Neither a tote outage, a half-hour publish time delay, nor a sluggish tempo might cease strong-finishing Home Product from successful the Grade 3 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby March 9 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Home Product angled out from a stalking place within the stretch and out-quickened his rivals in a blanket end to nail No Extra Time by a neck within the $350,000 prep race on the highway to the Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve. The homebred for Klaravich Stables, skilled by Chad Brown, raced 1 1/16 miles below jockey Tyler Gaffalione in 1:45.47.
As a result of tote concern, the race following the Tampa Bay Derby was canceled and no payoffs for the Tampa Bay Derby have been instantly accessible. Most bettors, besides people who wager early on in multi-race exotics, have been shut out. Tampa Bay Downs observe announcer Jason Beem mentioned the tote holdup was brought on by an outage that affected different tracks on the East Coast. Tampa Bay Downs is a wagering associate with 1/ST Expertise’s AmTote.
“It was good day to be right here. The day ended effectively, and it is good to have our first Tampa Derby win,” Brown mentioned.
One other Brown trainee, Good Cash, went to the lead in Saturday’s race and loved simple fractions, setting splits of 25.25, :51.14, and 1:16.21, whereas being pursued by Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes winner No Extra Time and Grand Mo the First.
As No Extra Time took command within the stretch, Gaffalione angled out a stalking Home Product to bid between No Extra Time and Grand Mo the First. That decisive transfer gave his mount the daylight wanted to supply the required rally. He caught No Extra Time simply earlier than the wire, prevailing by a neck. Grand Mo the First was third, adopted by a weakening Good Cash in fourth, and Heartened in fifth.
The Tampa Bay Derby offered qualifying factors towards the Could 4 Kentucky Derby on a 50-25-15-10-5 foundation to its high 5 finishers. Churchill Downs officers use qualifying factors as a desire system when the Kentucky Derby oversubscribes past its capability area measurement of 20 starters.
Home Product, second within the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes in February, now has 60 total factors — sufficient to realize entry into the Derby primarily based on historic developments. No Extra Time, who got here into the Tampa Bay Derby as its solely stakes-winning entry, now can also be effectively positioned for qualifying with 45 whole factors.
The Tampa Bay Derby has produced two Derby winners: Avenue Sense (2007) and Tremendous Saver (2010).
Brown mentioned Home Product would race another time earlier than the Kentucky Derby in a 1 1/8-mile prep race, although he didn’t specify which prep. His different main Derby prospect, Sierra Leone, is pointed to the April 6 Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
“I do assume this horse would profit from another race,” Brown mentioned of the Home Product. “Simply because now we have factors secured, I do not assume taking part in protection, simply making an attempt to get into the gate, is the proper approach to attempt to win the (Derby).”