Kentucky Derby Road: March 8 G3 Tampa Bay Derby

 

G3 Tampa Bay Derby, 1/16 Mile
Owen Almighty (5-2) would not be denied as he led at all calls to win in 1:42.30 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., who's ridden him in five of six career starts. First time past the finish line Brodeur (21-1) and Patch Adams (favored at 9-5) were first in line behind the leader; and into the first turn Owen Almighty was tracked by most closely by Brodeur as the first quarter-mile went in 23.84 and the half in 48.16. Up the back Owen Almighty continued his quest in front of Brodeur as Chancer McPatrick (2-1) joined in. Those three entered the far turn with six furlongs gone in 1:12.54. Into the stretch Owen Almighty increased his lead in a rousing run and won by 3 1/2 lengths over Chancer McPatrick, whose stablemate Hill Road loomed up to get third another 2 3/4 lengths behind. They were followed by Patch Adams, beaten 10 1/2 lengths, Brodeur, Naughty Rascal and Filoso. Kentucky Derby points 50-25-15-10-5.

Owen Almighty, disqualified winner of the Pascoe Stakes and second in the Sam F. Davis at the track, is trained by Brian Lynch. He was bred in Kentucky by Mark Stanley and is owned by Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC. He's by Speightstown out of Tempers Rising, by Bayern.

Owen Almighty earned a 98 Equibase figure in the Tampa Bay Derby following a 95 in the Pasco and a 96 in the Sam F. Davis. Skippylongstocking set a track record 1:41.20 today in race 5, the G3 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes, earning him a 108 Equibase rating. Beyers to follow.

Winning Trainer Brian Lynch: “I’m just thrilled. He’s run two crackerjack races here (the Sam F. Davis and today) and of course this Derby is the big race of the meet, so it’s nice to see him take it in the fashion he did. This is a good field of horses, and it’s not to say the (Kentucky) Derby winner couldn’t come out of it, but he was the best today. It was a great ride by Irad. I didn’t give him any instructions – I just said one thing to him I learned from Bobby Frankel: ‘class horse, class rider. You two are a perfect match.’ Irad was just waiting (at the quarter pole), he knew he had plenty of horse. This is a wonderful ownership group.

"There will be conversation (about perhaps targeting the Kentucky Derby). But if I was to have my way I'd still stick to the plan and go to the Pat Day Mile."

Winning Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.: “We had some cheater blinkers on last time and they were still too little. I talked to Brian and we decide to give him a little fuller blinkers today, and I think it helped. He was there for me when I asked him to go. I tapped him on the shoulder at the quarter-mile pole and he jumped on the bridle and I thought, that’s what I was looking for before. I knew he had more, but he had not really given it to me before today. He was just waiting on horses and kind of looking around. Today when I tapped him, he jumped on the bridle and I said ‘Let’s roll.’ I didn’t wait for nobody and he didn’t wait for nobody, so that was huge.”

Payton Boersma, the COO of owner Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing: “Owen is here, he’s my younger brother. Our Mom Jen is here and our dad (Travis) is coaching soccer back in Oregon. This horse really showed what he’s made of today. He’s going to be really tough going into that Derby. The Kentucky Derby, of course.”

Race 6 at Tampa saw the unveiling of Accelerize, who wasn't named when he was nominated to the Triple Crown (his dam was listed). In race 6 he broke from post 12 under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and won a seven-furlong maiden special weight as he pleased in 1:09 and change. It was visually impressive. He wore the Mike Repole colors in partnership with Spendthrift Farm. The $400,000 September 2023 Keeneland auction purchase is a son of Omaha Beach out of Motion Emotion, by Take Charge Indy. Accelerize was given a 97 Equibase speed figure.