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Perseverance Pays Off As Jockey Antonio Gallardo Celebrates 2,000th Winner At Tampa

Antonio Gallardo didn't throw in the towel after getting passed in deep stretch aboard 5-year-old mare Do What It Takes in today's fourth race at Tampa Bay Downs.

The jockey's perseverance paid off in career victory No. 2,000, as Do What It Takes rallied on the inside to post a nose victory from Exceed the Goal in the 7-furlong claiming race for older fillies and mares.

The 33-year-old Gallardo, who has won five riding championships at Tampa Bay Downs, received enthusiastic applause from spectators after his No. 5 was posted on the tote board.

“I love it,” Gallardo said, moments after being joined by his wife Polliana and their two children for photographs in the winner's circle. “(Exceed the Goal) blew past us, but I could see her ears were back and she was stopping. I said to myself 'I think I can get it,' and thank God my horse gave me a little bit more and got to the wire first.”

Do What It Takes is owned by Carole Star Stables and trained by Jose H. Delgado.

It was the 45th victory of the meeting for Gallardo, who trails only Samy Camacho in the 2020-2021 Oldsmar standings.

Gallardo, a product of Jerez de la Frontera in Cadiz, Spain, has won 837 races at Tampa Bay Downs. Only Daniel Centeno and Mike Manganello, with six apiece, have won more meeting titles here.

“Tampa is home for me. It's given me so much, and you feel great doing something like this at home,” Gallardo said. “I have to thank my family, all my agents, the trainers and owners and the fans who have supported me. This is something I never thought of doing when I first came to the United States.

“I just have to keep going.”

Gallardo also touched base with his parents in Spain, Paqui and Antonio, through FaceTime on Polliana's phone in the winner's circle. Children Carlos, 12, and Christa, who turns 7 next week, gave Dad a poster sign of congratulations they made at home.

Gallardo, who is the track's single-season record holder with 147 winners, set during the 2014-2015 meeting, has also won four riding championships at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa. The jockey has won nine graded stakes, topped by his victory in the Grade I United Nations Stakes on the grass at Monmouth Park in 2018 on Funtastic, owned by Three Chimneys Farm and trained by Chad Brown. Gallardo won back-to-back editions of the Grade II Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes on Hotshot Anna in 2018 and 2019.

Gallardo's career in the United States started slowly, with only seven winners from 175 mounts in 2009. By 2014, he was in full flight, riding 268 winners. He finished second in North America with 320 winners in 2015 and was second in 2016 with 332.

Gallardo has won five races on a single card at Tampa Bay Downs a record six times. Only Richard DePass, with seven in 1980, and Edwin Gonzalez, with six in 2017, have won more races on a single Oldsmar card.

Gallardo is one of 11 active Oldsmar jockeys with 2,000 or more victories. The others are Scott Spieth, 4,880; Jose Ferrer, 4,533; Ronnie Allen, Jr., 3,819; Daniel Centeno, 3,016; Roberto Alvarado, Jr., 2,750; Jesus Castanon, 2,610; Ricardo Feliciano, 2,288; Dean Butler, 2,287; Mike Allen, 2,099; and Huber Villa-Gomez, 2,083

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Missed Start In Kentucky ‘Blessing In Disguise’ For Sam F. Davis Contender Boca Boy

Gulfstream Park-based trainer Cheryl Winebaugh and her assistant, husband Ken Winebaugh, hope their decision to bring their 3-year-old gelding Boca Boy to Tampa Bay Downs earlier this week translates to their advantage in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis, one of four stakes – three graded – on Festival Preview Day 41 Presented by Lambholm South at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.

“We wanted to get him a little experience over the ground and get him used to the sights,” said Ken Winebaugh. “We didn't want to throw everything at him at once.”

Friday's workout on the Oldsmar main track with jockey Antonio Gallardo in the saddle went as well as the couple could have hoped for, as Boca Boy breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5, the fastest of 11 works at the distance. “We had heard the (dirt) track here was a little deeper and cuppier (than Gulfstream), and Antonio said he handled it real well,” Ken said. “He came out of it great, and I think he's ready for a really good race.”

