Trainer Chad Brown is closing in on 3,000 career wins and the horse who gave him his most recent, and career victory 2,995, is virtually certain to win again.
On Sunday, when there were six Florida-bred stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, it was the Irish-bred 3-year-old filly Parfois who stole the show with an electric 6 1/4-length maiden victory in the day’s last race.
Breaking from post 11 in a full field of 12, Parfois, under Irad Ortiz Jr., fell into a nice position in eighth, about 12 lengths off the ambitious pacesetter, Wado Wave. Around the far turn, Parfois made an eye-catching move and though she was nine wide straightening for home, Parfois was motoring. As she moved into second in midstretch, Parfois was drifting out and when Ortiz waved his whip at her, Parfois drifted back in and finished full of run coming to the wire.
Parfois ran a mile in 1:36.23, getting her last furlong in 11.64 seconds, and earned a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.
Brown said he was impressed but not surprised by the effort from Parfois, a daughter of the Group 2 winner Kodi Bear who had crossed the line first in her debut last August in France but was disqualified to seventh. She was purchased privately by a group that includes Michael Dubb, Michael Caruso, Steven Bouchey, and Thirty Year Racing.
Brown said he would point Parfois to the Grade 2, $600,000 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1.
Brown has regularly used Tampa Bay Downs as a springboard for graded success for his turf horses. In 2024, Dynamic Pricing won the Edgewood after racing at Tampa and in 2019, Digital Age won the Grade 2 American Turf after winning the Columbia Stakes at Tampa.
Brown has enjoyed a terrific Tampa meet with 17 winners from 46 starters with a month remaining in the meet.
Accent, a 4-year-old filly bred in Great Britain, has won twice at this meet and is unbeaten in three career starts – all at Tampa. Brown said Accent will be pointed to the Plenty of Grace Stakes at Aqueduct on April 17.
Top Pocket Pick looks live
Top Pocket Pick could get the right setup to be the top pick for handicappers in Wednesday’s featured allowance/optional $16,000 claiming feature at six furlongs.
Top Pocket Pick has won 2 of 4 starts at this meet, both coming from off the pace. In his last two starts, both since he was claimed by Tony Wilson, Top Pocket Pick has raced close to the pace and has not finished quite as well.
Wednesday’s race has plenty of early speed types in the field and with Top Pocket Pick drawn on the outside in the nine-horse field, he should be able to fall into an outside stalking trip under seven-pound apprentice Cesar Gonzalez.
Dominant Diva finished second in this condition on March 11 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who has decided to ship back from his Gulfstream base. Dominant Diva set a super fast pace in his last start, looked to be inhaled in upper stretch, but did battle back to finish second behind Gridlock. Top Pocket Pick finished fifth in that race.
The 9-year-old mare Bahamian Moon is a 12-time winner who has been racing mostly on turf. Her last win did come in an off-the-turf race here last April, a race in which she set a very fast pace.
Trainer Miguel Clement brings Silent Dreamer back to the races off a layoff. She has not raced since last August and looks like another one that will be part of the early pace.
◗ Damon’s Mound became the Florida-bred program’s latest millionaire with his half-length victory in Sunday’s NYRA Bets Sprint Stakes. Damon’s Mound, a son of Girvin owned by Michele and Cliff Love and trained by Bill Mott, won his seventh stakes and eighth race overall in his 20th career start. He increased his career earnings to $1,018,405.
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