Winner earns $17,500 in Florida-bred bonus money
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Naughty Rascal finished second but was placed first after the disqualification of winner Owen Almighty in the $92,500 Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday, giving the Florida-bred colt his third career stakes victory.
Six 3-year-olds went seven furlongs in the Pasco with Naughty Rascal earning $62,500 including a $17,500 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. There was also $50,000 in Top 3 bonus money for Florida Sire Stakes runners, but despite being by Solera Farm stallion Rogueish, Naughty Rascal had not been nominated to the lucrative FTBOA program.
Sent to the post at 1-2, Owen Almighty and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. broke on top from the outside post six and were quickly joined to his inside by Florida-bred Rookie Card coming out of the backstretch chute. Jockey Edwin Gonzalez allowed Naughty Rascal to sit behind those two in third from two lengths back then gradually moved up to join the leaders while three wide as they went the first quarter mile in :21.92 on the fast track.
Heading into the turn, Owen Almighty shifted into the path of Rookie Card, forcing jockey Junior Alvarado to check the bay colt as Naughty Rascal took a short lead on the outside.
Owen Almighty used his inside position to regain the front coming out of the turn after a :44.53 half-mile and was a neck in front past the furlong marker. Owen Almighty crossed the finish a length in front of Naughty Rascal in second with Very Bold four-and-a-half lengths farther back in third. Cockeyed was fourth followed by Rookie Card and Juan Colorado. Willie Martinez was unseated at the break of the Gasparilla when his mount Tessitura stumbled leaving the starting gate. Both the jockey and the filly returned from the incident relatively unscathed.
The final time was 1:22.50.
The track stewards immediately posted the inquiry sign and after a short deliberation, disqualified Owen Almighty and placed him fifth for shutting off Rookie Card going into the turn. Naughty Rascal was declared the winner while Very Bold inherited second, Cockeyed third and Rookie Card fourth.
Naughty Rascal paid $8.20 to win, giving trainer Gerald Bennett his first win in the Pasco.
“My horse ran his race, but I think he’ll get much better going around two turns,” Bennett said. “I didn’t really drill on him for this race. He eats everything you put in front of him and he looked a little on the heavy side in the paddock.”
Bennett said he hopes to bring the Florida-bred Naughty Rascal back for the $250,000 Sam F. Davis (Grade 3) on Feb. 8.
“He’s way off from being at his peak, but you want them to peak at the right time. My main objective is to try to win the [$400,000 Lambholm South] Tampa Bay Derby (G3) [on March 8].”
Naughty Rascal entered the Pasco off a second-place finish to Donut God in the $80,000 Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs on Dec. 7 and added to his victories in last year’s $95,000 Proud Man going six furlongs and $95,000 Armed Forces at a mile on the turf, both at Gulfstream. He was also third behind winner Crazy Frazy in the $79,000 Aventura going a mile in September and broke his maiden on debut in July, both at Gulfstream.
The bay colt improved to four wins in six career starts with a second and a third and increased his career earnings to $220,630 for owners Mr Pug LLC and J.P.G. 2 LLC.
A double alumnus of Ocala Breeders’ Sales, Naughty Rascal was purchased by J.P.G. 2 for $39,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2024 March Sales. He first sold for $22,000 to Silvestre Avila at the 2023 OBS Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Boutte Sales.
Out of the Smarty Jones mare Baby Doll, Naughty Rascal was bred in Florida by Edward Seltzer, Beverly Anderson and Helen and Joseph Barbarzon. Baby Doll has produced eight foals with six winners in as many runners.
