Tabby Faces Seven at Tampa

This afternoon, Tabby Lane heads back into action at Tampa Bay Downs facing seven other fillies and mares at the $8,000 Claiming level. While I would have liked to have seen her going longer, we can only run in what’s written so we’re going six furlongs over the main track. The race is the 9th in your program and Tabby will be running out of post position 3. Here is how they stack up.
1. Graemy – Scratched out of our last race two weeks ago now she’s dropping way into this one from $20,000. She could go two ways – as these big droppers generally do – huge threat or up the track.

2. Out of Wine – Had nice form earlier last summer but the last two attempts before the break at the bottom at Calder were awful. She does show a nice work pattern heading into this one, though.

3. TABBY LANE

4. Pyriteville – Ohio bred has been close but not quite there while bouncing all around in class.

5. Exchangable – Coming in off a win in an $8,000 claiming non-winners of three under a very well timed ride. This’ll be a tougher group, but she’s already two for four at this meet.

6. Penn Star – Been close but not quite getting there at a notch or two above these. Drop could be exactly what she needs.

7. Party of Eight – This tough 10-year old mare was as on a monster role leaving Tampa last spring and through the summer at Arlington before finally trying tougher and failing. She bounced right back at $6250 last out and is making the next logical step up.

8. Shez So Special – Big winner last out against $5000 claimers. She’s been very tough at that level and is now trying to take on tougher.

Tabby Lane comes into her second start off the layoff as the 10-1 fifth choice; hardly a ringing endorsement. At least this time the handicapping page at Tampa actually touches on her as a possible choice in the exacta, but I don’t think the public at large gives her a whole lot of chance. Even I, proud managing partner that I am, am not going to tout her to the heavens, but I think she does have a shot in here. In her last, she had a crappy start and still managed to finish fourth. She most definitely needed the race, there is no doubt about that. After four months away, I’m, not sure that her focus was where we’d like to have seen it. Hopefully she’s more on the ball. If all goes well, I think she can be there, but it certainly won’t be easy.  I’m hoping for a quick early pace with Graemy, Out of Wine, Penn Star and maybe even Shez So Special pushing things up front which will hopefully open the door to our girl in the lane, but – as always – we’ll need to run the race and see how it all unfolds.