TAMPA BAY: FALL MOON, TWO STEPPIN KLUKI WIN CO-FEATURES; RACING BACK WEDNESDAY

By Mike Henry —-

OLDSMAR, FL. – Tim Padilla says to throw out the record book when discussing his 5-year-old mare, Fall Moon.

“When you come from behind all the time, it’s harder to win. The speed horses always end up getting the better trip,” Padilla said after Fall Moon’s gutsy, ¾-length victory from 6-5 favorite Anador in today’s seventh race, the Lambholm South Race of the Week at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf.

“She should have won several more of her races. But she tries every single time, and that’s really nice,” Padilla said.

Fall Moon improved to 4-for-32 with the victory for Padilla and owner Barbara Waite. Padilla claimed the Kentucky-bred daughter of Lea from a victory here in April of 2021 for $16,000.

Jockey Alonso Quinonez did a masterful job of saving Fall Moon’s best stride for the closing sixteenth, enabling her to surge past a game Anador. The winner’s time was 1:43.33.

“He (Quinonez) wasn’t laying too far off the pace, and he had her in perfect position,” Padilla said. “When the speed started to quit, she got first run on (Anador).”

Memphis Showboat finished third, another ½-length back in the 10-horse field. Fall Moon paid $21 to win.

It’s rarely a surprise to see Padilla and Quinonez together in the winner’s circle. In August of 2021 at Canterbury Park, they teamed to win the Minnesota Derby with Thealligatorhunter and the Minnesota Oaks with Molly’s Angel on the same card. In March, they combined for an upset victory with 5-year-old gelding Drama Chorus in the Florida Cup Grey Goose Turf Classic at the Oldsmar oval.

In today’s other co-feature, the fifth race sprinting 5 furlongs on the turf, 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding Two Steppin Kluki rallied under jockey Samuel Marin for a length victory from Balistico. Two Steppin Kluki, a homebred competing for owner Pine Branch Stable, is trained by John Pimental.

The winner’s time was 56.61 seconds. The son of Two Step Salsa paid $13.80 to win.

In today’s eighth race, Venezuelan import Urbardo Casique scored his first riding victory in the United States, guiding 6-year-old mare Alizee to victory for owner Diego Fuenmayor and trainer Ivan Calixto.

Samy Camacho rode two winners today. He won the second aboard El Samuro, a 5-year-old horse owned by Infinity Racing Stable and trained by Rafael Romero. Camacho added the sixth on I’m a Cutie, a 3-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Gene Gilmore and winning trainer Gerald Bennett’s Winning Stables in partnership.

Thoroughbred racing at Tampa Bay Downs continues Wednesday with an eight-race card beginning at 12:32 p.m. Next Saturday’s card kicks off the 2022-2023 Oldsmar stakes schedule, with the 37th running of the Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds and the 45th edition of the Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Both races are contested at a distance of 6 furlongs, each with purse money of $100,000.

Tampa Bay Downs conducts racing each Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with Sundays added to the mix on Jan. 1. There is a special Thursday card scheduled Dec. 22.

The Silks Poker Room will open at 2 p.m. on Sunday to allow employees and friends to attend a viewing for PJ Gerstel, who passed away Tuesday. She was a dealer here for 18 years. The viewing is from 10 a.m.-noon on Sunday at Curlew Hills Memory Gardens Funeral Home at 1750 Curlew Rd. in Palm Harbor.

Tampa Bay Downs is open every day except Christmas, Dec. 25, 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.