After beginning her career 0-for-4, 3-year-old Florida-bred filly Hopesndreams has turned Tampa Bay Downs into her own personal playground this season.
The daughter of Ride On Curlin-Exchangeable, by Exchange Rate, won for the fourth time from five starts at the meet in today’s sixth race, holding off a belated rally by Glorious Lady in the $25,000 starter/optional claiming event to prevail by three-quarters of a length under jockey Jesus Castanon.
Hopesndreams’ only defeat here came on March 24, when she finished third in the Florida Cup Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes.
Bred by Helen Barbazon and Joseph Barbazon and owned and trained by Mike Dini, Hopesndreams sped the 6-furlong distance on a fast track in 1:09.78, 1.11 seconds off the Oldsmar track record. With less than four weeks remaining in the meet, she trails only Paper Mansion (5-for-5) in victories.
Surprisingly, Hopesndreams’ time was only second-best on today’s card. Ritabook, who was running for a claiming price of $25,000, drew away through the stretch under apprentice jockey Gabriel Maldonado in the stretch to win the second race by 3 ¼ lengths from D’ tiger Lily. Ritabook’s winning time was 1:09.73.
The 5-year-old Florida-bred mare (Uncaptured-Four White Legs, by Albertus Maximus) won for the third time in 21 starts, with eight seconds. She is owned by Monarch Stables and trained by John Rigattieri.
Maldonado, who is third in the Oldsmar standings with 41 winners, won the first three races on the card, followed by two seconds. He scored in the first race on Tiz a Beast, a 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by TCBR Stable and trained by Jennifer Paragallo. Maldonado added the third on the turf with Lucky Girl Coco, a 4-year-old Florida-bred filly owned by Coco Ranch and trained by Guillermo Morales, Jr.
Maldonado had previously ridden three winners here on Feb. 9.
Dini sent out two winners as an owner and trainer. He won the seventh race, a 1-mile turf claiming event, with 3-year-old Florida-bred filly Platinum Diva, who raced past the leaders late to post a length-and-a-half victory under Charlie Marquez. Trendy finished second.
A Florida-bred daughter of Treasure Beach-Platinumplus, by Mizzen Mast, Platinum Diva was also bred by Helen Barbazon and Joseph Barbazon. Platinum Diva was claimed from the race for $20,000 by trainer Renaldo Richards for new owner Paula S. Capestro.
Tim Hamm notched two training victories, as well. Both came on the turf. He won the fifth race with E Minor, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Blazing Meadows Farm and ridden by Angel Arroyo. Hamm added the ninth with Harrow, a 6-year-old gelding owned by Ruth Pelfrey, Gerard Nicoletta, Ella D Racing Stable and Blazing Meadows Farm and ridden by Pablo Morales.
Around the oval. Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:20 p.m. The feature is the eighth race, a $53,000, 6-furlong maiden special weight contest for horses 3-years-old-and-upward.
Tampa Bay Downs conducts racing on a Wednesday-Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule through May 4, Kentucky Derby Day. 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.
