BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Trainer Jose Castro has Demar’s Legacy on the right track with three wins in her last three races and hopes to improve on the streak when she goes postward in the $100,000 Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Demar’s Legacy is one of three Florida-breds along with Bahamian Moon and Etrurian entered among eight fillies and mares scheduled for five furlongs on the turf.
Castro claimed Demar’s Legacy for $25,000 in March but did not start her again until June when she finished third in a $25,000 beaten claiming going five-and-a-half furlongs on the Gulfstream all-weather course. But she has not been headed in three starts since, including her last wire to wire victory at Gulfstream. On January 15, the 5-year-old daughter of Enticed won by two-and-three-quarters lengths in a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming taken off the turf and carded at five furlongs on the synthetic.
Demar’s Legacy has improved her career record to five wins, three seconds and a third with earnings of $138,270. She is out of Mooji’s Empire, by Empire Maker and was bred in Florida by CESA Farm and New Horizon Farm.
New Horizons Bloodstock consigned her to the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale where Mike Eiserman took her for $120,000.
Cipriano Gil will ride Demar’s Legacy from the outside post eight and she is 10-1 on the morning line.
Etrurian will also be trying for her first stakes victory as she comes out of a sixth-place finish in the $100,000 Abundantia won by Moon Spun going five furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream on December 27. Also out of the money in the 2024 Abundantia, Etrurian missed Lightning City-rival Love Appeals by just two lengths when fourth in the $100,000 Incredible Revenge at Monmouth Park in August. That came after finishing fifth, again just two lengths shy of Florida-bred winner Rosie Jeeks, in the $102,000 Goldwood at Monmouth in June.
Trained by Joe Orseno, Etrurian has won three of her 14 career starts with two seconds and three thirds, earning $166,747 for owner William and Corinee Heiligbrodt.
Edgard Zayas has the return call on the 6-1 morning line choice who breaks from post six.
Etrurian is cross entered in a second condition, $62,500 optional claiming at Gulfstream Sunday.
The 9-year-old Bahamian Moon, who has finished in the top three in nine of 14 career starts on the Tampa Bay grass, looks to improve off her last two starts there in second condition, $32,000 optional claiming races, both at five furlongs. She was third on November 22 and fifth last time on January 7 after being bumped at the start.
Bahamian Moon is trained by Dennis Ward for Ridenjack Racing and David F. Kegly and has earned $458,024 from 12 wins with 18 seconds and five thirds in a 58-race career. She is by Double Diamond Farm stallion Bahamian Squall out of Monstrip, by Comic Strip and was bred in Florida by Good Beginnings Farm.
Sara Hess will ride Bahamian Moon from the inside post and they are 15-1 on the morning.
Also entered are Yankee Dollar and jockey Marcos Meneses, Sonny Leon has the call on Creed’s Gold, Mizoula (Ire) has Charlie Marquez named to ride, Samy Camacho will guide Love Appeals and Speightful Sis will be ridden by Jesus Castanon.
Return to the February 13 issue of Wire to Wire
