Featured News

Bahamian Squall Finishes 2024 With a Flourish

    Despite a strong final-week surge, which saw Raydar Control win at Tampa Bay Downs on the 24th, Crown Jak score at Camarero on the 27th, and Survival Rose getting up for a nose victory in a 4-horse photo at Parx on Monday, Bahamian Squall fell just short of the million-dollar mark in 2024

Bahamian Squall Gelding Has It All Under Control in Surprising Debut

    Based on five mediocre works leading up to his Tampa Bay Downs debut on Tuesday, it seemed as though Raydar Control would go off as one of the long shots in the $25,000 claiming race at 5 1/2 furlongs. But the 2-year-old Bahamian Squall gelding, a mysterious 3-1 on the morning line, was

Spirit Wind Wins Poinsettia, Nearing $1 Million for 2024

    Spirit Wind closed out her 4-year-old racing season on Dec. 21 of 2023 by winning the Gr. III Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park. On Saturday, she closed out her 5-year-old campaign by capturing the $150,000 Poinsettia Stakes at Oaklawn Park, and adding $85,500 to her bank account, which is easily best of

Apprentice Gonzalez Guides Grandma’s Pudding to Gulfstream Score

     Melvis Gonzalez is a 7-pound apprentice currently riding at Gulfstream Park, where so many youngsters have kicked off what later turned out to be highly successful careers. But the 24-year-old graduate of the Panama jockey’s school            looked like an old veteran winning a mile and one sixteenth test

Bahamian Squall Mare Nearing $200,000 in Earnings

    Hay Hay Paula is closing in on the $200,000 mark in earnings after her hard-fought, come-from-behind victory in a $40,700 starter optional claimer at seven furlongs over Woodbine’s all-weather track.     The 6-year-old daughter of Bahamian Squall bred by Pamela Edel was off fourth on the inside under Rafael Hernandez and began

Hess Scores Again with Another First Dude

    Apprentice rider Sara Hess has been at Tampa Bay Downs for less than two weeks, and she’s already become a handicapper’s best friend, compiling an impressive record of 4-2-4 in 14 starts. Of the four victories, two have come aboard First Dudes – the $51 bomber on He’s Side Eyed on the 29th,

Grumpy’s Buddy Has Newborne Farm Smiling

    Grump’s Buddy, a rare West Virginia-bred by Bahamian Squall, raised his record to 4-8-2 in 27 starts, getting his second victory of the year in a 1 1/16th-mile test at Charles Town last night.       Arnaldo Bocachica was in the irons on the 4-year-old gelding, who raced well back in the pack

Apprentice Scores With First Dude First-Timer at $51

    Apprentice rider Sara Hess showed up for the meeting at Tampa Bay Downs last week with 20 winning rides under her belt, and made it 21 with a gutsy effort on Singsational on opening day. She quickly made it 22 by taking He’s Side Eyed wire-to-wire on day 2, holding on gamely to

First Dude Gelding is ‘Movin’ on Up’

  Time to Cruise moved up to 23rd place on First Dude’s $200,000 list with a sharp (almost) wire-to-wire performance at Parx Racing on Tuesday.     With Mychel Sanchez aboard, the 4-year-old gelding bred in Pennsylvania by Tom and Lori Fackler (Best A Luck Farm), took the lead going to the first quarter in

Maryquitecontrary Surpasses $700,000 Mark

    Maryquitecontrary, First Dude’s second leading money-winner, went over the $700,000 mark in career earnings Sunday after finishing in a dead heat for second in a $75,000 handicap at Gulfstream Park.     The 5-year-old mare owned and bred by longtime Ocala veterinarian Rod Lundock was off last in a field of nine going