On Jan. 4, Impacto won in $12,500 claiming company at Tampa Bay Downs, his seventh victory in a 17-race career, and was taken out of the race by owner/trainer Juan Arriagada for the claiming price. Arriagada wasted no time wheeling the 6-year-old First Dude gelding back for $20,000 just 11 days later, and …
What are the odds? At the June 2021 OBS Sale, Impacto didn’t reach his reserve and wound up as a $14,000 RNA. Ironically, at Tampa Bay Downs in his first 2025 start, the now 6-year-old gelding by First Dude won for the seventh time, and the reward was $14,000. …
Despite a strong final-week surge, which saw Raydar Control win at Tampa Bay Downs on the 24th, Crown Jak score at Camarero on the 27th, and Survival Rose getting up for a nose victory in a 4-horse photo at Parx on Monday, Bahamian Squall fell just short of the million-dollar mark in 2024 …
Based on five mediocre works leading up to his Tampa Bay Downs debut on Tuesday, it seemed as though Raydar Control would go off as one of the long shots in the $25,000 claiming race at 5 1/2 furlongs. But the 2-year-old Bahamian Squall gelding, a mysterious 3-1 on the morning line, was …
Spirit Wind closed out her 4-year-old racing season on Dec. 21 of 2023 by winning the Gr. III Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park. On Saturday, she closed out her 5-year-old campaign by capturing the $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Park, and adding $85,500 to her bank account, which is easily best of …
Melvis Gonzalez is a 7-pound apprentice currently riding at Gulfstream Park, where so many youngsters have kicked off what later turned out to be highly successful careers. But the 24-year-old graduate of the Panama jockey’s school looked like an old veteran winning a mile and one sixteenth test …
Hay Hay Paula is closing in on the $200,000 mark in earnings after her hard-fought, come-from-behind victory in a $40,700 starter optional claimer at seven furlongs over Woodbine’s all-weather track. The 6-year-old daughter of Bahamian Squall bred by Pamela Edel was off fourth on the inside under Rafael Hernandez and began …
Apprentice rider Sara Hess has been at Tampa Bay Downs for less than two weeks, and she’s already become a handicapper’s best friend, compiling an impressive record of 4-2-4 in 14 starts. Of the four victories, two have come aboard First Dudes – the $51 bomber on He’s Side Eyed on the 29th, …
Grump’s Buddy, a rare West Virginia-bred by Bahamian Squall, raised his record to 4-8-2 in 27 starts, getting his second victory of the year in a 1 1/16th-mile test at Charles Town last night. Arnaldo Bocachica was in the irons on the 4-year-old gelding, who raced well back in the pack …
Apprentice rider Sara Hess showed up for the meeting at Tampa Bay Downs last week with 20 winning rides under her belt, and made it 21 with a gutsy effort on Singsational on opening day. She quickly made it 22 by taking He’s Side Eyed wire-to-wire on day 2, holding on gamely to …