When his mount for today’s eighth race, Burn the Breeze, was scratched, Samy Camacho had no qualms about riding Velocissima, a 29-1 longshot.
“He (Rafael Romero, the trainer of both horses) helped me get started in Venezuela, back in 2012,” Camacho said. “He did a lot for me early in my career, so I was happy to do it.”
The 5-year-old mare had last won in September of 2023. But in the red-hot hands of Camacho, who had ridden her previously, she produced a high-quality performance, defeating fellow longshot Lovielee by 2 lengths.
The victory was Camacho’s fourth on Tampa Bay Downs’s Opening Day card, but Velocissima’s recent mediocre form still resulted in a $60.60 win payoff. Good luck getting such a price on a Camacho-ridden horse here anytime soon.
Under the guidance of agent Mike Moran, Camacho is seeking a fifth consecutive Oldsmar riding title and sixth overall, which would tie Daniel Centeno and Mike Manganello for the most in track history. Camacho is brimming with confidence, and if he stays healthy it will probably require a thoroughly dedicated effort for anyone to topple him from his perch.
“I’m very happy to be here. This is the place that put me on the map,” Camacho said after teaming with nine-time leading trainer Gerald Bennett to win the first race with Team Equistaff’s good-looking 3-year-old filly, Goddess Minerva.
“I’m working hard, I eat healthy and I go to the gym every day,” Camacho said. “There are a lot of good jockeys here, but I’m focused on my target, which is to win and make money. In the past I’ve made a lot of mistakes even when I won the title, but that’s made me better.”
Camacho’s second victory on the card came in the third race on Feast, a 7-year-old Florida-bred gelding owned by Robert Taylor, III and trained by Mario Roberto Lopez. Camacho also won the seventh aboard Bounteous, a 3-year-old gelding owned by Juan Arriagada and Stephen J. Derany and trained by Arriagada.
In the co-featured sixth race, Takeschargesmiling and Osprey staged an exciting stretch duel, with Takeschargesmiling and jockey Pablo Morales prevailing by a head in 1:10.46 for the 6-furlong distance. The victorious 3-year-old gelding is owned by Barry D. Roos and John Rigattieri and trained by Rigattieri.
No matter what Go Charlie Go accomplishes on the racetrack, his breeder and owner, Ocala horseman Kenneth Manness, is always going to regard him as family.
“I breed these animals, but I usually don’t get to run them because someone comes and buys them before they run,” said Manness, who has six horses in training. “When you pull them out of their moms, it’s a joy to see them get to the winner’s circle.”
Manness experienced that elation when the 4-year-old gelding rallied on the outside of Suit Me Up Charlie to win the second race by a half-length. It was the first victory in three lifetime starts for Go Charlie Go, who paid $58 as the longest shot in the eight-horse field.
The heavy rain forecast for today never materialized, much to the delight of a festive Opening Day crowd.
Go Charlie Go, who completed the 6 ½-furlong distance in 1:17.90, was ridden by Hector Diaz, Jr., who was aboard for his first two starts in August at Gulfstream Park. He did not finish in the money either time but showed considerable improvement in his second race, finishing fifth, 2 ¾ lengths behind the winner.
Manness said the plan today was for Diaz to keep Go Charlie Go in the clear and outside of horses, and it worked beautifully as the son of Adios Charlie-Sherry’s Moment, by High Cotton, delivered a solid finishing kick to break his maiden.
“He’s a very young-minded horse. I breezed him the other day inside of another horse and he just shut right down,” Manness said. “He wants an escape route. He’s just too smart.
“I told the young lady who collects for the (Run For The Ribbons) aftercare (organization) this horse is going to be her daughter’s horse one day. He’s just a sweetheart.”
Thoroughbred racing continues Saturday with a nine-race card, including four turf races. The first post time is 12:32 p.m.
