Tag Archives: Dennis Ward

Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Wednesday, April 27

Preview: It’s a 10-race card, but not an overabundance of horses. Rain was forecast on Monday so we’ll have to see if they stay on the turf. Trainer Dennis Ward won twice on Sunday and so did leading jockey Antonio Gallardo.

 

Race 3 – Tam

#4 Stately Defence (5-1): This mare has been claimed in two of her last three races. John Rigattieri gives her a try and he is 32% first off the claim. He gets jockey Daniel Centeno to ride and they are 26% over the last year.

                              

Race 5 – Tam

#2 Dramatic Entry (12-1): Trainer John Vinson is 40% when taking a horse from the turf to the dirt like this gelding. He is also dropping him in class plus jockey Manoel Cruz jumps on and they are 2-for-8 at the meet.

 

Race 6 – Tam

#2 Mini Channel (turf only) (5-2): Trainer Arnaud Delacour showed speed last time in a MSW and now drops into a maiden claimer for the first time. Big jockey switch to Daniel Centeno, who has ridden 30% winners for this barn this meet.

 

Race 10 – Tam

#5 Gold Value (10-1): Trainer Joseph Arboritanza is a master with cutbacks and moves this filly goes from a route to a sprint. Jockey Willie Martinez has his only two wins at the meet for Arboritanza.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, April 22

BuPreview: After an 0-for-7 on Wednesday, leading jockey Antonio Gallardo is 2 for his last 23. Jockey Scott Spieth won twice on Wednesday. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz is riding at Indiana Grand.

 

Race 5 – Tam

#7 Rasta Friends (8-1): Trainer Dennis Ward is good at moving horses up in class, with a 21% winning percentage when he does it. Jockey Vicky Baze will ride.

                              

Race 6 – Tam

#7 Steve Came Thru (6-1): Trainer Kathleen O’Connell drops this gelding in class and cuts him back from two turns to 7 furlongs. Jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. jumps back on and he has had success with this 5-year-old earlier in the meet.

 

Race 8 – Tam

#9 Dealingatthegate (6-1): Trainer Edward Williams has good numbers at Tampa with stretching a horse out for the first like he is doing with this gelding. Good grass rider Daniel Centeno jumps, which is a positive sign.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, April 8

 

Race 4 – Tam

#8 Skyfirm (3-1): Trainer Jason DaCosta has been a 39% trainer in dirt routes at Tampa in the past and he gets leading rider Antonio Gallardo to ride here.

                              

Race 5 – Tam: #3 Starship Bellagio (30-1) 

One gets the feeling trainer Dennis Ward is hoping this one comes off the grass. Ward is 22% with horses moving up two or more classes. This filly doesn’t have a win on the turf but she does have a win on an off track. Hmmm.

                     

Race 10 – Tam

#3 Chilham Court (6-1): We’ve espoused what a good meet Kathleen O’Connell has had this year and here she teams up with jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. and they are a 24% combination.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, March 11

Preview: Field sizes are finally improving, but everyone is waiting for Saturday’s big Tampa Bay Derby card. On the dirt, trainers to watch are Gerald Bennett (37-119), Jamie Ness (22-84), Kathleen O’Connell (19-91), Dale Bennett (14-47) and Dennis Ward (11-92).

 

Race 2 – Tam

#1 Burley Blaise (6-1) 

Trainer Ian Wilkes races him into shape and this one has been overmatched at Gulfstream Park so Wilkes ships north and drops. Wilkes is 33% when he moves a horse down in class two of more levels.

                              

Race 7 – Tam                

#8 Wicked Rascal (9-2) 

This gelding was overmatched in a minor stakes at Gulfstream Park but he’s back and if he shows the speed he did previously at this track with jockey Antonio Gallardo, he could be gone.

                                

Race 8 – Tam                

#6 Peej (8-1) (turf only) 

Trainer Chris Block is 24% with horses coming off a 90-plus day layoff. This gelding is also coming out of a key Churchill Downs race that has produced three next out winners.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, Feb. 26

Preview: They were off the turf on Wednesday and all but one race on Thursday, so we’re hoping it dries out in time for today’s card. Here’s a list a trainers you might think about leaving out of your selections until they show signs of life: .Robert Boileau (2-58), Peter Wasiluk Jr. (1-71), Horacio Barbaran (1-54), Charles Harvatt (1-44), Ian Hemingway (1-43) and Hernan Parra (0-44). That’s 6-314 or 2% winners. If they beat you, they beat you.

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Race 1 – Tam

#2 Holy Day (5-1)

This mare is getting a few changes in order to get back to the winner’s circle. She is returning to the dirt and trainer Rasharn Creque takes over and he is 37% the first time he starts a horse.

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Race 7 – Tam                

#6 Travel Required (10-1) 

Trainer Michele Boyce has had a good meet (22%) and we take it as a good sign she didn’t drop this gelding in class off a pair of so-so efforts.

