Wednesday, January 28, 2009

LEADING OWNER STIKES AGAIN; NESS WINS TWO

OLDMAR, Fla. (January 27, 2009) Leading owner Richard Averill haltered his ninth victory from twenty starts today; Averill has posted a 45% win clip and 80% in-the-money finishes at Tampa Bay Downs over the thirty days of racing and has accrued $96,279 in purse money since the meet began. Averill, who finished the 2005-2006 Tampa season as leading owner, will co-host Saturday’s Morning Glory Club with track announcer Richard Grunder. Morning Glory begins at 10 AM in the first floor of the Grandstand, is free to the public, and includes complimentary coffee, donuts and Grandstand admission.


Trainer Jamie Ness saddled two winners today, giving him 19 victories throughout the meet thus far. Ness teamed up with jockey Ronnie Allen, Jr. for his first trip to the Winner’s Circle with Scottish Mystery, a three-year-old Scottish Halo bred in Florida by owners Kelly and Diane France. Ness scored again in the day’s closer with Circumvent, this time with the services of Tampa Bay Downs’s leading rider Daniel Centeno. Circumvent is a five-year-old Florida-bred Outflanker gelding bred by Rustlewood Farm and owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds.

Finish Lines… Tampa Bay Downs is celebrating Sunday’s big game with Roll Back the Prices on Saturday, January 31. Roll Back the Prices includes $1 beer, Nathan’s Famous™ Hotdogs and $1 soda at concession stands from noon until 3 PM trackwide.

Saturday’s festivities also include the 25th running of the $65,000 Manatee Stakes, a seven furlong dash over the main track for fillies and mares four years old and upward. Among the nominees is Dream Rush, winner of two consecutive races over the Oldsmar oval, including the $65,000 Minaret Stakes here on January 3rd. Rising Fever (BRZ), who narrowly lost to Dream Rush in the Minaret, is also on the list of fillies and mares nominated; as is Adrhythm, a stakes winner of $581,627 in her career.

Racing resumes Thursday, January 29 with a ten race card; the Silks Poker Room is open daily from 12:30 PM through 12:30 AM, and The Downs Golf Practice Facility is open on Mondays from 10:00 AM through 10:00 PM and on Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:30 AM through 10:00 PM.

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