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TAMPA BAY DOWNS NOTEBOOK APRIL 9, 2013 by Bob Bauer How time flies by when we are having fun. The final month of the Tampa meeting has arrived. Only 15 racing days remain before closing day on May 5. In upcoming issues, this notebook will mention some ideas that might help us garner some getaway money before the season's end. Many Tampa fans were watching the Wood Memorial Stakes to see if Tampa Bay Derby victor VERRAZANO (More Than Ready) could take the next step on the journey to the Kentucky Derby. The 4-5 favorite did not disappoint and dug in stubbornly when he was "tested as never before" according to Aqueduct announcer Tom Durkin. It may bode well for his chances in Louisville that he wasn't asked to run until the three-sixteenths pole. Track conditions were a mixed lot this past week. Wednesday was fast and firm, with the moveable rail on the turf course set at 22 feet. Showers closed the lawn on Friday and left us with a sealed, wet-fast track that was officially rated as good. The dirt was fast on Saturday and the turf was good. Sunday was back to normal -- fast and firm. Speed was doing very well on both surfaces. Runners who could be close to the pace early were tops on the dirt. The trio of grass routes were all taken by runners who went gate-to-wire, with the rail moved back to zero. Let's take a look at the jockey and trainer's races as we get ready for the season's stretch run. No real surprises in either of the competitions, all the main players are well known at the Downs. Daniel Centeno appears to be on his way to another riding crown. He leads the jockey colony with 76 trips to the winner's circle, a dozen better than Fernando De La Cruz who has 64. Ron Allen Jr. and Angel Serpa are fighting for the third spot, separated by only a single victory. Allen has the edge for now, 57 to 56. America's top trainer last year, Jamie Ness, has a daylight lead on the Tampa trainer's title, having saddled 43 winners. Jorge Navarro heads up what appears to be a race for the place with 30. Gerald Bennett and Kathleen O'Connell are close behind scoring 26 and 24 times, respectively. Favorites won 14 of 41 races this past week (34 percent). HORSES TO WATCH Wednesday (4/3) 1ST -- FORMAL GOWN (Formal Dinner) looked good in her debut, upsetting a field of $8,000 maiden claimers going seven panels at 13-1. The five-year-old mare overcame being bumped at the start and stalked the pace, moved into the stretch and passed the leader late to be best by 1 1/4 lengths. Should go well moving through her conditions. 8TH -- HIGH NATIVE FLY (High Fly) lived up to his billing as the 7-10 favorite as he was "an hour the best" according to track announcer Richard Grunder. Leading trainer Jamie Ness had this four-year-old ready to run after a six-week break. Top jock Daniel Centeno guided him through a rough trip that began with being squeezed at the break. He later was taken up leaving the turn and then moved to the rail, lacked room and went outside, and closed fast to get up by a neck versus non-winners-of-two with $16,000 claiming tags. Could take the next step up before the meeting closes. 9TH -- DECODE ARMOUR (Invasor) was able to get the place in her first lifetime start facing $30,000 maiden claiming routers on the weeds. A sophomore filly, she appears to have a promising future. She lacked racing room on the turn and was bumped by a foe in upper stretch and came inside to threaten along the rail. The gray went to the post as the longest price (39-1) on the board and certainly outran her odds. Might graduate soon. Friday (4/5) 4TH -- KETONIA (Alluvial) was off slow and ran greenly, but showed some ability by making a wide move into the stretch and finishing well to get fourth on a wet-fast track that favored early speed versus $8,000 maiden claiming fillies. Should improve off this first-time effort. 5TH -- CENTENARIO (Mass Media) a three-year-old colt, made a good impression in his debut with $12,500 claiming sprinters. He rushed up to grab the lead after a tardy start but flattened out after the half-mile marker. Might surprise a similar field if able to get alone on the lead. Saturday (4/6) 2ND -- SHESA SWEET TALKER (Stormin Fever) broke awkwardly and lost her right iron at the start of a sprint with $10,000 maiden claimers. This four-year old filly has turned in some decent efforts this season with similar company and merits consideration next time out as she had no chance in this latest effort. 8TH -- RULER OF LOVE (Peace Rules) was a victim of bad racing luck in his first try on a dirt track. He was bumped and pushed out by a tiring rival in deep stretch and still only missed by a nose. Previously, the sophomore had a half-dozen starts, the last five on the grass after a so-so debut on a synthetic surface. This was his second attempt after a six-month break. This Joan Scott charge appears to be very sharp now. 12TH -- KIZUNA (Harlington) was the 5-2 favorite in a group of three-year-old filly maiden special weight runners on the sod. She was stalking the pace nicely when a foe on her inside bolted to the outside on the far turn and carried her extremely wide and she lost her momentum. This lightly-raced filly rates another chance. If veteran rider Ron Allen Jr. stays, all the better. Sunday (4/7) 6TH -- DANCING FLASHY (Flashy Bull) is in top form for trainer Freddie Hyatt. In her first start since December, which was only her second after a one-year hiatus, she wired a field of maiden special weight older fillies and mares on the lawn. The gray miss was never threatened and ran off to a handy four-length score. There may be more good things to come for this one.
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