Samy Camacho was a forgotten man for the first three weeks of the Tampa Bay Downs meet – which makes perfect sense, since he has been riding at Gulfstream Park.
Returning to the racetrack where he has enjoyed much of his success, Camacho rode one winner from seven mounts today with two seconds in a belated beginning to his Oldsmar oval campaign after serving the remainder of a suspension that had carried over from the 2024-25 season.
His victory came in the fifth race, a mile-and-40-yard maiden claiming event that was taken off the turf, aboard 2-year-old Florida-bred filly Parlaypauline, owned by Julian De Mora, Jr., and trained by Juan Carlos Avila (Parlaypauline was claimed from the victory for $32,000 by trainer Jose A. Gallegos for new owner Amaty Racing Stables).
“It’s very exciting to be back. This is the place I race, and I’m truly happy to be back here riding,” said Camacho, a five-time Tampa Bay Downs champion. “I’ll go home with my family and be happy tonight, and I’ll go back to work in the morning with my agent (Mike Moran) and a smile.”
Camacho, a 37-year-old product of Caracas, Venezuela, has ridden 1,550 winners in North America. He rode a couple of winners at Gulfstream Park while his suspension played out.
Moran is also the agent for Samuel Marin, who ended Camacho’s streak of four consecutive titles last season. Marin is off to a fast start with 15 winners and there are numerous jockeys currently between him and Camacho, who plans to stay laser-focused in an effort to gradually close the gap.
“I’m working very hard to do my best and win races,” Camacho said. “I’m going to try to win the title again, but I know it will be tough. The competition is going to be good all season, but I believe a lot in myself and I have a lot of business moving forward.
“I just pray to God to stay healthy.”
Parlaypauline’s victory was one of two for the owner-trainer combination of De Mora and Avila, who also won the seventh race with Chacarera, ridden by apprentice Noel Herman.
Around the oval. Cipriano Gil rode two winners today. He captured the fourth race aboard Peace Cloud, a 2-year-old gelding owned by Patricia Pavlish and trained by Tim Hamm. Peace Cloud was claimed from the race for $8,000 by trainer Gregg Sacco for new owner Elliot Mavorah.
Gil added the ninth and final race with Icelander, a 4-year-old colt owned by Ladycaroly Stable and trained by Carlos Narvaez.
Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:35 p.m. Tampa Bay Downs currently races each Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with Sundays added to the mix on Dec. 21. Tampa Bay Downs will be closed in its entirety on Christmas, Dec. 25.
Otherwise, the track is open every day 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.
Officials and staff of Tampa Bay Downs invite Thoroughbred lovers and newcomers alike to share in the excitement of the Oldsmar oval’s meet-long centennial celebration, commemorating the track’s opening on Feb. 18, 1926.
