The annual Cotillion Festival Day Dec. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs features a pair of $125,000 3-year-old stakes sponsored by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association.
The seven-furlong FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings will be a rematch between grade 3 winner Three Rules and stakes winner Mo Cash. The two met July 1 in the Carry Back Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, with the Jose Pinchin-trained Three Rules staging an impressive rally to edge Mo Cash by a neck.
The Marion County is the first race since the Carry Back for Three Rules, a five-time stakes winner owned by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, Tom Fitzgerald, and Geoff Roy. The son of Gone Astray also finished second last winter in the Swale Stakes (G2) and ran third in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), both at Gulfstream. He will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo.
Mo Cash, trained by Ronald Spatz for Marco Thoroughbred Corp., has two career stakes victories, including the April 2 Florida Cup Ocala Breeders' Sales Sophomore at Tampa Bay Downs. Jockey Antonio Gallardo has the call in the Marion County.
One race earlier on the card, the FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire Stakes for 3-year-old fillies has attacted seven entrants and will also be contested at seven furlongs.
Heading the City of Ocala is R Angel Katelyn, who has recorded three of her five stakes victories at Tampa Bay Downs. Owned by Averill Racing, CCF Racing Stable, and K Lauren Racing and trained by Gerald Bennett, the High Cotton filly has sprinter's speed and has won at the distance. She will be ridden by Gallardo.
Her top challenger is the Kathleen O'Connell-trained Stormy Embrace, who finished third in last month's Millions Distaff Stakes at Gulfstream Park West. Wilmer Garcia is set to ride.
Also on the card are two $100,000 six-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds. Among the top contenders in the Inaugural Stakes is Wildcat's Legacy, a Florida-bred colt whose two-for-two record includes an easy victory in the Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 11.
In the Sandpiper Stakes, Graham Motion sends out Kentucky-bred maiden winner Almond Roca to face eight foes. The field also includes Toni Ann's Miracle, the Larry Pilotti-trained filly riding a three-race win streak, and Valuable Package, a Skip Einhorn-trained Florida-bred who broke her maiden by 7 3/4 lengths before finishing third in the Matron Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in October.
Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, December 16, 2017, Race 2Entries: FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Keep Your Head Up (FL) Daniel Centeno 119 Joseph F. Orseno 5/1 2 2Sweet Distinction (FL) Emisael Jaramillo 119 Thomas F. Proctor 8/1 3 3Patton's Girl (FL) Huber Villa-Gomez 119 Paula Loescher 20/1 4 4Surprise Wedding (FL) Jesus M. Rios 119 David Fawkes 7/2 5 5Katinka (FL) Leonel Reyes 119 Michael Yates 6/1 6 6R Angel Katelyn (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 119 Gerald S. Bennett 2/1 7 7Stormy Embrace (FL) Wilmer A. Garcia 119 Kathleen O'Connell 3/1
Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, December 16, 2017, Race 3Entries: FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Mo Cash (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 119 Ronald B. Spatz 8/5 2 2Overcame (FL) Daniel Centeno 119 Peter Wasiluk, Jr. 15/1 3 3Zipping (FL) Ronald Dale Allen, Jr. 119 Roger Laurin 7/2 4 4Three Rules (FL) Emisael Jaramillo 119 Jose Pinchin 3/2 5 5Royal Flame (FL) Edwin Gonzalez 119 Gerald S. Bennett 15/1 6 6Epic Drama (FL) Willie Martinez 119 Gerald S. Bennett 8/1 7 7Charzaam (FL) Pablo Morales 119 Nancy S. Harris 30/1
Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, December 16, 2017, Race 6Entries: Sandpiper S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1World Is My City (KY) Daniel Centeno 116 Eoin G. Harty 12/1 2 2Toni Ann's Miracle (FL) Emisael Jaramillo 116 Larry Pilotti 5/2 3 3La Femme Royale (KY) Fernando De La Cruz 116 Randy L. Klopp 6/1 4 4Valuable Package (FL) Wilmer A. Garcia 116 Skip Einhorn 9/2 5 5R True Talent (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 116 Gerald S. Bennett 10/1 6 6Trappe Me Later (VA) Samy Camacho 116 Robert G. Smith 12/1 7 7Super Beautiful (KY) Raul Mena 116 Paul Marino 20/1 8 8Malandrina (FL) Orlando Bocachica 116 Darien Rodriguez 8/1 9 9Almond Roca (KY) Pablo Morales 116 H. Graham Motion 3/1
Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, December 16, 2017, Race 9Entries: Inaugural S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Gone Fishing (FL) Emisael Jaramillo 116 Jose Pinchin 8/1 2 2Wildcat's Legacy (FL) Antonio A. Gallardo 122 Ralph E. Nicks 3/1 3 3Salsa Lane (FL) Raul Mena 116 Gerald S. Bennett 20/1 4 4His Name Is Sue (FL) Wilmer A. Garcia 116 Kathleen O'Connell 8/1 5 5Twin Farms (KY) Jesus Lopez Castanon 116 Ben Colebrook 4/1 6 6Arazi Like Move (KY) Scott Spieth 116 Aldana Gonzalez 5/1 7 7Nickie's Papa (KY) Ricardo Feliciano 116 Joan Scott 15/1 8 8Tricks to Doo (KY) Daniel Centeno 116 Arnaud Delacour 5/2 9 9Charge Card (KY) Fernando De La Cruz 116 Cheryl Winebaugh 20/1
