Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs

Las Vegas, NV - Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Florida plays host to the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes this Saturday, February 16. Horses four years old and upward will take to the track and go 1 1/16 miles on Tampa Bay Downs' dirt track as they chase their share of the $150,000 purse.

A large and impressive field of 13 older horses will line up in the Tampa Bay Stakes which is race 9 on the Tampa Bay Downs Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:25 PM. Let's take a gander into the past performances of all 13 combatants ahead of this Grade 3 race.

2013 Tampa Bay Stakes Race Favorites

Doubles Partner - Todd Pletcher trained Doubles Partner won the Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes in March and followed that with an OK third in the Grade Maker's 46 Mile and a pair of fourths - in the Grade 1 Woodford Turf Classic in May and the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland October 6. He raced to a good third two back in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood park November 23 and was second last time out in the Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes at Gulfstream January 19. Doubles Partner is the defending champion in this race and enters this year in good form despite failing to taste victory in her last six starts.

Big Blue Kitten - finished a respectable third in the Tampa Bay Downs Turf Handicap last February behind Hollinger and Get Stormy and has just four starts since - a nice second in the Grade 2 Ben Ali at Keeneland, a tenth overseas in June, a nice Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream December 8 and a good third last time out at this distance in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream January 12. He has six wins, a second and four third place finishes in 12 career starts including his most impressive score - the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga in August 2011.

Tampa Bay Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries

Swift Warrior - won the minor Win Stakes four back at Saratoga to follow a distant sixth in the Grade 2 Mervin H. Muniz Memorial in April. Last time out was a very nice win in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 26 in wire-to-wire fashion to follow an OK fourth in the Grade 3 River City Handicap November 25 at Churchill Downs and an ugly eighth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland October 6. His other two results last year were thirds in the 2012 edition of this race and a Handicap at Tampa Bay in February. Swift Warrior has five wins, two seconds and seven third place finishes in 18 career starts and has to be on the radar after a win in the Connally Turf Cup last time out.

Roman Tiger - Is the defending champion in this race - he followed that with another win in the Turf Classic Stakes here six weeks later. Since then Roman Tiger has struggled - a seventh last time out at the Sunshine Millions Turf followed an eighth in the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup at Calder, a fifth in the PTHA President's Cup, a sixth in the Grade 3 Oceanport Stakes and a pair of sevenths in stakes action in the summer. He hasn't placed since last year's win in this race and enters in so-so form.

El Commodore - finished third in this race last year and had an Allowance Optional Claiming score in May to follow a third in the minor Henry S. Clark Stakes at Pimlico. Since then he has been up and down - a nice second five back in the Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes was followed by a fifth and an eighth in minor stakes action. He was second in an Allowance race on this track last time out January 19 after a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream December 23.

Tiz Sardonic Joe - makes just his third career stakes start - the first coming five back - a fourth in the Equalize Stakes at Saratoga. Last time out in his first graded stakes try he was a very pleasant second at 19-1 odds in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream January 12. He had concentrated on Allowance races prior to the Ft. Lauderdale winning two back on this track December 15 in one of those Allowance starts.

Tampa Bay Stakes betting at Tampa Bay Downs with OffTrackBetting.com

Hollinger - Canadian Champion Hollinger finished fourth in the Grade 2 Nijinsky in July to follow a third in the Grade 1 King Edward Stakes and a second in an Allowance race at Woodbine. Since that time he has registered a disappointing eighth in the Woodbine Mile September 16 and followed that with a nice second in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Calder November 30. Last time out was an ugly ninth in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes here January 12. He finished second in this race last year but enters this year in sketchy form.

Argentine Tango - ran just two stakes races in 2012 - a fourth in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes in March at Gulfstream and a fourth three back in the minor Naked Greed Stakes at Calder. After that was an Allowance Optional Claiming score and a disappointing fifth last time out in an Allowance here February 2.

Za Approval - will race in stakes company for the first time but has won three of five starts coming into the Tampa Bay Derby. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream January 5.

Alley Oop Oop - finished third in the minor Bonnie Heath Turf Cup four back and followed that with a fifth in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Calder November 30. Since the Alley Oop Oop has reeled off a pair of wins - both Allowance races on this track.

Cash Rules - is a five time stakes winner and comes into the Tampa Bay Derby having won four of his last six starts including the Grade 2 Spend a Buck Handicap four back at Calder. The other three wins over that span came in minor stakes action all at Calder. In his two starts since the Spend a Buck Cash Rules has a third in the Harlan`s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream and a second last time out in the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream January 19.

Allie's Event - had six starts on this track in 2012 with an Allowance score five back, a pair of seconds in Handicap races here, a fourth in the 2012 version of this race, a seventh in the Turf Classic Stakes in April and a distant sixth last time out January 19 after seven months away.

San Antone - is the alternate entry for the Tampa Bay Stakes and comes in having finished third in three of his last four starts. Last time out was a fifth in an Allowance here January 19.

2013 Tampa Bay Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Tampa Bay Downs's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:25 PM.