TAMPA BAY TODAY – MAY 9

As everyone knows, a good trip is essential for success on the turf, especially at marathon distances, and there is an excellent example of this in Saturday’s eighth race in Oldsmar.

When last they met, Bourbon Extension with Daniel Centeno and Fast Fire with Antonio Gallardo were experiencing vastly different circumstances.

Showing freshness, Bourbon Extension (5-1) broke running from the seven post then rated nicely. But the problem is, with Centeno not wanting to use his horse hard in a three-turn race, he was force to rate 3-wide, outside rivals all the way around.

On the turn, Fast Fire (7-2), under textbook ground-saving handling, tipped wide with well-timed run on the third bend, making the final rally a one-move winner. In process, he outran ‘Bourbon’ at a crucial stage. Nonetheless Bourbon showed life in the lane despite the ground loss.

We think you will agree after watching the trips from MAR 28, RACE 8 on the Tampa Bay Today Video. ‘Bourbon’ loses Centeno to Projected (4-1) here, but the loss helps today’s odds. A favorable 3-pound weight shift is another plus.

We’ll take Bourbon Extension to win, needing 4-1 or more, box the exacta with Fast Fire, and will add Projected, On a Spree (5-1) and Domain (15-1) to the super-exotics mix.