back over there and have a crack at the Tampa Bay Derby.”

Classic Causeway will bid to become the first horse since Destin in 2016 to win both of the Oldsmar oval's Kentucky Derby prep races.

The field for the Kentucky Derby is limited to 20 horses, and Classic Causeway is currently 11th on the leaderboard with 16 points. Depending on Saturday's outcome, Lynch said Classic Causeway could then return on April 9 in the G1 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland or go straight to the Kentucky Derby.

Classic Causeway is scheduled to arrive at Tampa Bay Downs on Thursday.

His probable opponents will have something to say about his subsequent plans. They include Shipsational, a solid runner-up in the Sam F. Davis, trained by Edward Barker; conditioner Todd Pletcher's Major General, expected to make his first start since winning the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes on Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs; Golden Glider, fifth in the Sam F. Davis, trained by Mark Casse; and Midnight Chrome, third in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on Dec. 4 at Aqueduct, trained by J. Tyler Servis.

Other likely participants include trainer H. Graham Motion's Belgrade, 2-for-2 after an allowance/optional claiming victory here on Feb. 19; Happy Boy Rocket, trained by Bill Mott; Victoria Oliver's Trademark; Spin Wheel, trained by George “Rusty” Arnold, II; Grantham, trained by Michael Maker; and The Skipper Too, trained by Juan Alvarado.

A huge crowd is expected for Saturday's Festival Day 42 card, which includes four other stakes races, three of them graded. The lineup also consists of the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old-and-upward, at a mile-and-an-eighth on the turf; the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf; the Grade 3, $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes, for horses 4-and-upward at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the main track; and the $75,000 Columbia Stakes, for 3-year-olds at a mile on the turf.

Entries for the full Festival Day 42 card will be drawn Wednesday in the Tampa Bay Downs Racing Office.

General-admission tickets are $15. Gates will open at 11 a.m. and first post time will be noon. As if great racing isn't enough to attract fans, Tampa Bay Downs will give a “Mystery Mutuel Voucher” worth from $5-$1,000 to the first 5,000 through the gates, with paid admission.

The Hillsborough Stakes could feature a rematch between two outstanding 4-year-old fillies: trainer Chad Brown's unbeaten (4-for-4) Bleecker Street, who won the Grade 3 Endeavour Stakes here on Feb. 5, and Lady Speightspeare, the Endeavour runner-up, who is trained by Roger Attfield.

Brown, who has won the Hillsborough four times, is also expected to send 5-year-old German-bred mare Kalifornia Queen, third by a half-length on Oct. 17 in the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine.

Others expected to compete are trainer Michael Wright's Nantucket Red, winner of the Wayward Lass Stakes on the dirt here on Jan. 15 and sixth in the Endeavour; Christopher Davis's Jezebel's Kitten, a fast-closing fourth in the Endeavour; Lynch's Take Charge Ro, 8-for-10 in-the-money lifetime, with three victories; stakes winner Runaway Rumour, trained by Jorge Abreu; and trainer Tom Albertrani's Lovely Lucky.

The Florida Oaks promises to be a wide-open affair, with a potential-laden cast of 3-year-old fillies seeking to take the next step toward stardom. Trainer Mark Casse plans to enter Grade 3 winner Mrs. Barbara.

H. Graham Motion is expected to start a pair of contenders: Ambitieuse, who was second in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes on Feb. 5 at Gulfstream in her most recent effort, and Vergara, last seen winning the Tepin Stakes on Nov. 28 at Aqueduct.

Brown may also start two: recent impressive maiden winner Spicer and Dolce Zel, a French-bred who broke her maiden on Oct. 14 at Longchamp and has been working steadily at Payson Park Training Center in Indiantown for her U.S. debut.

Others likely to run are stakes winner Alittleloveandluck, owned and trained by Mike Dini; Roughly a Diamond, conditioned by Michelle Nihei; Hail To, from the barn of Albertrani; Princess Elin, conditioned by Alnaz Ali; Sweet Dutchess, trained by Kathleen O'Connell; and Libretto, trained by Abreu.

The Michelob Ultra Challenger is likely to include two horses from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time winner of the race: 4-year-old colt Dynamic One, a stakes winner who finished second in last year's Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and 5-year-old War Stopper.

The race could also feature trainer Victoria Oliver's 4-year-old colt Hidden Stash, who has finished second and third in a pair of recent turf starts, his first efforts since competing in last year's Kentucky Derby. Previous to that, Hidden Stash was third in the Sam F. Davis, second in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby and fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass.

Another to watch is Militarist, who finished fourth in the Grade 1 Clark Stakes presented by Norton Healthcare on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs. Carlo Vaccarezza trains Militarist.

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