By Joe Quillen
Wednesday 1/31/24 – Tampa Bay Race 9
QPW heads down to what is becoming our Wednesday track as we will be looking at the ninth and final race from Tampa Bay Downs. The race is a five furlong turf sprint for four year olds and up. Ten horses are entered, but we will probably see nine horses in the race as the #2 horse Spikezone (even money morning line favorite) is entered for main track only and will be scratched. Weather looks good, so there should be no reason to take this race off of the turf.
Just to let everyone know who may wonder what these lines are, there is a linesmaker at the track who projects how the wagering will go based on numerous factors. These morning line odds that I will be quoting will basically be null and void once the announcement of the scratch of Spikezone on Wednesday morning.
The presumed favorite #9 Bohemian Boy (5/2 ML) ran against tougher at Gulfstream last time out, and today will be the third race back from the layoff. The race at Gulfstream was so fast that Bohemian Boy could not keep up at the start of the race. This is a front runner who should be able to crossover from the eight post (assuming the MTO scratch) close to the rail.
He could have company from the horse right outside of him in the 10 Rainbow’s Pride (8/1 ML) who is coming back after a two-month break. He ran well in his turf debut as this distance and course at the end of November, and he’s brought back to the turf today.
There could be additional pressure upfront from the 1 Phantom Smoke (4/1 ML) who will returns to turf after a failed race on the synthetic at Gulfstream, while the 8 Uncaptured Star (30/1 ML) looks like he could be up there, but I don’t think he’s fast enough.
This is going to set things up nicely for two horses. The 5 Storm the Court (3/1 ML) returns after a two-month break after just missing in a blanket finish in the same race that Bohemian Boy won by a neck. Looks like he will have targets while not being far from the pace.
The other is the 7 Bam Bam Blu (10/1 ML) who returns from a 4-month freshening after winning at Delaware Park in September. This twelve-year-old (yes, you read that right) is still racing and could be there as well as his sprint races show a consistent will to finish.
I will call the finale at Tampa Bay 5-9-7-10, and my play is $20 to win on the 5. Good luck everyone, and we’ll be back Thursday for another Quills Picks Winners.
QPW Update Desk
- I read the track properly from the race replays that I saw from Monday’s races, and the outside of the track was best as expected, but Connelmaura made a big move on the turn but tired in the stretch to finish fourth in the sixth race at Parx on Tuesday. Western Dream went gate to wire while running off of the dead rail to win at 4/1 odds.
- I am in a bit of a funk now as the month of January ends today. Through the first 30 days I am still up $248, but I have not had a winner since last Wednesday (1/24) which is 8 races and 9 wagers overall.
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