QUALITY STEP, BELLA PIERINA BEST ON TURF; DOWNTOWNER SETS TRACK MARK

By Mike Henry —-

OLDSMAR, FL. – To many observers, 5-year-old gelding Quality Step has made it look easy in the Males Division of the Tampa Turf Test. He made it 3-for-3 in the starter handicap series, winning today’s 1 1/8-mile leg by three-quarters of a length from Morning Stride.

Despite the impressive nature of the victory, trainer Keith Nations said he is leaning against running Quality Step in the fourth and final leg of the series at 1 3/8-mile on March 27. Quality Step gives his all each time he competes, and Nations wants to leave plenty in the tank for the rest of 2021.

“He obviously got a little tired today, so we’ll see how he comes out of the race before deciding anything,” said Nations, who also owns Quality Step with his wife Cheryl under their Nations Racing Stable banner. “He’s had a pretty strong campaign here, and we want to keep him strong for the spring and summer.”

Also on today’s card, 7-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding Downtowner set a main-track record of 1:38.68 for the mile-and-40-yard distance in his ninth-race victory, besting Jackson’s 2019 mark by .18 seconds. Downtowner, a son of Majestic Warrior-Sky River, by Henny Hughes, beat Central Park by 3 ¼ lengths while improving to 8-for-26 for his career. Antonio Gallardo rode Downtowner for owner Danny Stafford and trainer Jon Arnett.

In the Males Division of the Tampa Turf Test, Quality Step and Morning Stride moved virtually as a team approaching the 3/8-mile pole, but Quality Step showed a bit more acceleration, and after taking a clear lead entering the stretch, he was determined to not surrender the advantage despite giving 4 pounds to the runner-up (Quality Step carried top weight of 123 pounds).

Quality Step’s time for the 9 furlongs on the firm turf course was 1:46.87. He improved to 7-for-30 in his career. Dover Cliffs finished third in the 11-horse field. Quality Step paid $4.60 to win as the wagering favorite.

In today’s third leg of the Females Division of the Tampa Turf Test, Bella Pierina went to the lead at the start and led her 11 rivals on a merry chase, holding off a belated rally by Blood Mary Mornin by a length. Unabridged finished third.

Daniel Centeno rode the 7-year-old Bella Pierina, who paid $14.20 to win as the fourth wagering choice. The daughter of Flower Alley, out of a Seattle Slew mare, is 6-for-22 in her career. Her time for the 9-furlong distance was 1:48.

Joseph Minieri has owned and trained Bella Pierina her entire career. The 6-year-old Bloody Mary Mornin is owned by Nations Racing Stable and trained by Keith Nations.

Back, for now, to the Males Division, in which Raul Mena was again aboard Quality Step, as he had been for the first two legs of the series. Mena got the mount on the son of Elusive Quality when he volunteered to gallop him at the start of the meeting, and he seems to fit the horse like a pair of well-worn bedroom slippers.

“He gets real aggressive when you fight with him, so you have to try to get him to relax as much as possible in the beginning of a race,” Mena said. “And he likes to be moved early because he likes to have the control. I didn’t ask him at all in the backstretch because he has a steady, natural pace and he never gives up.”

As for Bella Pierina, she had not run in the first two legs of the Tampa Turf Test, but she announced her readiness for today’s assignment by winning a $16,000 claiming event under Centeno at the same distance on Jan. 29.

“I knew she had a good chance of winning today,” Minieri said. “(Centeno) had to use her early because she had the No. 11 post, but he is the master. He did everything right and she is getting better and better.”

Minieri said the 1 3/8-mile final leg of the series is a possibility for Bella Pierina. “She is bred to go all day,” he said.

Centeno was a bit surprised, but not disappointed, when no one challeneged him for the lead rounding the first turn and heading to the backstretch. “Even though she went a little fast early, she relaxed pretty well and was real comfortable on the lead,” he said. “Turning for home, I had plenty of horse left, and she finished strong.”

Around the oval. In addition to Downtowner’s record-setting performance in the ninth race, Arnett won the seventh with 6-year-old mare Lakota Princess. Samy Camacho was aboard for Arnett and owner Shadow Cross Farms.

That was one of two victories for Camacho, who also won the fifth race with 4-year-old filly Notorious R B G, who honored her late namesake’s memory with her head victory from 79-1 shot Silver Tunes. Notorious R B G is owned by River Oak Farm, Scott D. Krase and Peter G. Stokes and trained by Christophe Clement.

Antonio Gallardo also rode two winners. Besides winning on Downtowner, he was aboard Hail Southern in the fourth race for owner Arboritanza Racing and trainer Joseph Arboritanza.

Centeno added his second victory of the card in the 10th and final race on the turf, triumphing aboard 4-year-old filly Saturday Sun for breeder-owner Sam-Son Farm and trainer H. Graham Motion.

Thoroughbred racing continues Sunday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:17 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs currently races on a Wednesday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule. The track is open every day for simulcast wagering, no-limits action and tournament play in The Silks Poker Room and golf fun and instruction at The Downs Golf Practice Facility.