Tampa Bay roundup: Emmanuel, Surprisingly break records

The 4-year-old colt Emmanuel surged through the stretch Saturday to win the Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes in record time on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs.

In the 1 3/4-length victory over runner-up pacesetter Winfromwithin, Emmanuel was clocked at 1:39.25, a new stakes and course record for the 1 1/16 miles, eclipsing the 1:39.65 set by Legs Galore in the same event in 1999, the second year of racing on the Oldsmar, Fla., oval turf course.

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Surprisingly, another lightly raced 4-year-old, rallied for a neck victory from Scotish Star an hour earlier in the $175,000 Endeavour (G3) for older fillies and mares, also in stakes-record time.

“I’m very pleased. It was an excellent comeback,” trainer Todd Pletcher said via text message from Gulfstream Park about Emmanuel’s first start since early August. “(The course record) makes it even more impressive.”

Winning jockey Javier Castellano, a lot closer to the Tampa Bay Stakes action, was more expansive in describing things.

Coming off the pace today “really was the game plan,” Castellano said of Emmanuel, who had won the Pennine Ridge (G2) on June 4 at Belmont Park in front-running fashion. “I thought there would be a lot of speed in the race, and (Winfromwithin) had the speed to dictate the pace. We saved ground as best we could, and when I tipped him outside, he responded.”

Castellano said he benefited from working Emmanuel last week at Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs base in South Florida.

“It seemed like he was relaxed today. It was a beautiful trip, and I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time,” Castellano said.

Jose Batista, on Winfromwithin, had no complaints with his horse’s effort. The 5-year-old hung on gamely to edge Golden Alchemist by a neck for second, with Verbal fourth in the 12-horse field.

Emmanuel, who paid $14.60 to win, had been on the Triple Crown trail last year with an impressive, 4 1/2-length victory in his second career start Jan. 30 on the Tampa Bay Downs dirt, creating Kentucky Derby fever among many of his followers.

Pletcher switched gears after a fourth in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and a third in the Blue Grass (G1). The son of More Than Ready seemed to have found a new niche. Owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, he is 4-for-7 with career earnings of $362,100.

Surprisingly sets record to win Endeavour

Surprisingly’s victory in the Endeavour was close to being just as impressive as Emmanuel’s.

— TVG (@TVG) February 4, 2023

With Scotish Star and Marketsegmentation appearing set to duel to the wire, Surprisingly and jockey Paco Lopez closed with a rush to post a neck victory from Scotish Star.

The winner’s time of 1:40.08 on the firm turf course bettered the former stakes record of 1:40.26 set by My Lordship in 2006.

Surprisingly’s fourth victory in seven starts for the Phipps Stable-bred and owned, Shug McGaughey-trained winner resulted in a payoff of $9.40 for bettors.

Marketsegmentation, making only her fourth career start, held on gamely for third, with pacesetter Panama Red lasting for fourth in the 11-horse field.

“I thought she ran great and I though Paco (Lopez) rode her great, and that made the difference,” McGaughey said by telephone from his South Florida base, about a 1 1/2 hours after he won the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park with General Jim. “(Lopez) saved ground around both turns and swung her outside so she could finish, and they both did a great job.

“It’s her first graded race and her first time against older horses, so we didn’t really know what to expect. I thought she could be competitive, but there were a lot of competitive horses in the race. We took a shot, and it worked.”

At the top of the stretch, Lopez, who had only one horse behind him early, figured he would be hard-pressed to catch the top two. That was until ability or genetics or will or a combination of all three kicked in, and the daughter of Mastery virtually sprouted wings and took dead aim on the leaders.

“I saw (Scotish Star) was a couple of lengths in front, but I had better position, and I could feel my horse picking up speed,” Lopez said. “She ran very fast at the end. She was flying.”

First-place money of $90,000 raised Surprisingly’s career bankroll to $205,950. That winner’s check, runner-up jockey Castellano figured, was heading the way of Scotish Star’s owners and trainer Pletcher – and himself – until Surprisingly shocked him.

“No excuses, not at all,” Castellano said. “I am really satisfied with how my horse ran and I liked the way she finished. I thought I won the race turning for home, but we were second-best.”