By Joe Quillen
Wednesday 4/3/24 – Tampa Bay Downs Race 5
We head to our usual Wednesday stop at Tampa Bay Downs for today’s fifth race which is a race for older female optional claimers going seven furlongs. Post time is for approximately 2:19 pm Eastern time.
The lukewarm favorite in this race is the 4 Athena’s Wisdom (3/1 morning lone) who won from off the pace last time out. She has run very well at Tampa since his arrival from Gulfstream Park. She looks to make it three in a row here.
The 1 Music Amore (4/1 ML) won on the front end going two turns today. She moves up to optional claiming today while shortening to seven furlongs. The last race was the rare race where she forgot to tire, but maybe the break she had from August to January got her back on track.
The 2 Awesome Pic (7/2 ML) is third race off the layoff and has been at or near the front since she resurfaced in Oldsmar. She’s lost six in a row after starting her career 6 for 12. She will probably be on the lead, but if she can lay back a couple of lengths that might help her here.
The 3 is Both Sides (4/1 ML) and she is going turf to dirt here. She ran well going this distance two races back and appears to like this distance as she won from off the pace in November here.
The 5 Sea Art (9/2 ML) won two of her last three here at Tampa and moves up to optional claiming and used a late rally going six furlongs last time out to win. She could win with that same move today.
Finally Sequin Lady (9/2 ML) is the 6 and she goes back into optional claimers where she did not do well in her first two races back from a layoff. She did win last time out three weeks ago, but I am wondering if that race was a fluke or not. Let’s see if she can make me eat my words or not.
This is a very even race and a race that you could argue any of the six horses could win, as you can guess from the morning lines here. I think the favorite Athena’s Wisdom will get something to close into here and win over Sea Art. Let’s call this 4-5-3-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 4. Good luck everyone!
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