Two featured sprint stakes on the Tampa Bay card today and will string along, eschewing our normal turf routine. Both are entertaining and the first, the Minaret Stakes, is more manageable and offers an opportunity for value in the sharp up and comer as opposed to two classier favorites.
Heiressall (8-5) is a talented multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred meeting opens here. The spacing is great, as if she’s been pointed, and when Teresa Pompey teams up with Gallardo, she means business. And Bronx Beauty (5-2), shipping north, will appreciate the class relief and turnback in trip.
But we’re taking class riser The Goddess Lyssa (4-1) for several reasons. She moved forward big time last out, as she had a right to in her 4YO debut. Also, she appears the controlling speed, is nicely drawn in outer-mid gate, giving Daniel Centeno options if needed.
But this is what Gerald Bennett does best, getting them good and keeping them good, and will like that despite her recent fast effort against the clock, he came back and breezed the filly 11 days later, the first of three works since her tour de force on JAN 6. Her spacing is perfect for this.
We’re not going to show you her last win,instead the race before when she was third to the favorite–that was a 7 furlongs where she was pressed hard throughout and held well for third. That race set her up for her latest. Check it out on the Tampa Bay Today video: TAMPA BAY DOWNS, DEC 12, RACE 7.
Taking The Goddess Lyssa to win at 5-2 or greater and key-boxing exactas and trifectas (first and second) with the two favorites.
