TAMPA BAY: TALENTED COLT SPARKS DREAMS OF STAKES SUCCESS FOR SPIETHS

By Mike Henry —-

TALENTED COLT SPARKS DREAMS OF STAKES SUCCESS FOR SPIETHS

OLDSMAR, FL. – Aldana Spieth thinks her 2-year-old colt Dreaming of Kona might have the most potential of any horse she has trained since going out on her own fulltime in 2014.

But she isn’t in a major hurry to find out how good the gray son of Fast Anna might become as she makes final preparations for his stakes debut in Saturday’s 37th running of the $100,000, 6-furlong Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds at Tampa Bay Downs.

“Little by little. I don’t want to rush him,” she said.

Spieth’s husband, jockey Scott Spieth, will again ride Dreaming of Kona, who won his career debut by 9 ½ lengths on Oct. 17 on the all-weather track at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., in a time of 1:10.33 for the 6 furlongs.

“I was impressed by how easy he did it, in my opinion,” said the trainer, who owns Dreaming of Kona under her Aldana Gonzalez Racing LLC concern in partnership with the sister-brother tandem of Lisa Ballou and Steve Ballou. “He opened up about 4 lengths in two or three strides the last eighth of a mile.”

Dreaming of Kona is slated to face six rivals, including probable Inaugural favorite Super Chow, whose 3-for-4 record includes a 5-length triumph on Oct. 29 at Keeneland in the $200,000 Bowman Mill Stakes.

Saturday’s other Oldsmar stakes, the 45th running of the $100,000 Sandpiper for 2-year-old fillies, has drawn a field of six headed by Dorth Vader. The 2-year-old Florida-bred filly, bred and owned by John Ropes and trained by Michael Yates, won the Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes for Florida-bred fillies on Oct. 29 at Gulfstream.

Another likely Sandpiper contender is trainer Michael Campbell’s Lady Radler, who finished second in the $200,000 Myrtlewood Stakes on Oct. 28 at Keeneland.

Back to the Inaugural, where the Spieths hope to develop Dreaming of Kona into a capable two-turn stakes horse while taking a measured, unhurried approach. Their optimism rose another notch when Dreaming of Kona worked 4 furlongs here on Nov. 9 in 47 3/5 seconds, the fastest of 35 workouts at the distance that day. “That showed me he can handle the dirt fine, and he galloped out very strong that day,” Aldana said.

“He’s testing stakes company for the first time, so we’ll get a better idea Saturday how good he is,” said Scott, who rides Dreaming of Kona every day. “We expect him to run well, but we’re taking it one step at a time. All his works seem to tell me he does want to go farther.”

A strong showing Saturday could lead to a berth for Dreaming of Kona in the $125,000, 7-furlong Pasco Stakes for newly-turned 3-year-olds on Jan. 14.

“He’s a fast horse, but he is very manageable,” Aldana said. “His attitude is like, ‘Tell me what I’m supposed to do,’ and whatever we teach him, he complies. He’s a very intelligent horse who is taking everything in stride. We don’t want to press him, but we want to give him a race to build his confidence and keep moving ahead, little by little.”

FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes attract 41 nominations. The sixth editions of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Florida Sire Stakes will be run Saturday, Dec. 10. The $100,000 FTBOA Marion County FSS is for colts and geldings 3-years-old-and-upward and has drawn 19 nominations. The $100,000 FTBOA City of Ocala FSS is for fillies and mares 3-and-upward and has 22 nominations.

Both races are at a distance of 7 furlongs. The stakes are restricted to FTBOA-registered Florida-breds sired by an FTBOA-registered Florida stallion.

Both of last year’s winners have been nominated. Shivaree, a 5-year-old horse bred and owned by Jacks or Better Farm and trained by Ralph Nicks, has won the past two runnings of the FTBOA Marion County, taking the 2020 edition in stakes-record time of 1:21.68. The runner-up in the Grade I Florida Derby in 2020, Shivaree is 5-for-29 with career earnings of $561,844.

Other top nominees include the Lea Farms-owned and Jorge Delgado-trained Willy Boi, who won the Grade III Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes in July at Gulfstream Park and competed in the Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint; the Nicks-trained 3-year-old Cattin, who won last year’s Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs; multiple-stakes winner Noble Drama, a 7-year-old gelding owned by David Fawkes Racing and trained by Fawkes; and the Delgado-trained 7-year-old gelding Pudding, who finished second in the Smile Sprint Invitational and won the Florida Cup NYRABETS Sprint in March at Tampa Bay Downs.

The 4-year-old filly R Adios Jersey heads the nominations list for the FTBOA City of Ocala. Owned by Averill Racing and ATM Racing and trained by Gerald Bennett, she won last year’s FTBOA City of Ocala by 11 lengths and is 5-for-8 lifetime, including a victory in the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies.

Also nominated are trainer Elizabeth Dobles’s 5-year-old mare Don’t Get Khozy, who has earned more than $440,000; and Starship Nala, a 6-year-old mare trained by Steven Dwoskin who was second in last year’s FTBOA City of Ocala.

Around the oval. Samy Camacho rode two winners today. He won the third race on Watch for the Lute, a 3-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Winner Circle Stables and trained by Joseph Orseno. Camacho added the fourth race on the turf on Marquet Malice, a 3-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Bra-Gar Stables and trained by Antonio Machado.

Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:30 p.m. The Oldsmar oval is open every day except Christmas, Dec. 25, 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.