The results of the first round of the NTRA/Daily Racing Form First Round Handicapping contest are in.  There were eleven winners this year due to a tie for tenth place.  The top finishers are Brandon La Rose, Karen Mercado, Frank Petrino, William Schuler, Lou Farnell, Roy Lingle, Inge Palm, William Berg, Dennis Adams, and tied, Michael Berry and Mitch Walker.  They will gain automatic entry into the March 30 final contest here at Tampa Bay Downs, where they will face off with the winners of the second round contest on March 3 as well as last year’s winner of the contest Barbara Saveski.

Finish Lines… Daniel Centeno won three more races on today’s card, further cementing his position as the nation’s leading rider by wins.  A crowd of 4, 813 fans watched his first victory on the day’s card with the Charles Fontana-trained Dinner Backstage, who is owned by Shawna Marte-Vogel.  Centeno also scored a win on Chaotic Achiever, a dark bay or brown colt saddled by David Hinsley and owned by Montesano Racing. 

Prosico, a four-year-old colt owned by Marc D. Goldish and Savoy Stable, was piloted home by Centeno for the win.  The colt is trained by Dale Bennett, and this victory was the second on the card for the conditioner.

Racing resumes on Tuesday, February 13 with a ten race card.  Tampa Bay Downs gates will open at 11:00 AM, and live racing will begin at 12:25 PM.  The Silks Card Room will offer poker action from noon to midnight.