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Royal Regan Charges To Win

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2007

OLDSMAR - Ocala-based trainer Cathy Roundtree has been running horses at Tampa Bay Downs since 1990. Noticing the large crowds and buzz surrounding the track's 82nd opening day, she turned to her groom and reflected on her early memories of the track.

"Can you imagine how far Tampa has come? How big it's gotten? How much it's improved?" she said. "It used to be kind of a little backwater track, and now it's a place where people all over the country come to race, especially turf horses."

At no point was that more apparent than in the featured race, the $65,000 Lightning City Stakes, where Royal Regan, a 4-year old, dark-brown filly owned, bred and trained by Roundtree, came from sixth at the top of the stretch to win, paying $19.80 to win as a nearly 9-1 longshot.
Roundtree instructed jockey Pedro Cotto Jr. to take the horse wide and try to make a stretch run from the outside. Though the horse broke last out of the gate, he followed instructions perfectly, swinging out five-wide and easily accelerating past favorite Charlie Papa, which entered the stretch looking for a wire-to-wire win.

"I saw everybody coming out of there running, it was a real fast pace," said Cotto after his first TBD stakes win. "I just took my time ... made my run, and it worked out."

It was Roundtree's second stakes win at Tampa, breaking a seven-year drought. She was admittedly "shaking like a leaf" with excitement.

Defending Lightning City winner Bucky's Prayer finished second, while 24-1 longshot Message of a Myth was third. Charlie Papa, previously unbeaten at TBD in five races, was fourth.

True and True, a horse owned by a group that includes Academy Award-winning actor Joe Pesci, was sixth.

The track set opening day records for attendance (5,943) and on-track handle ($563,222). Though parking was difficult for those who arrived after the 12:25 first post time, most patrons were pleased with their experience and all the renovations made to the grandstand.

"They certainly seemed to appreciate the improvements that we made this year," said TBD vice president and general manager Peter Berube.

According to Berube, there were a few late glitches as construction carried on throughout the week. A planned Friday opening of the new third-floor poker room was canceled because surveillance cameras were not working. But by 6 a.m. Saturday, the cameras were working and business carried on as usual when the facility opened.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconell@pop.tampatrib.

com.

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