OLDSMAR, Fla. (January 12, 2007) Saturday’s feature race will be The Pelican Stakes, a $60,000 six furlong test for horses four years old and upward. The race is the tenth on an eleven race card and offers a full field of fourteen horses. Among these contenders is Above the Wind, a ten-year-old veteran who is chasing his fourth consecutive victory in the race. Above the Wind is trained by Ronald Allen, Sr. and owned by Hamco Group, LLC. The gelding has won $491,152 over his seven years on the race track, and broke his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs in January of 2000. Allen says that Above the Wind is training well and has a particular fondness for the track surface at Tampa Bay Downs.; indeed, the gelding has posted several bullet works his training leading up to the race.
Other strong contenders in the race include Guapeton, who comes into the race fresh off of an allowance win here, in which he earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest in the field. He also has clocked bullet works in his last two morning workouts, and has finished out of the money in only one start in his life. The red-hot Daniel Centeno will pilot Guapeton; however, they break from post position 14, and will have to use all of their resources to overcome this obstacle in such a tough and large field.
Put Back the Shu has a strong race record behind him coming into the Pelican, and this race will be his second off of a layoff. His efforts last year landed him a stakes win and a close second in another stake. He’s three-for-five at Tampa Bay Downs and looks to be a challenger in the race.
Tomorrow’s first race will start at approximately 12:25; the gates to Tampa Bay Downs will open at 11:00 AM. Saturday is Roll Back the Prices Day, in which beer, soda and Nathan’s Hot Dogs are all $1 at concessions stands from noon to three.
Live poker heats up in The Silks Card room from noon until midnight.
Next week, Tampa Bay Downs will offer six full days of racing, beginning on January 16. On Wednesday, January 17th, grandstand admission will be free all day.