Undoubtedly, he will need it. Boca Boy is expected to face eight or nine rivals in the Sam F. Davis, which awards Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the first four finishers and is likely to draw horses from the barns of such training behemoths as Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott, Christophe Clement and Dale Romans.

The Sam F. Davis is one of four stakes, three graded, on Saturday's card, which offers stakes purse money of $750,000. Entries for the entire card will be taken Wednesday.

Also scheduled Saturday are the G3, $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes, for fillies and mares 4-years-old-and-upward racing a 1 1/16 miles on the turf; the G3, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes, for horses 4-and-up at 1 1/16 miles on the turf; and the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies racing a mile-and-40-yards on the main dirt track.

The Suncoast Stakes awards Longines Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the first four finishers on the same 10-4-2-1 basis as the Davis.

Boca Boy's previous start on Sept. 26 resulted in a virtual gate-to-wire victory on a sloppy Gulfstream surface in the $400,000 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association Florida Sire In Reality Stakes. The two-length victory was achieved in a time of 1:46.34 for 1 1/16 miles, the same distance as the Sam F. Davis.

The Winebaughs and Boca Boy's owner, Kenneth Fishbein, hoped to start him in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs. But when he popped a splint bone (an injury similar to shin splints in runners) during an Oct. 24 workout, the connections put on the brakes.

Ken Winebaugh thinks the setback might have been a blessing in disguise. “He has really grown up since then. He's filled out and gotten taller, so instead of being a baby, he looks more like a racehorse,” he said. “He has matured a lot, and he has already shown he can handle racing around two turns. He has a lot of heart, and I have high hopes for him.”

Gallardo is expected to ride Boca Boy on Saturday.

Smiley Sobotka, who finished second in the race Boca Boy missed, the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, is expected to compete for owner Albaugh Family Stables and Romans.

Other probables for the Sam F. Davis include Candy Man Rocket, owned by Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and trained by Mott; Broadway, owned by Robert S. Evans and trained by Clement; Known Agenda, owned by St. Elias Stables and trained by Pletcher; and Lucky Law, owned by Sanford Bacon, Mrs. Paul Shanahan, Horse France America and Patrick L. Biancone Racing and trained by Biancone, who won last year's Sam F. Davis with Sole Volante.

Also, Hidden Stash, owned by BBN Racing and trained by Victoria Oliver; Ricochet, owned by Whiskey Hollow Thoroughbreds and trained by Kelsey Danner; and Runway Magic, owned by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings and Bruce Lunsford and trained by George “Rusty” Arnold, II.

On that list of probables, Boca Boy is the lone stakes winner, and also the only Florida-bred. He is a son of Prospective – who finished second in the 2012 Sam F. Davis and won the G2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby – out of the Gimmeawink mare Baliwink.

“I think this race will be a step up (in competition), but all he has to do is finish well and show he is not outclassed and he will go on from here,” Winebaugh said.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Tampa Bay Downs is limiting general-admission attendance for the Festival Preview Day 41 Presented by Lambholm South card to 2,500 spectators. Tickets, which are $10 each plus a service fee, are being sold online through Eventbrite.com and at the program stands.

Horsemen, box-seat holders and season-ticket holders do not need to purchase tickets, but must present their passes at the gate to gain admittance.

Seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis unless patrons have prior arrangements in the Skye Terrace Dining Room, Sports Gallery, Clubhouse Carrels or Legends Bar, but the purchase of a general-admission ticket is still required to gain admittance.

The track is also selling a limited number of tables in the Backyard Picnic Area for $50 each plus a service fee; that price includes admission for six people.

Here is the link for Festival Preview Day 41 tickets and picnic-area seating:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/festival-preview-day-41-presented-by-lambholm-south-tickets-135338604409

Everyone will be required to wear masks or face coverings and maintain appropriate social distancing.

