TAMPA BAY: GONZALEZ RAISES PROFILE WITH THREE WINS IN A ROW

By Mike Henry —-

OLDSMAR, FL. – Add Edwin Gonzalez to the list of Tampa Bay Downs jockeys demanding attention almost every time they enter the starting gate.

The 25-year-old Gonzalez, who considers today’s cool, windy weather downright balmy after spending recent winters at Penn National, rode three consecutive winners on today’s card, giving him 12 for the meeting from 65 starters.

Gonzalez – who won the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes here on Dec. 3 on 2-year-old Florida-bred filly R Angel Katelyn – carries himself with a confidence somewhere short of a strut, befitting a rider who rode 144 winners last year and won several graded stakes in Puerto Rico before moving his tack stateside.

“My agent (Mike Moran) and I have been working hard to get noticed, and things are going great now,” Gonzalez said after his third victory today. “He told me things might start a little slow, but they would get better when people got to know me, and that’s what happened. I have to thank the owners and trainers for giving me a shot.”

Gonzalez captured the fourth, fifth and sixth races. His first victory today came on Mo Town Kat, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly breaking her maiden in her eighth career start for breeder-owner Steven Schriever and trainer Ian Hemingway.

Gonzalez won the next two for perennial leading Oldsmar trainers Jamie Ness and Gerald Bennett. In the fifth race, Gonzalez guided the Ness-trained and owned 4-year-old gelding Rolin With Olin to a six-and-a-half length victory in 58 seconds for five furlongs in a race switched from the turf to the main track.

In the sixth, Gonzalez and Bennett teamed for a six-and-a-quarter length score with 4-year-old Florida-bred filly Pink Mama, who was moving up to the $16,000 claiming level from $10,000 after Bennett claimed her from her most recent start. Juan Cacho Castro is the owner.

Around the oval. The Pick-5 jackpot was hit today, returning $1,067.20 for each winning 50-cent wager.
Broncojoenvinny notched his third victory in a row in the second race, two weeks after being claimed by trainer Dale Bennett for owners Equiforce Inc. and Patrick Murphy. Pablo Morales rode the 6-year-old gelding.

Consulting turned in an impressive effort in the seventh race, a maiden special weight affair for 3-year-old fillies. She won the six-furlong dash by seven-and-a-quarter lengths under jockey Ronnie Allen, Jr. Tom Proctor claims the homebred Glen Hill Farm lass.

Sunday’s nine-race card begins at 12:25 p.m. The feature is the eighth race, the Endeavour Prep for older fillies and mares at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf course. The 10-horse field includes candidates for the Grade III, $150,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes on Feb. 11, which is the track’s Festival Preview Day Presented by Lambholm South.

Racing fans from Alabama and Clemson will be admitted free of charge Sunday (with proper state identification) as the track’s way of saluting their football teams’ participation in Monday’s national championship game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Scores of visitors in red Crimson Tide gear and orange Tigers garb attended today’s racing action.

Sunday’s card also marks the seasonal debut of Sunday Brunch in the Skye Terrace Dining Room. The cost is $28.99 a person, with a full breakfast menu followed by traditional Sunday dinner fare and a variety of delicious desserts. Reservations are suggested. Shorts and skorts are not permitted and gentlemen are required to wear collared shirts.

Tampa Bay Downs conducts Thoroughbred racing each Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will be Thursday cards on Feb. 9, 16 and 23. The track is open every day for simulcast wagering, no-limits poker action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.