Saturday’s horse racing card at Tampa Bay Downs is full of deep, intriguing, events. We’ve chosen 3 that we believe could cash. Check out top plays and Horse Racing Odds from Tampa Bay Downs for Saturday, May 9. You can also visit our Online Racebook to place your bets on active racetracks.
Tampa Bay Downs Horse Racing Picks & Odds
- When: Saturday, May 9 at 12:30 pm ET
- Where: Tampa, FL
- Weather: Partly Cloudy
- Temperature: High 80 – Low 64
Tampa Bay Downs Picks for Saturday, May 9
Race 3 – 1:31 pm ET – 1 Mile 40 Yards Dirt – $10,000 Claiming
Carlos Silva trained Honest to Goodness has a big shot to get its picture taken. The Malibu Moon sired gelding is in great form. Goodness has 2 wins and a third in its last 4 races. The sixth place finish happened at a much higher level while Silva wins 22% turf to dirt.
Zitman couldn’t catch The Stifler in its last. The John Rigattieri trained closer lost by a head. There’s more speed in this event on Saturday, which means Zitman could run ahead of the stablemate in the rematch.
Rigattieri and jockey Daniel Centeno paired up to get The Stifler into the winner’s circle in 5-year-old’s last. A Brethren sired gelding, The Stifler took the lead and never looked back. The gelding could use those same tactics to make it two in a row on Saturday. Use on top and bottom if you believe.
- Win: Honest to Goodness
- Place: Zitman
- Show: The Stifler
Race 5 – 2:31 pm ET – 6 Furlongs Dirt –$6,250 Claiming
Trainer William March doesn’t have great stats. He wins just 5% of his claiming races and 6% of his dirt starts. From a speed figure standpoint, March trained Alluring Approval is the most consistent horse in the race, though. The 7-year-old mare has a win, 2 seconds, and a third from her last 4. Jockey Gary Wales has an advantage because this one breaks from the outside. Wales can push the pace or settle behind the front runners.
The last time Lil B Quick ran at this level she aired. The 5-year-old mare dominated many of these, including Alluring Approval, by 5 ¼ lengths. Lil B Quick faces other speed on Saturday, which is why we make Alluring Approval first. If you don’t believe in the top choice, Quick is a nice alternative for the win slot.
The 15/1 morning line on Do What It Takes to win makes sense. The Jose Delgado trained 4-year-old filly failed in her last, finishing seventh. But the long win odds doesn’t mean she can’t finish third. This is a slight drop in class. Also, Do What It Takes has 6 third place finishes on the resume.
- Win: Alluring Approval
- Place: Lil B Quick
- Show: Do What It Takes
Race 7 – 3:35 pm ET – 5 ½ Furlongs Dirt – $20,000 Maiden Special Weight
8/5 on the morning line Dark Web should get overplayed in this, which is why we’ll make 5/2 morning line second choice Expensive Style first. The 3-year-old gelded Posse sired runner has 2 seconds and 3 thirds from 6 races. Expensive Style cuts back in distance from 6 ½ to 5 ½. That should help the cause.
Dark Web also cuts back in distance. But the 4-year-old gelding is no lock. Other speed has signed on while Web will offer underlay odds. Still, it’s hard to drop the fave from the exacta.
Jockey Scott Spieth sticks with 8/1 morning line Impressive Speed. If the 3-year-old gelding improves off the third place finish in the first lifetime start, watch out. Impressive Speed has the look of a must use long shot.
- Win: Expensive Style
- Place: Dark Web
- Show: Impressive Speed
