Flavien Prat Wins Graded Stakes Double At Tampa Bay Downs
Flavien Prat and trainer Chad Brown won a graded stakes double at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.
Prat rode Running Bee to victory in the Tampa Bay Stakes, setting a new turf course record.
The Tampa Bay Stakes saw a thrilling duel between Northern Invader and Irish Aces.
But Prat and Running Bee gained on them, winning by three-quarters of a length.
Prat described Running Bee's performance, saying he was confident when he saw the half-mile fraction.
Brown also praised Prat's ride, saying it was brilliant.
The win was Brown's first in the Tampa Bay Stakes, and one of four wins for the trainer-jockey duo on the day.
Prat and Brown also won the Endeavour Stakes with Saffron Moon.
The victory by Running Bee was his eighth from 16 starts, earning $90,000.
He paid $4 as the wagering favorite in the nine-horse field.
Brown hopes to run Running Bee in a Grade I race this year.
Prat scored another win in the 10th race on the turf, an allowance, for Brown and owner Peter M. Brant.
The Brown-Prat duo introduced themselves to the crowd with a win in the fourth race with 3-year-old colt Goncora.
The festive Saturday crowd of 3,316 saw a memorable show from Prat and Brown.
Prat's win in the Tampa Bay Stakes was a notable one, with a time of 1:38.85 for the 1 1/16 miles.
This bettered the previous turf course record of 1:39.25, set two years ago by Emmanuel.
The Calumet Farm-owned horse, a son of English Channel out of Our Joy, by El Prado, raised his career bankroll to $757,443.
Northern Invader edged Irish Aces by a nose for second, with 30-1 shot Lorenz closing well for fourth.
Brown appreciated the Calumet team letting him run Running Bee at Tampa Bay Downs.
He thought it was a safe spot for the horse, and hopes for a Grade I race with his name on it this year.
The focus before the Endeavour Stakes was on Brown and Prat, who are at the top of their professions.
They delivered a memorable show for Tampa Bay Downs fans, capped by Running Bee's three-quarter-length victory.