BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Donald L. Ming’s Ninja Star will use his half-length victory in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf as a springboard into Saturday’s Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Ten 4-year-olds and older will go a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf for a purse of $175,000, including a $25,000 bonus for Florida-breds presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Ninja Star is cross entered in a first level, $25,000 optional claiming scheduled for the same distance on the grass at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

The 4-year-old Ninja Star produced his first stakes victory against fellow Florida-breds in the Jan. 18 Sunshine Turf, which was transferred to a mile-and-a-sixteenth on synthetic. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the grey or roan gelding rallied from five-lengths back to take the lead inside the sixteenth pole and win by a half-length.

 

He enters the Tampa Bay having won two of his last three including an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming at Tampa Bay Downs going a mile on the grass on Dec. 14. He was also third in a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming won by Florida-bred Drama Chorus going a mile on the turf at Tampa Bay on Dec. 27.

 

Ninja Star is trained by Kevin Rice and sports a career record of five wins, six seconds and three thirds in 20 starts with earnings of $225,670. He is by Gary D, who stands in Florida at Ming Farms, out of Samantha Samurai, by First Samurai and was bred in Florida by Rebecca Ming.

Listed at 30-1 on the morning line, Ninja Star will carry Israel Rodriguez from the outside post 10.

The 8-5 morning line favorite is Running Bee, who makes his first start since Nov. 2 when winning the $150,000 Artie Schiller (Listed) going a mile on the inner turf at Aqueduct.

Trained by Chad Brown for Calumet Farm, Running Bee is has won two of his last three including the $150,000 Bernard Baruch(Listed) at Saratoga on Sept. 1. Between the two victories was a fourth-place finish behind winner Carl Spackler in the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 5.

Running Bee has won seven of 15 career starts with three seconds and one third while earning $667,443.

Flavien Prat takes the call of Running Bee and they have post two.

Trainer Brendan Walsh ships Irish Aces to Tampa from his base at Palm Meadows in Boynton Beach, Fla. 

The 5-year-old son of Mshawish makes his first start since Oct. 19 when second to Tampa Bay Stakes-rival Paros in a third-condition allowance race going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Keeneland.

Owned by Pocket Aces Racing LLC, Irish Aces will be ridden from post seven by Declan Cannon. They are 7-2 in the program.

Paros is 4-1 on the morning line and looks to extend his five-race win streak. Since his victory ahead of Irish Aces he won the $244,000 Prairie Bayou (Listed) going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Turfway Park on Dec. 14.

Paros is trained by Michael Maker and will be ridden from post three by Antonio Gallardo.

Completing the field are Lorenz (Brz) with Leonel Reyes in the irons, Northern Invader has Edwin Gonzalez taking the riding assignment, Eldest Son and jockey David Egan, Card Trick with Daniel Centeno up, Cipriano Gil rides Fidelightcayut and Jesus Castanon has the mount on Possiblemente.

Return to the January 31 issue of Wire to Wire