Due to the tote issue, the race following the Tampa Bay Derby was canceled and no payoffs for the Tampa Bay Derby were immediately available. Most bettors, except those that bet early on in multi-race exotics, were shut out. Tampa Bay Downs track announcer Jason Beem said the tote holdup was caused by an outage that affected other tracks on the East Coast. Tampa Bay Downs is a wagering partner with 1/ST Technology's AmTote.
"It was nice day to be here. The day ended well, and it's nice to have our first Tampa Derby win," Brown said.
Another Brown trainee, Good Money, went to the lead in Saturday's race and enjoyed easy fractions, setting splits of 25.25, :51.14, and 1:16.21, while being pursued by Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes winner No More Time and Grand Mo the First.
As No More Time took command in the stretch, Gaffalione angled out a stalking Domestic Product to bid between No More Time and Grand Mo the First. That decisive move gave his mount the daylight needed to produce the necessary rally. He caught No More Time just before the wire, prevailing by a neck. Grand Mo the First was third, followed by a weakening Good Money in fourth, and Heartened in fifth.
The Tampa Bay Derby provided qualifying points toward the May 4 Kentucky Derby on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis to its top five finishers. Churchill Downs officials use qualifying points as a preference system when the Kentucky Derby oversubscribes beyond its capacity field size of 20 starters.
Domestic Product, second in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes in February, now has 60 overall points — enough to gain entry into the Derby based on historical trends. No More Time, who came into the Tampa Bay Derby as its only stakes-winning entry, now is also well positioned for qualifying with 45 total points.
The Tampa Bay Derby has produced two Derby winners: Street Sense (2007) and Super Saver (2010).
Brown said Domestic Product would race one more time before the Kentucky Derby in a 1 1/8-mile prep race, though he did not specify which prep. His other leading Derby prospect, Sierra Leone, is pointed to the April 6 Grade 1 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
"I do think this horse would benefit from one more race," Brown said of the Domestic Product. "Just because we have points secured, I don't think playing defense, just trying to get into the gate, is the right way to try to win the (Derby)."
2024 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby March 9th, 2024
