Testa Rossi Takes the Florida Oaks

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
FLORIDA OAKS-GIII, $152,500, TAM, 3-8, 3yo, f, 
1 1/16mT, 1:43 2/5, fm. 
1–TESTA ROSSI (FR), 122, f, 3, by Dr Fong 
     1st Dam: Peggy Lane (Fr), by Dancing Spree 
     2nd Dam: Sunday April (Fr), by Olantengy (Fr) 
     3rd Dam: Belle Volga (Fr), by Hauban (Fr) 
O-James Covello, Thomas Coleman & Donheny 
Racing Stable LLC; B-Barbara Moser (FR); T-Chad C 
Brown; J-Jose Lezcano. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 
GISP, 8-5-2-0, $445,422. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Istanford, 116, f, 3, Istan–Aerocat, by Tale of the 
Cat. ($25,000 yrl ’12 OBSAUG). O-Ike & Dawn 
Thrash & Sam & Janet Alley. B-Hardacre Farm LLC 
(FL); T-Michael Stidham. $30,000. 
3–Interrupted, 116, f, 3, Broken Vow–Alternate, by 
Seattle Slew. O/B-Pin Oak Stud LLC (KY); T-H 
Graham Motion. $15,000. 
Margins: 3HF, 2 1/4, NO. Odds: 1.00, 11.70, 20.90. 
FLORIDA OAKS-GIII result cont. 
Also Ran: Babe’s Ruler, Runway Giant, Annulment, Kitten Kaboodle, Spangled Banner, Ready’s Legend, Duff One, Miss Besilu, Jerry Love. Scratched: Grand Elmendorf, Resistivity.Click for the brisnet.com chart or the brisnet.com PPs.VIDEO.
    Euro import Testa Rossi, runner-up in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf last time out, returned off the layoff to win in impressive fashion here. The even-money favorite rated in midpack and off the rail while Istanford led through splits of :23.00 and :48.16. She swung to the outside on the bend, gained the lead at the top of the stretch and opened up to win by daylight. Winning co-owner Tom Coleman gave credit to bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto, who purchased the filly privately in Europe. “We’ve gotten lucky,” he said. “We have some good ones, but she is pretty special.” It was Testa Rossi’s fifth win from eight starts. Second and then fifth at Lyon in France last spring, she then reeled off three straight in France, capped by a conditions victory at Maisons-Laffitte in July. At 3-1 in the GIII Miss Grillo S. at Belmont Oct. 6 in her first Stateside start, she rallied from last to win by a nose. She showed similar late foot in the Breeders’ Cup, only to find the ill-fated Chriselliam (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) too good. “She has really wintered well at Palm Meadows and put a lot of weight on and grown a little,” said trainer Chad Brown. “She is doing all the things you like to see from two to three. Judged on what we saw today, she should have a good year if she stays healthy. We’ll probably take both her and Kitten Kaboodle [Kitten’s Joy], who was in a lot of trouble today–we thought she was sitting on a big race–to Keeneland to train them on the synthetic and see if they warrant an entry in the GI Ashland S. If not, we’ll keep them on the grass.”