We don’t usually submit an analysis such as this but we were impressed enough with Lisheen’s (5-1) second grass start that she made our Horses to Watch list. So, why the apology? Because she’s the first horse on the also-eligible list in today’s seventh race.
Trailing throughout her last, she rallied strongly in a final quarter mile timed in a sprightly 24 3/5 and was in full stride throughout the finish post. Check out the Tampa Bay Today video on the landing page and decide for yourself: TAMPA BAY DOWNS, DEC 30, RACE 7.
Her two starts here showed marked improvement over her two dirt runs this summer as her Thoro-Graph figures can attest. If she draws in, we’ll back her to win, with no price restrictions. But even at that, we must box an exacta or bet a first-time starter to win; we always defer to experience.
But the newcomer is from the Chad Brown barn for a major client, Peter Brant, and Shamardel offspring boast a worthy 16% win rate on debut. Brown, of course, has done this before, and at this meeting.
Doman Expertise broke her maiden here and will be one of the favorites for tomorrow’s G3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park. Occasionally, Brown does ship here to give his lightly raced starters or newcomers experience.
The workline beneath Ratafara (3-1) indicates she will be ready for this and Antonio Gallardo always gets first call when Brown ships live horses up north. So we will be involved either way but, in a perfect world, we’re hoping Graham Motion’s filly makes the cut and our course will be set.
