BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Discounted by the wagering public, Tropic Lightning Racing LLC’s longshot Rouki wore down fellow Florida-bred Souper Quest in deep stretch for a persistent win in the $117,500 Turf Dash at five furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Although a winner of four of his last six, Rouki was let go at odds of 20-1 before winning his first career stakes while taking down a $60,000 first prize and a $17,500 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
The field of nine 4-year-olds and older broke in line before sorting out after a sixteenth of a mile when Souper Quest took a half-length advantage on 70-1 longshot Thealligatorhunter. Rouki and jockey Samy Camacho stalked from a length-and-a-half back in third. Souper Quest and Thealligatorhunter went at each other through quarter-mile fractions of :21.13 and :43.99 before Souper Quest shook free coming out of the turn. Rouki was quickly up to his outside as they straightened up for home and was even passing the eighth-pole before Souper Quest surrendered. Rouki was clear in the final sixteenth but had to hold off Horsepower to win by a half-length in :55.47. Horsepower was a neck in front of Isivunguvungu (Saf) in third followed by Florida-bred Reef Runner, Our Shot, Souper Quest, Smithwick’s Spice, American Monarch, Thealligatorhunter and Going Up. Florida-bred Chess Master and Super Chow were scratched while Cotton and Honeyquist failed to drawn in off the list of also eligibles.
“I had no pressure from the outside and none from the inside, and there were just two horses in front of me,” Camacho said. “I knew if I just sat behind them, my horse would go when the time came. When I asked him he gave me a big kick. He showed that he is a very nice horse.”
Trained by Gerald Bennett, Rouki paid $42.20 to win and finished off a $97,994 Pick 6 Jackpot for one winner.
Bennett, who has been battling colon, liver and lung cancer this season, expressed how special the victory was to him and as a longtime member of the Tampa Bay Downs community of horsemen.
“We all love each other back there,” he said. “All these guys, we’ve been together a long time and it feels really good to have them congratulating me.”
“Gerry Bennett is so strong,” Camacho said. “I’m very proud to win this race for him.”
Rouki is now undefeated in two starts on the Tampa Bay Downs turf after winning a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming going five furlongs on Nov. 27. He was then seventh under the same conditions going six furlongs on the main track on Dec. 14 but bounced back on Feb. 2 to win under those terms at six furlongs last out on Feb. 2.
“You have to be patient with them and give them time to learn what they like,” Bennet said of Rouki. “I didn’t work this horse for 21 days this winter, just left him alone.
“Samy knows him really well, and he’s not afraid to sit, sit, sit a little longer on him. I told him don’t rush him—he’s capable of going out in [fractions of] 21 and 43 seconds. But he loves it outside of horses and he’ll run at them.”
Rouki has now won half of his 10 career starts while banking $198,405. Bred in Florida by Bonnie J. Thompson and Edward Seltzer, Rouki is by Solera Farm stallion Rogueish out of Kizuna, by Harlington. Rouki is the first stakes winner for Kizuna, who has two winners from four starters. She also has an unnamed 2-year-old colt by Take Charge Indy.
Return to the February 22 issue of Wire to Wire