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Race 9 – Tam

#4 Fiesta Rose (5-1) 

Dennis Ward is another trainer with decent numbers at the meet (16%) and he drops this filly off a poor effort. She is 8-2-3-0 over this track so let’s hope of a rebound in this spot.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Los Alamitos, Tampa Bay Downs

Los Alamitos RC and Tampa Bay Downs opinions for

 

LRC Preview: Finally, a little bit of meat on the bone as the late Pick Four should pay a good price with larger fields than we have been getting. Jockeys Tyler Baze and Fernando Perez doubled on Thursday.

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Race 3: #6 Sweeter Thancandy (4-1)

This 7 furlongs should hit this filly right between the eyes as she has been going further and been facing tougher. Trainer Mark Glatt is 31% dropping a horse two or more class levels. Plus leading jockey Santiago Gonzalez jumps on and he is 23% with Glatt.

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Race 7: #7 Tough It Out (4-1)

Looks like a wide open Cal-bred stakes race and we’ll go with this gelding, who beat maidens last time going two turns on the turf. Trainer Phil D’Amato is good at placing his horses and must have been impressed with that last effort and leading jockey Santiago Gonzalez keeps the mount.

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Race 8: #2 Street Fancy (5-1) 

This 2-year-old showed improvement despite finishing third in a non-graded stakes at Del Mar. Now she gets to go two turns and should improve even more as she is sired by Street Sense out of a Cat Thief mare. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 24% going sprint to route and jockey Mike Smith stays on.

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Tampa Bay Downs Preview: Not the best weekend card we’ve seen at this track, but seems like some chances for prices. Dale Bennett (3 for 9) and Dennis Ward (3 for 16) lead the training standings. Conversely, Ian Hemingway is 0 for 10, shipping mostly in from Gulfstream Park and GP West.

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Race 3: #4 Innovative Idea (6-1) 

This filly makes her turf debut and if the race should be washed off the turf, would make her a 5-star play on a wet track. She has good speed and has been working lights out. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz is 26% with trainer Eoin Harty.

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Race 8: #6 Aloha Daddy (5-2) 

Our Eyes: Trainer Benny Feliciano claimed this gelding last time out and he is 45% first off the claim. The 5-year-old has a 3-0-1-1 record over the track and the trainer puts his son aboard. They are a 38% combination at Tampa.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Sunday, March 28

Race 4: #3 Saratoga Boot (turf only) (9-2)

Trainer Dennis Ward is 24% first off the claim and he claimed this 8-year-old last time out after three straight on the dirt. However, this gelding has four lifetime wins on the turf and it appears that exactly what Ward had in mind.

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Race 7: #1 Valkyria (4-1)

This daughter of Value Plus (11% first-time out sire) gets the powerful trainer-jockey combination of Gerald Bennett and Antonio Gallardo (33%). Bennett is 19% with first-time starters.

Editor’s note: This will be my last Tampa Bay Downs opinions blog. If I see a horse down the line, I will mention it on the SoCal blog. I’ve enjoyed Tampa, learned a lot of things, missed some scores and learned Antonio Gallardo rules.

Good luck.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, March 27

Race 3: #1 Hundacareo

This 3-year-old finished second on the drop to maiden claimers and now shortens up in hopes of getting a win for trainer Efren Loza Jr. and jockey Antonio Gallardo..

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Race 9: #3 Bob and Jim

This 6-year-old had the lead at the top of stretch, but couldn’t hold it in his second race off the layoff. They say the third start is the best so jockey jockey Antonio Gallardo stays aboard for trainer Dennis Ward.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Sunday, March 21

Race 4: #3 Righteous Ride (8-1)

This is a first-time starter by Mach Ride, who has won with 40% of his firsters from a small sample. Trainer G. Ray Trisler has won with 3-of-6 first-timers and there’s a decent work back in February. Might be ready for jockey Victor Lebron.

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Race 7: #3 Early Entry (4-1)

This colt has won previously at this track and returns off a win at Gulfstream Park, a race that has produced three next out winners. Also has a win at this 7-furlong distance. Jockey Luis Garcia should be able to sit in second flight and pounce in the stretch.

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Race 8: #4 Extreme Excess (turf only) (10-1) 

This 3-year-old filly take on older females for the first time. She finished third on the grass two back and takes a drop in class for trainer Dennis Ward, who is 14% with jockey Brian Pedroza.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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Horse racing, Tampa Bay Downs

Tampa Bay Downs opinions for Friday, March 13

Race 6: #2 Plime Blank (8-1)

This seems like a wide open race. This 5-year-old gelding showed speed last time and tired at the level. He should be able to stick here longer this time. Trainer Anthony Ferraro and jockey Pedro Rodriguez are at 27% combination.

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Race 10: #1 Bob and Jim (8-1)

This gelding makes his second start off more than a year layoff for trainer Dennis Ward and should be fitter. Add in the addition of leading jockey Antonio Gallardo and you have an attractive proposition.

@Jeff_Nahill on Twitter

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