Eight entered as Suncoast debuts in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series

Feb 07, 2018 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Tampa Bay Downs’ $150,000 Suncoast Stakes joined the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series of points races this year, and Saturday’s contest attracted a field of eight to compete for a total of 17 points.

The mile-and-40-yard event will award 10-4-2-1 points to the respective top four finishers, and Daisy will attempt to take home the majority of them. The John Servis trainee is seeking a return to the winner’s circle after finishing fourth last out in the Demoiselle Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct. Prior to that, the Blame filly broke her maiden by eight lengths on a sloppy, sealed track at Parx Racing and took the Tempted Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct by 4 3/4 lengths on November 3.

Daisy makes her sophomore bow in the Suncoast and gets a rider change to John Velazquez.

Blonde Bomber is also looking to get back to her winning ways for trainer Stanley Gold. The gray daughter of Fort Larned broke her maiden in her fifth try at Gulfstream Park on September 2, then returned 28 days later to take the off-the-turf Our Dear Peggy Stakes. She tried the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) next out at Del Mar and outran her 30-1 odds to be third on the wire.

Blonde Bomber finished fourth making her three-year-old debut in the Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds on January 13, and keeps Jose Lezcano in the irons here.

Mihrab sandwiched a maiden score between a pair of off-the-board runs at Laurel Park. The Graham Motion-trained daughter of Tiznow was fifth over Laurel’s turf on October 13, broke her maiden by 5 3/4 lengths on that track’s dirt December 1 and finished fourth last out in the Gin Talking Stakes on December 30. Jose Ortiz will be in the irons for the first time Saturday.

Trainer Eddie Kenneally sends out Belles Orb to try stakes rivals. The chestnut daughter of Orb took her maiden debut at Ellis Park but was a well-beaten fifth at Churchill Downs next out off a near five-month break. She captured her sophomore debut on January 10 sprinting seven furlongs in an allowance/optional claimer at Tampa Bay Downs under the returning Daniel Centeno.

C. S. Incharge and So Refined each wired off-the-turf maidens in their last starts. The former did so January 3 at Gulfstream Park following a pair of double-digit length losses for trainer Dale Romans. So Refined scored over track and distance January 12 for Kent Sweezey and gets first-time Lasix added for the Suncoast. Joel Rosario has the call on C. S. Incharge while Jesus Castanon pilots So Refined.

Rounding out the field are Prospective Lady, winless in five starts thus far, and Battle Back Curly, unable to hit the top three in two career attempts.