Farmington Road impresses

Todd Pletcher has used Tampa Bay Downs as a critical testing ground in recent years for some promising young horses. Shipping across the Florida peninsula from his winter base of Palm Beach Downs in Delray Beach, Pletcher won maiden or first-level allowances the past three years with four horses that wound up running a few months later in the Kentucky Derby – Always Dreaming (the 2017 winner), Vino Rosso, Magnum Moon, and Spinoff.

No one is putting Farmington Road in the starting gate for the 146th Derby on May 2 just yet, but the Quality Road colt signaled he’s ready for more demanding tests Sunday by winning a two-turn maiden race at Tampa for Pletcher in his third start.

“We’ve very methodically developed him to this point,” said Aron Wellman, who heads the Eclipse Thoroughbred partnership that co-owns Farmington Road with Chrysalis Stables. “He’s a very raw colt, and there’s no doubt that the more distance he has to work with, the stronger he gets. If he emerges from this race in good order and continues to train well, we’ll definitely put some Kentucky Derby prep races under consideration.”

Farmington Road earned a second straight 74 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the mile and 40-yard race by 1 3/4 lengths under Daniel Centeno.

Back to stakes action

Following a five-week gap in stakes action, a trio of stakes are on tap for Saturday at Tampa, with the Pasco and Gasparilla for 3-year-olds and the Wayward Lass for fillies and mares. Purses for each race start at $50,000, although another $75,000 is available in the Pasco and Gasparilla in case of a victory by a registered

Florida-bred. Entries will be drawn Wednesday.

A notable absentee from the seven-furlong Gasparilla will be Lucrezia, who won the last local stakes in the filly division, the Sandpiper on Dec. 7. Trainer Arnaud Delacour said he intends to wait instead for the $150,000 Suncoast, a mile and 70-yard race on the Feb. 8 Sam F. Davis undercard.

Imperial Hint looking good

Imperial Hint on Friday was sent through his first work since finishing third as the favorite in the Mr. Prospector on Dec. 21 at Gulfstream Park, breezing three furlongs in 36 seconds at Tampa. An earner of more than $2.2 million, the 7-year-old gelding has the $1.5 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia as his next targeted start.

“He feels great, he looks great, his coat is shining and dappled,” said trainer Luis Carvajal Jr. “He hasn’t lost the fire at all.”

◗ A nine-race card, highlighted by a second-level allowance (race 6) for filly-mare turf sprinters, will get a four-day race week started Wednesday at 12:27 p.m. Eastern. Broadway Run, with Antonio Gallardo riding for trainer John Terranova, figures as the one to beat in the $23,500 feature.

Gallardo begins the week with a 31-29 lead over Samy Camacho atop the local jockey standings. Gerald Bennett leads all trainers with 15 wins.

◗ Mike Buccina earned $18,000 and John Kaiser got $7,200 as the one-two finishers last Saturday in the ontrack High Rollers handicapping contest. Both also earned a seat in either of the next two renewals of the National Horseplayers Championships in Las Vegas.

◗ Racing will be conducted at Tampa next Thursday (Jan. 23), normally a dark day, which replaces the canceled card of Dec. 22.