Tessellate takes on the locals of Tampa in Gasparilla

Tampa Bay Downs will be represented at the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with the Suncoast Stakes on February 7, but a first look at some of the 3-year-old fillies potentially aiming for that spot will come on January 10.

There are six runners in the $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes over seven furlongs, and if the race were decided solely on their latest performance, things would be heading in the right direction Mosaic pattern .

After a few summer losses in the hooves of Willow case the McKinzie filly reduced from a mile to 6 1/2 furlongs from the rest of two months to invade her enemies Gulfstream Park‘s Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes November 15 by 13 lengths. Owned by Magic Cap Stables, Paul Braverman, Timothy Pinch, Castle Gate Farm, BAG Racing Stables, John Reinhardt and Turf Express Racing, the Saffie Joseph Jr. trained, Florida-bred, earned a career-high 82 Equibase Speed ​​Figure.

She will compete against several Tampa natives on Saturday, such as homebred Glen Hill Farm Light landscape . The one trained by Thomas Proctor Practical joke filly made her debut over 6 furlongs on the track with a 2 3/4 length triumph. The race saw good form in second Permian Basin came back to win.

Martin Goodells Ridgie comes into play for the first time on a three-race win streak for trainer Maria Bowersock, including the last two at Tampa Bay Downs. Bet winner Gerard’s Cross is looking to improve after a seventh-place finish in the Sandpiper Stakes in Tampa on Dec. 6 following a four-month layoff.

Submissions: Gasparilla S.

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday January 10, 2026, race 6

• STK
• 7f
• Filthy
• $125,000
• 3 year old mares
• 3:02 PM (local)

Oaks alumni Drexel Hill meet again early at Wayward Lass

Whether any of these fillies will make it Churchill Downs May 1 for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) remains to be seen, but the card does have guaranteed Oaks runners on the card.

Legion Racing’s Drexel Hill, who finished second in the 3-year-old filly showcase last spring, makes her second start since in the $125,000 Wayward Lass Stakes for older fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles. After the Oaks she underwent surgery to remove a bone chip from one of her knees and returned on November 8 with a second-place finish in the Mother Goose Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct racecourse.

Whit Beckman’s trainee breaks into a six-horse field from far outside and reunites with Ben Curtis, who is the Bolt d’Oro filly in her first three starts as a three-year-old, but missed Mother Goose.

Among her rivals is a familiar face in BAG Racing Stables, Ken Reimer, Braverman, Pinch and Bradley Kent’s Up early who finished eighth in the Oaks after finishing second in the Gazelle Stakes (G3) and Virginia Oaks for Joseph. Also in the field is Holly Hill Stables’ Runaway diva who makes her first start since September as second to Drexel Hill’s half-sister, Gassed in the Delaware handicap (G3).

Submissions: Quirky Lass S.

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday January 10, 2026, race 7

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Filthy
• $125,000
• Mares and mares from 4 years and older
• 3:32 PM (local)