The 1-20 horse betting favorite War Pass shockingly finished last in the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday, March 15, at Tampa Bay Downs where Big Truck led by a neck over Atoned.

The Tampa Bay Derby was the first loss of War Pass, one of the leading 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders trained by Nick Zito for owner Robert LaPenta.

War Pass was scheduled for a final 2008 Kentucky Derby prep, the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York on April 5, but LaPenta said the plan would be re-evaluated.

Big Truck, who ran second to the Nick Zito-trained Fierce Wind in the Sam F. Davis at this track on February 16, likely won’t run again until the 2008 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3.

Big Truck, trained by Barclay Tagg and purchased for $90,000 by Eric Fein, returned $16.40, $5.80 and $25.20. Second place Atoned, trained by Todd Pletcher, paid $6.60 and $27.80. Dynamic Wayne paid $76.40 to show.

Churchill Downs’ very own Internet enabled advanced deposit wagering (ADW) system won’t be available to horse racing bettors in time for the track’s opening day. However, Churchill officials are hopefult to resolve issues in time for the 2007 Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.
The debut of Churchill Downs Inc.???s account wagering service will be delayed until [...]

Tampa Bay Downs ruled off seven jockeys effective Dec. 19 because of what management called an “ongoing investigation” being conducted by the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau. Officials at the track on Florida’s Gulf Coast said Jorge G. Bracho, Derek C. Bell, Luis A. Castillo, Jose H. Delgado, Terry D. Houghton, Joseph C. Judice, and Ricardo A. Valdes have been refused access to the facility “for an indefinite period of time based on its rights as a private property owner.”

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Deputy Glitters turned the tables on favorite Bluegrass Cat by winning the Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday and joined to road to the Kentucky Derby.

Todd Pletcher-trained Bluegrass Cat, who currently leads theTriple Crown candidates, makes his second start of the 2006 season at Tampa Bay Downs in the $250,000 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) Saturday.The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, which attracted a field of nine, is one of four stakes on the 13-race program.

Saturday’s racing spotlight will be on four different tracks where a dozen of the Top 25 3-year-olds will attempt to make their case to stay on the Road to the Roses. All four graded stakes, worth at least a total of $1 million, are 1 1/16 miles…

Tampa Bay Downs, in conjunction with the track’s Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association division, will boost purses for all overnight races on Festival Day, March 18, by 35%. The increase, which amounts to $5,000 per race, is expected to increase to more than $850,000 the total purse money that will be paid out that day, [...]