Domestic Product Wins Mad Scramble For Tampa Bay Derby Amidst Tote Crash

After a half-hour delay due to a tote issue Saturday, Domestic Product prevailed in a thrilling four-horse finish in the $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

Klaravich Stables' homebred Practical Joke colt won by a slim margin from Sam F. Davis victor No More Time. Grand Mo the First was second and Good Money, third after setting the early pace.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Chad Brown, Domestic Product covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.47. 

Due to the tote issues, there was no wagering on the Tampa Bay Derby and the card's final race was canceled.

Runner-up in the Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 3, Domestic Product settled in midpack in the Tampa Bay Derby as Good Money clocked pedestrian fraciions of :25.25 and :51.14 through the first half mile. Eager to run rounding the turn, Domestic Product split horses and took aim on Good Money into the stretch as rivals swamped the leader and dug in to get the win in the final strides.

The Tampa Derby is qualifier for the Kentucky Derby (G1), providing points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale to the top five finishers. 

Domestic Product, who was produced by the Paynter mare Goods and Services, has won half of his four career starts, including his maiden-breaking victory Oct. 27 at Belmont at the Big A, which preceded a seventh-place finish in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct to cap his juvenile season.

TAMPA BAY DERBY QUOTES

Winning trainer Chad Brown: “He showed a lot of heart after getting bumped by (third-place finisher Grand Mo the First) and he showed a lot of perseverance. He got good seasoning today. He had to rate and he was pulling a little bit off a slow pace, and I was really impressed with his heart and the fact he got his nose down on the wire. I think this race will serve him well moving forward. That’s why I wanted to run him here because he needed a race like this for a little more experience and a little more seasoning.” (On the delay): “I was concerned about it a little because you know how much time it usually takes these horses to warm up and get ready to run, but then again everyone is in the same boat. So any way you look at it, from that perspective the race is going to be run fairly regardless. I’m happy management here decided to go ahead, because this is an important race for the Kentucky Derby and I think they should be commended for putting the (wagering) aside and running the race.”

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione: “It actually worked out well because I was able to get right behind Javier (Castellano, on runner-up No More Time) the whole way and when we got around 4the 3/8 pole, he started to ask his horse and I just followed him. My horse was very responsive and he did the job well. That’s the thing I was most proud of coming into the stretch was that (Grand Mo the First) was kind of leaning on him and I felt like if I could just get him free, I had plenty of horse. He’s still young and he’s still learning but I was very proud when he got (No More Time) at the wire. Yeah, my dad Steve won this race in 1989, I think, on Storm Predictions. And this is my first time riding in it, so I’m really excited.”

Javier Castellano, jockey on runner-up No More Time: “My horse ran such a great race. Unfortunately, that’s horse racing and (Domestic Product) nailed me at the wire. It was such a great race. It was a slow pace all the way on the backside, and turning for home when I asked my horse he took off. He responded, but the other horse ran a little better. I am not disappointed in my horse. He ran such a good race and sometimes it goes that way.”

Jose Francisco D’Angelo, trainer of No More Time: “It was very close. It was a tough beat. He ran a very good race and got a perfect ride. I was a little sad afterward, but that's racing. But we won more points and we're going to the Kentucky Derby, I think. I think the 45 points he has is very good, so I think so, yes, for Kentucky. From his race today, it looks like he wants to go longer and that's a very good thing. There are a lot of good things to look forward to with him." 

Also on Saturday's card at Tampa Bay Downs, the scratch of 5-year-old mare Marketsegmentation, trainer Chad Brown’s Grade 1 winner, from the $225,000 Hillsborough (G2) due to illness probably altered the character of the 1 1/8-mile turf contest, since she appeared to have a chance to be the controlling speed in a race devoid of pace.

But her absence in no way detracted from the victory by Sparkle Blue, who took over the role of leader heading into the first turn and maintained her advantage through dawdling fractions all the way to the wire.

Under jockey Jorge Ruiz, who rode Sparkle Blue in her Big Dreyfus Stakes win last July at Laurel, the 5-year-old H. Graham Motion-trained mare withstood late challenges from runner-up Aspen Grove and third-place finisher Fluffy Socks to post a half-length victory that, under the circumstances, was probably more thorough than the winning margin suggested.

Sparkle Blue’s time on the firm surface was 1:52.62, making it the slowest Hillsborough since the race was switched to nine furlongs in 2004. She paid $15.40 to win. A Grade 3 winner as a 3-year-old, she is now 6-for-15.

First-place money of $120,000 increased her career earnings to $818,775. Sparkle Blue is owned by Augustin Stable and Catherine Parke.

Waskesiu captured the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies. 

Trainer Bill Mott’s daughter of American Pharoah out of the Bernardini mare Finn's Girl turned back Style Points and nine others, running with maturity under jockey Junior Alvarado.

"I am very proud of her,” Mott said. “I've been pointing for that race for a long time, ever since she broke her maiden. It worked out well. She came from off the pace and drove to the finish. Junior rode her beautifully. It was a very nice ride."

Chiefswood Stables Limited owns Waskesiu, now 2-for-5.

“We had a great trip today,” Alvarado said. “Last time (on Jan. 6 in the Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream, a third-place finish) she had a terrible trip and we gave up all shot to win that race, but today we had the trip. We saved ground on both turns and I tipped her out and she was very good at the end.

“(Mott) gave her some time after the last race to get her shine again and she came out ready. She was on her toes 100 percent and when she broke away from the pony, I almost thought it was a mistake because she was very, very anxious, but that was a good sign.”