OLDSMAR, Fla. (February 5, 2009) Trainer Kirk Ziadie has enjoyed a very successful 2008-2009 Tampa Bay Downs meet, and in the week of January 29 through February 3 has had 8 wins, 3 seconds and 4 third-place finishes from 20 starters. Though February 3rd, the conditioner is leading the Tampa Bay Downs trainers’ colony with 23 victories to his credit.

Ziadie conditioned R Lady Joy to a nine-length win in the 2005 Florida Oaks and joins Gerald Bennett and Ron Allen, Sr. as the only trainers in Tampa’s top ten to make the top 100 trainers by wins in the nation by achieving 68 wins that year.

Ziadie took out his training license in 2003 after serving as his father’s (South Florida training legend Ralph Ziadie) assistant. Ziadie left school at 14 to work at the track and had his first win as trainer with Scottish Bubbly, a $10,000 claim who went on to win more than $150,000 for Ziadie and owner Gregory Kaufman. Ziadie completed the 2007-2008 Tampa Bay Downs meet as seventh leading trainer; the conditioner amassed 20 wins from 68 starters. In 2006-2007, Kirk Ziadie earned numerous successes on the Oldsmar oval, including a stakes win with Dartagnan’sspirit for owners Richard Averill and Stephen White on February 10 in the Super Stakes. Ziadie achieved back-to-back wins in the Lightning City Stakes in 2004 and 2005, and also won the Holiday Inn Express Turf Sprint.

Finish Lines… Trainer Ron Allen, Sr. celebrated his birthday today with two wins on the afternoon’s card. Allen first escorted Proud Student to her maiden victory in the fourth race. The three-year-old Proud Citizen filly won at first asking for owner Equest Racing Stable with jockey Mike Allen – Ron Allen’s son – in the irons. Allen struck again in the final race of the day, this time with his other son, Ron Allen, Jr. aboard L. I. Iced Tea. The six-year-old son of Slew Gin Fizz was bred in Florida by owner Marilyn McMaster.

Conditioner Kathleen O’Connell also haltered two victories today; her first win came with Pat’s Image, a six-year-old Sword Dance mare bred in Florida by owner Northcote Stable and ridden by Jose Velez. O’Connell next teamed up with reinsman James Lopez to win the eighth race, this time with S S Seraphim. Owner Elizabeth Matteo bred the five-year-old Slew The Slew mare in Florida, who captured her third lifetime win today.

Racing resumes tomorrow, February 6 with a ten race card; there is a Pick 6 carryover of $5,430.66 and a High Five carryover of $2,751.72. 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.