TAMPA BAY: SURPRISE, SURPRISE (REALLY): BENNETT WINS TWO

By Mike Henry —-

Rival trainers and bettors alike were reminded today why Gerald Bennett has dominated the Tampa Bay Downs scene for the last eight seasons.
Two starts after claiming 4-year-old Florida-bred filly Alexa’s Dream on Jan. 15 from a 6-furlong maiden victory for $25,000, Bennett switched her from sprinting on the dirt to going two turns on the turf in today’s fourth race. Alexa’s Dream responded by rallying from third place to post a 1 ¼-length victory from pace-setter Singalong Kayla in the $18,600, mile-and-a-sixteenth starter allowance race.
Bennett, who is gunning for his eighth consecutive Oldsmar training title, had determined that Alexa’s Dream – who is by Jess’s Dream, the same sire as his recent Suncoast Stakes upset winner, Dreaming of Snow – has been crying out to race a distance. The way she left Singalong Kayla and five other non-winners of two races behind suggests she is capable of continuing on that path.
Alexa’s Dream’s paid $29.20 to win as the second-longest shot in the race. Her victory followed a gate-to-wire triumph in the third race by Bennett’s 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding Tiz Triumphant, who lasted for a half-length victory from Assert Dominance in the 7-furlong claiming event and withstood two foul claims. Tiz Triumphant, who paid $14.80 to win despite being 5-2 on the morning line, is owned by Mr Pug, LLC, J.P.G. 2, LLC and C. Gregge Dasher and was ridden by Samuel Marin.
Bennett’s other entry today, 5-year-old mare Pony Girl, finished second in the second race.
Make no mistake: Bennett won’t find the going easy the rest of the meet. With 29 victories through today, he is receiving stern challenges from Jorge Delgado (24) and Jon Arnett (21), who won today’s fifth race with 7-year-old gelding Topper T.
But with 4,094 career victories and counting, the smart money is on the maestro – unlike where it was in today’s third and fourth races.
Around the oval. The track’s leading rider, Samy Camacho, continued to build an insurmountable lead in the jockey standings by winning two races. Camacho has ridden 68 winners, 26 more than runner-up Pablo Morales.
Camacho won the second race aboard Liking It Twisted, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Juan Arriagada and Robert M. Bosso and trained by Arriagada. Liking It Twisted was claimed from the race for $8,000 by trainer Jon Arnett for new owner Rodney M. Miller.
Camacho also won on Topper T for Arnett and owner Danny Stafford.
Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:46 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs 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.