Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Kenny Peck handicaps the Wednesday, January 14 racing card at Tampa Bay Downs, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 9.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Divo d’Oro (9th race)
Ninth Race
1. Divo d’Oro
2. Go Yoshida
3. Double Echo
Thought DIVO D’ORO ran a better race than the running line might indicate in his first try since August, as he seems to have some traffic trouble there yet was closing with interest through the lane; should get enough pace to chase and he can run them all down on the wire if he gets a clean trip. GO YOSHIDA is logical enough on the move back to $16,000 non-winners of two after facing richer in his latest; clearly a threat in his current form, though he will take money and he does like to run 2nd. DOUBLE ECHO was behind YOSHIDA in that last one but he didn’t break well there; can be expected to improve with a clean getaway, as he does have back figures that put him on the short list of contenders.  
Here are Kenny’s thoughts on the other eight races on Wednesday’s Tampa Bay Downs card.
First Race
1. Katie King
2. Growth Rate
3. Caravaggio’s Song
KATIE KING may be ideally spotted in this opener for trainer Greg Sacco, entered for the Main Track Only with forecasts calling for rain on Tuesday into Wednesday in the Tampa area; this filly was a strong 2nd on the main track in her local bow, making a run from off the pace and holding well late after racing behind slow splits in a paceless race. GROWTH RATE is the top pick on the grass on the strength of a couple of solid Beyers in her prior turf tries, including figures in her mid 60’s in her last two tries; granted, those races were in 2024, when she was under the care of Chad Brown, but they merit respect nonetheless. CARAVAGGIO’S SONG was claimed out her latest, where she crossed the wire first but was disqualified for drifting and interfering with a rival, and though she’s up in class in her first start for her new connections she certainly is in good form; tactical speed should mean another favorable trip.
Second Race
1. Chaos Comin
2. Miki Jak
3. Polizon
CHAOS COMIN was far up the track in his latest but that was after a race-long duel in a race which ultimately set up well for the closers; he’s up in price for this but he is a big threat to steal it as the primary speed, as he figures to get loose from the start even on the cut back in distance. MIKI JAK is an upgrade candidate after he seemed to be against a speed-favoring strip in his only dirt try to date; well off the board in all three of his grass tries but this could prove to be his preferred surface. POLIZON makes his 10th start in search of the maiden win but he’s run well in defeat on several occasions, including his latest; may appreciate this shorter distance.
Third Race
1. Tisum
2. Knick’s Honor
3. Empire of Glory
TISUM broke his maiden on a wet main track at Churchill in his latest, so he clearly would have no issue if this race were switched from the grass, but he’s also run well on the lawn, including a runner-up finish three back when he was up against a speed-friendly race flow; looms a late threat regardless of which surface he’s on today. KNICK’S HONOR has proven speed and the hedge, and he’ll be the one to catch if this race stays on grass; obviously in good form based on those last couple of efforts and figures. EMPIRE OF GLORY is obviously one to consider at this reduced level, even if the drop into a claimer for the first time after he eased in his latest is a clear red flag; board will tell more.
Fourth Race
1. Peace Cloud
2. Passioned
3. Anchises
PEACE CLOUD was well off the board in his first start off the Greg Sacco claim but that was against much better, and he could be the one to beat back in with claimers; the win two back was against non-winners of three, and he faces open company today, but the Beyer he posted in that win gives him strong credibility. PASSIONED was behind ANCHISES in their last meeting but the latter held a pace advantage in that race; that may well be the case today but the former figures to be more aggressive in the opening stages today, as a slow start cost him position in that matchup. ANCHISES took full advantage of a favorable race flow in that win, and he predictably failed in his return after facing early pressure, but he could be the main speed from the rail today.
Fifth Race
1. Fantasy Affair
2. Whiskey Whim
3. Flighttown
FANTASY AFFAIR was no threat in that sprint last time out but he gets back on the turf today and he has license to improve upon his first two tries on this surface, when he faced better at Delaware, both times on wet courses; gets Lasix as a newly-turned 3-year-old, and that’s a solid angle for the barn. WHISKEY WHIM is easy to like after running well for the place in her first start on the grass last time, under conditions similar to today’s; will be running late. FLIGHTTOWN gets the hedge, and has the tactical speed to stay close from the break; another who was in against better in her only other tries on this surface. KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD will likely be the main threat if this race is switched from the grass to the main track.
Sixth Race
1. Capitan Danny
2. The Best Distance
3. Cyberbeast
CAPITAN DANNY is winless since making the move to the U. S. from Peru but he has been putting up solid Beyers in defeat, and he should find the locals more his speed as he ships in from Gulfstream; trainer Victor Barboza Jr. always dangerous here with ship-ins. THE BEST DISTANCE won two straight by open lengths for trainer Juan Arriagada, and now makes his first start off the Michael Simone claim; has speed but can also rate and make one run if need be. CYBERBEAST moved up dramatically in his first start for Arriagada; hard to say he should be expected to run back to that freakish figure in his first start against winners but he’s certainly a threat to repeat with a similar effort.
Seventh Race
1. Career Risk
2. Devilment
3. Fly Commander
CAREER RISK takes the blinkers off and turns back in distance, which figures to dull his speed, and that may not be the worst thing, as he could prove a threat in the lane if he can take back off the lead and make a bid; had race flow excuses in his dirt races prior to that last one, when he set an opening quarter mile fraction that was a full second faster than multiple winners did a race prior at the same distance. DEVILMENT is a tough take on the win end given his overall record but he does fit with these runners based on his best figures; wasn’t pushed in the late stages of his most recent, a race where the front-runners held an advantage thanks to mild fractions. FLY COMMANDER was far behind the winner in an impossibly fast race last time but he was game to get the place; should be running late, though he could be an underlay at or near the 2-1 ML price given his multitude of chances (19) at breaking his maiden.
Eighth Race
1. Miss Classified
2. Padrino’s Gold
3. Megantheebattalion
MISS CLASSIFIED gets a tepid nod with the thinking that she’ll use her natural early speed to get position early despite the wide post, and in fact could fall into an ideal stalking trip under leading rider Samuel Marin; also has room to improve in her second start following the break, as she did back in May. PADRINO’S GOLD hit the board in each of her last two starts, showing tactical speed in both; she was behind HEAVENS EXPRESS in that last one but she was down inside and that may have been the worst part of the track on that day. MEGANTHEEBATTALION is easily forgiven for fading on the grass last time, as she had no chance with that trip against that race flow; will look to steal it and she could well be successful if she’s allowed to set her own pace on an unpressured lead.
Daily Racing Form is the most trusted source for horse racing news and information. Get an edge when you play the races with DRF.com.