Four supporting stakes will be offered on Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby (G3) undercard at Tampa Bay Downs.
The $225,000 Hillsborough (G2) features a nice field of eight fillies and mares competing over the Tampa Bay Downs turf, including Marketsegmentation, who will make his first start since a fourth in the Diana (G1) last July. Winner of the New York (G1) two back, the three-time stakes heroine will keep Jose Ortiz in the saddle and Chad Brown trains the five-year-old daughter of American Pharoah.
Brown has another serious contender in multiple Grade 2 winner Fluffy Socks. A head second in the Matriarch (G1) two back, the six-year-old mare exits a closing fourth in the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2) and regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call.
French Group 1 runner-up Elusive Princess, winner of the Saratoga Oaks (G3) in her U.S. debut, will open her four-year-old season for Arnaud Delacour. Last seen finishing fourth as the favorite in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), Elusive Princess adds Junior Alvarado. Belmont Oaks (G1) upsetter Aspen Grove, unraced since a sixth in the E.P. Taylor (G1) last October, will make her four-year-old debut for Jack Sisterson. Grade 3 winner Star Fortress is also part of the mix for Cherie DeVaux.
The $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) drew a full field of three-year-old fillies for 1 1/16 miles on turf, and Austere looms as the one to beat in her comeback. A convincing winner of her first two starts, including the Juvenile Fillies S. at Kentucky Downs, the daughter of Mendelssohn came up a little short last time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), missing by two lengths in fifth, and Tyler Gaffalione will be up for Brendan Walsh.
Bill Mott will send out Waskesiu, who finished third as the favorite in the Ginger Brew (G3) after missing the break last time. A romping maiden scorer at Aqueduct two back, the American Pharoah filly keeps Junior Alvarado in the saddle. Dynamic Pricing, a rallying third in the Feb. 3 Sweetest Chant (G3) at Gulfstream, will represent Brown, who also has Saratoga maiden scorer Weigh the Risks coming back from a lengthy layoff.
Other runners include Witwatersrand, a Grade 3 winner on Woodbine’s Tapeta who will switch to turf for Mark Casse; Style Points, a neck second in the Sweetest Chant; Jessamine (G2) runner-up Pharoah’s Wine; and last-out Tampa turf allowance winners A Primera Vista and Destiny Star.
Winner of the Charles Town Classic (G2) and third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in his final two appearances last year, Skippylongstocking will try to get back on track in the $100,000 Challenger (G3) after being eased in the Pegasus World Cup (G1). The five-year-old rallied to win last year’s Challenger going away by 3 1/4 lengths at odds-on, and Gaffalione will guide for Saffie Joseph.
His five rivals in the 1 1/16-mile race include Grade 2 winner Dynamic One, multiple stakes victor Dash Attack, and Sherlock’s Jewel, who exits back-to-back allowance wins at Tampa for Shug McGaughey.
The $75,000 Columbia S. attracted 10 three-year-olds for a mile on turf, and Full Nelson, Fulmineo, In a Jam, Move to Gold, and Tok Tok all merit respect in the competitive event.
