BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A stakes winner against his fellow Florida-breds, Pure Class steps up against open black-type company in his first start of the year in the $100,000 Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Seven 4-year-olds and older will go six furlongs with Pure Class running for a share of $25,000 in Florida-bred bonus money presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Pure Class has shown an affinity for Tampa Bay Downs with a win and a second in two starts, both at seven furlongs in Florida-bred stakes. The David Fawkes trainee won the $110,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore by two lengths in March and finished second to Big Martini after a wide trip in the $95,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Marion County most recently on Dec. 14.
His last victory came two starts back on Nov. 1 when he won a first level, $25,000 optional claiming going six-and-a-half furlongs off a five-month layoff at Gulfstream Park.
The 4-year-old gelded son of The Big Beast out of Imclassyandsassy, by Master Command is a homebred for JoAnn and Alex Lieblong of Conway, Ark., for whom he has been a consistent money earner of $235,700. His career record reflects four wins and four seconds in 11 starts.
Pure Class is 5-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Paco Lopez from post five.
The 2-1 morning line favorite is Nutella Fella, the lightly raced winner of the 2023 Hopeful (Grade 1) at Saratoga Race Course for trainer Gary Contessa and owner Bell Gable Stable LLC.
After winning the Hopeful in his second lifetime start, the son of Runhappy was sidelined until June of 2024 when he returned to finish third in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens won by Bookem Danno at Saratoga. He spent another seven months off before coming to Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 11 to finish second to Chrome Ghost in a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs in his last race.
Junior Alvarado has ridden Nutella Fella in all three of the aforemented races and gets the return mount from post two.
Carmel Chip, a 7-year-old veteran with 11 wins in 41 starts and earnings of $385,935, is the 5-2 second choice.
Trained by Carlos David for Bianco Stable LLC, Caramel Chip enters of a third-place effort behind winner Concrete Glory in a second-condition, $62,500 optional claiming going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 25.
That effort followed his last stakes appearance when fourth in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector won by Mufasa going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Dec. 28.
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the assignment on Caramel Chip and they will depart post four.
Rounding out the field are Spankster with Cipriano Gil in the saddle, Silver Slugger has Marco Meneses taking the call, Dreaming of Kona and jockey Scott Speith and Daniel Centeno rides Life is Precious.
Return to the February 7 issue of Wire to Wire
