The co-features at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday are two starter handicap turf routes, one for the boys and one for the girls. And in the filly division, we don’t believe that Mark Casse could have found a softer spot if he wrote the race himself.
There are several horses with a claiming history that qualify them for this but we could not find one in better form than Moonlight Rain (2-1). Twice a winner on turf, she held excellent form to twice defeat much better on WO’s Tapeta in the fall.
At this point, horses are running very well off the Casse farm and training center in Ocala and here’s yet another, a 5-year-old mare who really loves her work, given a lifetime (21) 5-3-4 slate.
Faster on figures and with that class edge, she has enough gas to stay close and Gallardo’s strength to get her home. We;ll take her to win, again no price restrictions. And we would box an exacta with Atalya (4-1), who takes a sizable drop and switch to Camacho after getting a little exercise last out.
Check the Tampa Bay Video to see if you agree with that supposition. Click on the Tampa Bay link on the homepage which will take you to their replay center. Look for JAN 17, RACE 3. She’s interesting because she returns on eight days and stretches to her best trip (3-for-6).