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Candy Ride Filly Cruises at Tampa

6th-Tampa Bay Downs, $21,500, Msw, 1-31, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:37.04, fm, 5 3/4 lengths.
GOLDEN PLUME (f, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}–Nebraska Tornado {MG1SW-Fr, G1SP-Eng, $655,044}, by Storm Cat) sat the trip and kicked away in the stretch for a promising first appearance. Pounded down to 3-5 favoritism, the homebred grabbed a spot in third at the fence as a longshot sped far clear. She advanced willingly and in hand as the frontrunner started to tire heading for home, seized the lead at the top of the lane with no resistance and lengthened her stride from there to dominate. Second choice Lisheen (Into Mischief) completed the exacta. The winner has a 2-year-old half-sister by Twirling Candy and a yearling half-brother by Arrogate. Her now 21-year-old dam, winner of both the G1 French Oaks and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, was not bred back in 2020. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $12,900. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Chad C. Brown.

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Tampa Bay Downs: Sam F. Davis Has Served As Major Launch Pad To Grade 1 Glory

Since the Sam F. Davis became a Grade 3 stakes in 2009, it has had a significant impact on the Triple Crown scene on numerous occasions. Whether that will be the case this year is difficult to predict, but there is no doubt the eyes of the Thoroughbred racing world will be on Tampa Bay Downs next Saturday for the 41^st running of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race for 3-year-olds.

The $250,000 Sam F. Davis, contested at a distance of 1 1/16 miles on the main track, is one of three G3 stakes on the Feb. 6 card, along with the $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes for older males on the turf and the $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour for older fillies and mares on the turf. The fourth stakes on the card is the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes on the dirt for 3-year-old fillies, a “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” points race.

While the 2009 Sam F. Davis winner, General Quarters, later won G1 stakes on dirt and turf (Keeneland actually employed an all-weather synthetic surface when General Quarters won the 2009 Toyota Blue Grass), the third-place Sam F. Davis finisher, Musket Man, was equally as successful later – perhaps more so. The Derek Ryan-trainee returned to win the G3 Tampa Bay Derby and the G2 Illinois Derby and finished third in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. As a 4-year-old, Musket Man was second in two G1 stakes: the Carter Handicap and the Metropolitan Handicap.

Rule won the Sam F. Davis the following year, and although he never reached the top rung of his class, he did amass more than $1-million in earnings. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, won his first Kentucky Derby that spring with Super Saver, who did not run in the Sam F. Davis but finished third in the Tampa Bay Derby.

The Sam F. Davis really started heating up as a Triple Crown prep race in 2016. Destin, under John Velazquez, rewarded Pletcher with his sixth Davis victory, then set a track record in winning the G2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby four weeks later. He finished second by a nose to Creator in one of the most exciting Belmont Stakes in recent history.

Pletcher would not be denied a Belmont victory the following year. After running second to McCracken in the Sam F. Davis, Tapwrit established his bona fides with a stakes-record performance in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. The Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets was the crowning jewel in Tapwrit's career (he failed to win in five subsequent starts).

If you weren't here for the 2019 Sam F. Davis Stakes, well, you don't know what you missed. Trainer Mark Casse's Flameaway won in stakes-record time of 1:42.44 and returned to finish second in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby; he won the Challenger Stakes here as a 4-year-old. But it was the Sam F. Davis second and third-place finishers, Catholic Boy and Vino Rosso, who went on to make their connections rich(er).

Under the tutelage of trainer Jonathan Thomas, Catholic Boy won the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational on turf, then switched back to dirt to capture the G1 Runhappy Travers at Saratoga. He earned more than $2.1-million in his career. Vino Rosso, under the masterful Pletcher, won more than $4.8-million, thanks mainly to victories as a 4-year-old in the G1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes and the Longines' Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

Information about this year's Sam F. Davis, and the other Festival Preview Day 41 Presented by Lambholm South stakes races, will be forthcoming over the next several days, so stay tuned.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Tampa Bay Downs is limiting general-admission attendance for the Feb. 6 card to 2,500 spectators. Tickets, which are $10 each plus a service fee, are being sold online through Eventbrite.com and at the program stands.

Horsemen, box-seat holders and season-ticket holders do not need to purchase tickets, but must present their passes at the gate to gain admittance.

The track is also selling a limited number of tables in the Backyard Picnic Area for $50 each plus a service fee; that price includes admission for six people.

Here is the link for Festival Preview Day 41 tickets and picnic-area seating:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/festival-preview-day-41-presented-by-lambholm-south-tickets-135338604409

Everyone will be required to wear masks or face coverings and maintain appropriate social distancing.

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