Zito-trained Hero triumphs
By DON JENSEN
Published February 27, 2005
OLDSMAR - Same trainer. Same owner. Different result.
A year after finishing second in the $100,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, trainer Nick Zito and owner Robert LaPenta got it right Saturday. Their lightly-raced Andromeda's Hero overcame a rough trip to win the 1 1/16th-mile race for 3-year-olds at Tampa Bay Downs.
The track recorded an all-source record handle of $5,359,437, breaking the mark of $5,353,782 on March 14.
The Sam F. Davis, a prep for the $250,000 Tampa Bay Derby March 19, followed the script of the other two stakes on Festival Preview Day with favorites coming from off the pace to win in front 4,877.
Delta Princess captured the $100,000 Endeavour Stakes in record-setting time, and Toll Taker took the $60,000 Suncoast Stakes.
Unlike last year when Kentucky Derby entry The Cliff's Edge was upset by Kaufy Mate in the Sam F. Davis, Zito and LaPenta had reason to smile. Andromeda's Hero was bumped on the first turn, raced wide and still had enough to defeat 52-1 shot Summer Legacy by 2 lengths in 1 minute, 46.63 seconds on the dirt.
"(Andromeda's Hero) kind of ran the same race that Cliff's Edge did last year," assistant trainer Tim Poole said. "He didn't come from as far behind as Cliff's Edge needed to, but he got up a little faster."
Andromeda's Hero was ninth in the 11-horse field after getting bumped in tight quarters on the first turn. Jockey Rafael Bejarano kept him within range of pacesetter Nicandro, who set blistering fractions of 22.90, 46.97 and 1:12.38 before finishing sixth.
Entering the stretch, the Fusaichi Pegasus colt had moved into fourth and made his charge in the middle of the track.
Andromeda's Hero earned $45,000 for lifetime earnings of $65,270 in four starts. It was his first race longer than 7 furlongs.
Andromeda's Hero paid $5.60, $3.60 and $2.80. Summer Legacy returned $26.00 and $10.40. Captain Lindsay paid $4.60 for third.
In the Endeavour, Saud bin Khaled's Delta Princess rallied from last under Heberto Castillo Jr. to win the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares in 1:43.54, eclipsing the stakes mark of 1:44.97 by Madeira Mist in 2004.
It was the sixth time in 12 races that a horse has set a stakes record at the current meet.
Trainer William Mott had the top two finishers as Delta Princess beat Fast Cookie by a half-length. Delta Princess returned $6.40, $3.80 and $2.80. Fast Cookie paid $5.40 and $4. Lentil returned $4.80 for third.
Another favorite took the Suncoast as Toll Taker defeated Gotta Rush by 1 length in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. Toll Taker, trained by Timothy Hills for owner Sea Gull Associates, paid $4, $2.80 and $2.20. Gotta Rush returned $3 and $2.20. Gallant Secret paid $2.20 for third.
JOCKEY UPDATE: Exercise rider and jockey Larry Mejias, 29, has been barred from Tampa Bay Downs, track vice president and general manager Peter Berube said. Mejias was arrested Thursday and remains in Hillsborough County jail facing charges of cheating and attempting to arrange the result of a race, both felonies, the Sheriff's Office said.