Veteran trainer Joe Orseno is swinging for the fences in Saturday’s Turf Sprint Showcase races at Tampa Bay Downs.
Orseno, whose sterling career record includes a Preakness victory in 2000 with Red Bullet and two Breeders’ Cup victories that same year, has entered three horses in the $100,000 Turf Dash Stakes for horses 4-years-old-and-upward and one in the $100,000 Lightning City Stakes for fillies and mares 4-and-upward.
Both races will be contested at a distance of 5 furlongs on the turf course. The Lightning City will be run as the sixth race, with the Turf Dash the 10th and final on a card beginning at 12:16 p.m.
Although none of the four have a stakes victory on their ledger, each of Orseno’s runners appear well-placed. His “big” horse for the turf extravaganzas is Turf Dash entrant Rezasrolex, a 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding who has won nine consecutive races. Edgard Zayas will ride Rezasrolex, who will break from the No. 3 post in a 12-horse field, for Orseno and breeder-owner Scott Herbertson.
No. 9 in Rezasrolex’s winning streak came on Jan. 11 in a 5-furlong allowance/optional claiming turf sprint in his first-ever start at Tampa Bay Downs, with Zayas rating him off a scorching pace before thundering home for a length-and-a-half victory. The second and third-place finishers that day. Dark Vintage and Esperon, are entered for another try.
Rezasrolex is 13-for-17 lifetime with two seconds, but will be making his stakes debut Saturday.
Orseno’s other Turf Dash entrants are also Florida-breds. Extendo, a 6-year-old horse owned by Robert Cotran, is 7-for-24 lifetime, including a second-place finish in the 2024 Turf Dash by a neck to Smithwick’s Spice. Cipriano Gil will be aboard Extendo from the No. 12 post.
Orseno is a part owner of his other Turf Dash competitor And Uwish, along with Suzette and Adam Parker. The 5-year-old gelding will be ridden from the No. 10 post by Israel Rodriguez. And Uwish is 3-for-11 lifetime with four seconds, including a runner-up effort in the Janus Stakes on Dec. 20 at Gulfstream Park.
The likely Turf Dash betting favorite is My Boy Prince, a 5-year-old gelding owned by Gary Barber and trained by Mark Casse. A six-time stakes winner, he finished second in the Grade I Rogers Woodbine Mile last September at Woodbine and in the Grade I Jaipur Stakes last June at Saratoga. My Boy Prince will break from the No. 2 post under leading Tampa Bay Downs jockey Samuel Marin.
The Turf Dash field also includes last year’s victor Rouki, a 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Tropic Lightning Racing and trained by Gerald Bennett. Samy Camacho, who won on the 20-1 shot last year, will pilot Rouki from the No. 1 post.
Eight mares are entered in the Lightning City Stakes, with Orseno represented by 5-year-old Florida-bred Etrurian, a horse the trainer owns in partnership with L. William and Corinne Heiligbrodt. She is 3-for-14 lifetime and should be a good price at the betting windows. Zayas will ride Etrurian from the No. 6 post.
Trainer Casse may have the favorite in the Lightning City in 5-year-old Creed’s Gold, who is owned by Kristin Meldahl. Creed’s Gold, who is 4-for-11 lifetime, won the Grade III Hendrie Stakes in July at Woodbine in her most recent start, and no one doubts Casse’s ability to bring in a horse fit and ready off a layoff. Sonny Leon will ride from the No. 3 post.
Love Appeals, a 6-year-old mare bred and owned by Moyglare Stud Farm and trained by Miguel Clement, seems certain to get plenty of wagering support. She has won the last two runnings of the Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park and is 6-for-18 in her career. Camacho will ride Love Appeals from the No. 5 post.
The Lightning City field includes last year’s third-place finisher, Florida-bred 9-year-old Bahamian Moon, who is owned by Ridenjac Racing and David F. Kegley and trained by Dennis Ward. Sara Hess will be aboard from the No. 1 post as Bahamian Moon seeks to win for the 13th time and boost her career earnings above $500,000.
Centennial events reminder. On Friday and Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs will host the 11th annual “Jockeys and Jeans” Fundraiser for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) on the first floor of the Grandstand. Friday’s event, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., is billed as a “Once in a Lifetime” Autograph Meet & Greet event featuring legendary riders Steve Cauthen, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Angel Cordero, Jr., Pat Day, Chris McCarron, Jean Cruguet, Sandy Hawley, Jacinto Vasquez, Edgar Prado, Jorge Velasquez, Mike Manganello, Ramon Dominguez, Earlie Fires, Bill Boland, Jon Court, Robby Albarado, Jose Santos, Braulio Baeza and Alex Solis.
Tickets are available for the “Once in a Lifetime” event for $40 apiece on the “Jockeys and Jeans” website at www.jockeysandjeans.com
On Saturday, active jockeys will be available for autograph signing from noon-2 p.m. on the first floor of the Grandstand. A donation to the PDJF is requested.
The PDJF is a 501 (c) (3) public charity that provides financial assistance to approximately 60 former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries, predominantly paralysis and/or brain injuries.
On Sunday, Tampa Bay Downs will honor other area businesses and organizations that have also been in existence since 1926. They include the Safety Harbor Resort & Spa; the Tampa Theatre; Tampa General Hospital; The Junior League of Tampa; Dunedin Golf Club; and the Hotel Flor Tampa (originally opened a century ago as the Hotel Floridan).
Each celebrating business and organization will have a race named in their honor and be guests of the track. Patrons will receive free literature about them at the entrance.
Finally, next Wednesday, all patrons will receive a free Grandstand pass for the 2026-27 meet, a $100 value.
Around the oval. Samy Camacho rode four winners today. The five-time Oldsmar champion jockey won the second race aboard Allons, a 6-year-old Florida-bred mare owned by Amaty Racing Stables and trained by Jose A. Gallegos. Camacho added the third race with Secret Empire, a 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Winning Stables and trained by Gerald Bennett.
Camacho’s next victory came in the fifth race on Ship It, an 8-year-old mare owned by Susan Arnett and trained by Jon Arnett. In the seventh race, Camacho prevailed on 3-year-old Florida-bred filly Fly Life by a head from Prancin Inthe Dark after an exciting stretch duel. Fly Life is owned by Winning Stables, J.P.G. 2 and Mr Pug and trained by Bennett.
