TAMPA BAY: BROWN, GALLARDO TEAM FOR COURSE RECORD WITH BOSQUE REDONDO

By Mike Henry —-

OLDSMAR, FL. – Trainer Chad Brown and jockey Antonio Gallardo teamed for a Tampa Bay Downs course-record performance on the turf with 4-year-old colt Bosque Redondo in today’s third race, a maiden special weight affair for horses 3-years-old-and-upward going a mile-and-three-eighths.

Bosque Redondo, who was making his third career start, held off Typhoon Lagoon by a nose after a spirited stretch duel. The winner’s time (which, in effect, was Typhoon Lagoon’s time too) was 2:15.47, lowering the previous mark of 2:15.67 set two years ago by 5-year-old gelding Kitten’s Spa.

Bosque Redondo is by War Front out of the More Than Ready mare Nemoralia. He is owned by Peter M. Brant and Joseph Allen, LLC, with Allen having bred Bosque Redondo in partnership with White Birch Farm.

Brown also won with his other starter today, as 3-year-old filly Aspray proved decidedly best in the seventh race on the turf, a 1-mile allowance/optional claiming event. Aspray raced past Explosive Exchange in the stretch for a 2 ½-length victory in a time of 1:37.03 in her second career start and first on the turf.

Aspray is a homebred racing for owner Ran Jan Racing.

Gallardo notched two additional victories. He won the second race on Belmar Summer, a 3-year-old filly owned by Patrick Mogauro, Jr., and trained by John Rigattieri. Belmar Summer was claimed from the race for $16,000 by trainer Darien Rodriguez for new owner Gumpster Stable.

Gallardo added the fifth race on the grass with Walks Like a Lady, a 5-year-old Florida-bred mare owned by Big Lick Farm and trained by Sarah Nagle.

Diaz rode two winners. In addition to his triumph on Aspray, he won the sixth race on Alizee, a 7-year-old mare owned by Rodney M. Miller and trained by Jon Arnett. That victory was the fifth at the meet for Alizee, the most of any horse.

Around the oval. The 20th annual Florida Cup, featuring six stakes races for registered Florida-breds, will be held Sunday. The event celebrates the Sunshine State’s excellence in breeding, raising and racing Thoroughbreds.

Each Florida Cup race carries a purse of $110,000. Three races are scheduled for both the main dirt track and the turf course.

Entries will be drawn Thursday.

The Florida Cup stakes menu includes the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore, for 3-year-olds racing 7 furlongs on the main track; the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies, for 3-year-old fillies going 7 furlongs on the dirt; the NYRABETS Sprint, for horses 4-years-old-and-upward sprinting 6 furlongs on the dirt; the Equistaff Sophomore Turf, for 3-year-olds at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf; the Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf, for fillies and mares 3-and-upward at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass; and the Grey Goose Turf Classic, for 4-year-olds-and-upward at a mile-and-an-eighth on the grass.

Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:20 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs is open every day except Easter Sunday, April 9 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.