Speightstown’s Owen Almighty Just That In Tampa Bay Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

After running too good to lose when going down to a narrow defeat at the hands of John Hancock (Constitution) in the Sam F. Davis Stakes when last seen, OWEN ALMIGHTY (c, 3, Speightstown–Tempers Rising, by Bayern) was kicked straight into the lead from his rail draw in Saturday's GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, controlled the pace through even sectional times and ran away from his half-dozen rivals in the final furlong to earn 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The third choice at 29-10 to the comebacking 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) and outposted 'Rising Star' Patch Adams (Into Mischief), the $360,000 Keeneland November weanling and $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling was in front soon after the start and made the running in advance of longshot Brodeur (Nyquist) as second favorite Patch Adams was again not the quickest away and was consigned to a three-wide run into the turn. Chancer McPatrick was in the perfect spot as the addition of blinkers had him handy to the pace in the box seat through the opening exchanges.

By the first quarter in a moderate :23.84 and the half in a hasslefree :48.16, Owen Almighty put Brodeur away approaching the entrance to the straight, and Chancer McPatrick loomed the only danger if good enough. But instead, Owen Almighty kicked on nicely when asked and was never in danger as the chalk plugged on at one pace into second. Hill Road (Quality Road), making his first start for Chad Brown, rallied from the back of the field to be third, while Patch Adams was a lackluster fourth. The final time for the 8 1/2 furlongs on a fast strip was 1:42.30. According to published reports, Owen Almighty is targeting the GII Pat Day Mile and not the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.

 

#1 OWEN ALMIGHTY ($7.80) goes gate-to-wire in the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) with @iradortiz in the saddle for @BLynchRacing and @flyingdutchky.
He earns 50 points on the @SpendthriftFarm Road to the @KentuckyDerby. pic.twitter.com/0soHZuFGZB

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) March 8, 2025

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
LAMBHOLM SOUTH TAMPA BAY DERBY-GIII, $350,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.30, ft.
1–OWEN ALMIGHTY, 120, c, 3, by Speightstown
      1st Dam: Tempers Rising (GSP, $311,482), by Bayern
      2nd Dam: Marchmont, by Mountain Cat
      3rd Dam: March On He Said, by Stop the Music
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($360,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $350,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Mark Stanley (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $210,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0, $484,310. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chancer McPatrick, 124, c, 3, McKinzie–Bernadreamy, by Bernardini. ($260,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL; $725,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Flanagan Racing; B-Rigney Racing, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $70,000.
3–Hill Road, 120, c, 3, Quality Road–Exotic Notion, by Lemon Drop Kid. ($350,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Amo Racing USA; B-Lynch Bages LTD & Camas Park Stud (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $35,000.
Margins: 3HF, 2 3/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 2.10, 4.50.
Also Ran: Patch Adams, Brodeur, Naughty Rascal, Filoso.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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