Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Tampa Bay Downs, February 8

Four stakes races highlight the Saturday card at one of my favorite smaller tracks in the nation, Tampa Bay Downs. Leading the way will be the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-old males. A prep for both for next month’s Tampa Bay Derby, as well as the Kentucky Derby (G1) on the first Saturday in May, the 8 1/2-furlong test has drawn a solid field of ten. Poster, the unbeaten winner of the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in New York, looks like the favorite but will face some stiff competition.

Also a points qualifying race, the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes will allow sophomore fillies the opportunity to move a step closer to being in the field for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs. Stakes winners La Cara and Her Laugh top the field in that one. In the day’s other stakes races, fast older horses will be on display in both the Pelican Stakes for males and the Minaret Stakes for females. Without further ado, let’s get to my top picks and plays from this strong afternoon of racing from Tampa Bay Downs.

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Race #5 Pelican Stakes $125,000 6-Furlongs Dirt- 2:14pm EST

The class of the field, Nutella Fella will look to return to his winning ways when he headlines a field of seven sprinting older males in Saturday’s $125,000 Pelican Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

A rallying winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga back in his juvenile season, the  4-year-old son of Runhappy only made it to the races once last year when a good third in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens. In a recent return race, he rallied to be second in a Tampa Bay Downs allowance race. At his best, he will be tough to beat here, although the race is not loaded with speed to set up his late run. 

One horse who could take advantage of moderate early fractions would be the Cairo Prince gelding Silver Slugger. Like Nutella Fella, he is a 4-year-old with only four lifetime starts. He looks to have the most speed in the race and comes in off a sharp score over the track three weeks ago, albeit against much cheaper.

Another not to be dismissed in this 6-furlong affair is Pure Class. He should be closer to the early lead than the favorite, and has enjoyed good recent form at both Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. He is also a stakes winner over this track. I cannot ignore the class, however, and I have to like the chances of Nutella Fell to get up for the wins. He is the top pick.

My Play

• $10 Daily Double Part Wheel - Nutella Fella with Miuccia, Nic’s Style and Dazzling Blue = $30

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Race #6 Minaret Stakes $100,000 6-Furlongs Dirt- 2:44pm EST

An impressive winner of five of her six career starts, Nic’s Style should rule favoritism when she meets a talented field of six other sprinting females in the $100,000 Minaret Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

A 5-year-old daughter of Uncaptured, the Bill Mott-trainee has only finished behind one horse in her career to date. That came against the classy Ways and Means in last fall’s Grade 2 Gallant Bloom. Her other five starts have all resulted in easy victories, including a stakes victory over the track eight weeks ago. She will be heavily bet and is the horse to beat.

There are some talented sprinters in this field that can test her, however. Dazzling Blue has not won recently, but the classy Brad Cox-trainee continues to run good races. She ran some very impressive races earlier in her career, so maybe the addition of blinkers and top rider Flavien Prat on Saturday will be the jumpstart she needs to get over the hump.

Another dangerous filly in the 6-furlong Minaret is the Gustavo Delgado-trained Miuccia. A 4-year-old daughter of Mitole, the stakes winner has run some very good races at the distance. Most recently, she was an easy allowance winner over this track, which should suit as a nice prep for this assignment. Drawn to the outside, she should get a good tracking trip with the favorite to her inside. Looking for a little value against Nic’s Style, Miuccia is the top pick.

My Plays

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Miuccia over Nic’s Style and Dazzling Blue = $20

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Nic’s Style and Dazzling Blue over Miuccia = $20

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Race #9 Suncoast Stakes $150,000 1 Mile & 40 Yards Dirt- 4:14pm EST

Led by La Cara and Her Laugh, Kentucky Oaks hopefuls will have their eye on the prize when a field of eight sophomore fillies line up in Saturday’s $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

La Cara could be the chosen favorite on the strength of a pair of nice wins last summer. After an impressive maiden breaking score at Saratoga in August, she came right back to prove best in the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. When last seen the Mark Casse-trained daughter of Street Sense was finishing mid-pack in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar three months ago.

Chief among her opposition in the two-turn Suncoast will be the undefeated Her Laugh. Trainer Whit Beckman has a pair of nice 3-year-old fillies in the barn and he is keeping this one and Simply Joking separated for now. A game debut winner at Churchill Downs last fall, the daughter of Practical Joke dominated every step of the way last time out while winning the Untapable Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Possible upsetters to the top two include the sharp debut winner Cloe, and the stakes experienced Italian Soiree. Of the two, the latter is the one I prefer. After a pair of promising dirt races to begin her career, she was competitive in two tough graded stakes races on the turf. Switching back to dirt on Saturday, she picks up blinkers and top rider Flavien Prat. Italian Soiree is the top pick.

My Plays 

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - Italian Soiree over La Cara and Her Laugh = $20

• $10 Exacta Part Wheel - La Cara and Her Laugh over Italian Soiree = $20

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Race #11 Sam F. Davis Stakes $250,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt- 5:14pm EST

Undefeated after three races and a Grade 2 winner, Poster will look to remain perfect when he faces nine other Kentucky Derby prospects in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

After two nice turf wins to begin his career, the son of Munnings showed that he was quite at home on dirt as well, with a determined victory in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct. That 9-furlong win makes him the headliner here, but the Eoin Harty-trained homebred for Godolphin will need to prove himself all over again as he faces some talented opposition in this Tampa Bay Derby prep.

Owen Almighty deserves serious respect here after four strong efforts to begin his career. He was clearly best last time in the local Pasco Stakes, but was disqualified from the win for interference. Last year he proved himself with an impressive stakes win at Ellis Park and a good second behind Jonathan’s Way in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Having just missed last time in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes going a mile at Gulfstream Park last time, I believe Treaty of Rome will have a big chance here. Improving with each start for redhot trainer Chad Brown, the Uncle Mo colt should only get better as the distances increase. Because of his ability to pass horses, in a race with plenty of early speed, I am going with Treaty of Rome as my top pick.

My Play

• $20 Win & Place - Treaty of Rome = $40

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