The Pasco Stakes

The $125,000 Pasco Stakes

Fastest Time: 1:20:89 WIN WIN WIN (2019)

Slowest Time: 1:25.94

MISGUIDED LEFT (2004)

Longest Priced Winner: $36.80 BEARCAT RUCKUS (2000)

Shortest Priced Winner: $ 3.00 ONE SPECIAL JUDGE (2001)

Closest Winning Margin: Neck SUPER FUSE

CATALINA RED ZYDECEAUX

(2003) (2014) (2023)

Largest Winning Margin: 133/4 Lengths WORLD OF TROUBLE (2018)

Shortest Priced Loser: $ 1.10 RUN SULLY RUN (2008)

Track Condition: Fast Good All except 2016

Richest Purse: $125,000 2018-Present

Other Notes: Samuel Marin, one of a promising new wave of jockeys at Tampa Bay Downs, piloted Zydeceaux to an upset victory. Another Florida-bred, 2022 winner Markhamian, was trained by Juan Carlos Avila, the conditioner of 2020 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner King Guillermo. The 2021 victory by Nova Rags marked the first Pasco Stakes triumph for both Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and jockey Samy Camacho. In 2020, jockey Edgard Zayas won the Pasco for the second time in four years with a strong ride on Liam's Lucky Charm, a Stonehedge LLC homebred son of Khozan. The aptly named homebred Win Win Win turned in one of the most dominant efforts ever seen at the Oldsmar oval in his 3-year-old debut, setting a 7-furlong track record of 1:20.89 while winning by seven-and-a-quarter lengths. A year earlier, World of Trouble, drew away to a 133/4- length victory despite being eased up in the final yards, missing the track record by .12 seconds. World of Trouble went on to finish third in the Grade II Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby and second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. In the 2016 edition, jockey Daniel Centeno captured a record third Pasco Stakes victory aboard Morning Fire, who later finished third in the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes before traveling to Gulfstream to win the Spectacular Bid, again with Centeno in the saddle. The Pasco Stakes was contested by 2-year-olds during the 2014-2015 meeting. Catalina Red demolished the stakes and track record for trainer Chad Stewart and jockey Centeno. The 2014 Pasco winner, Mighty Brown, is a son of 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion Big Brown. Dynamic Sky’s victory in 2013 represented back-to-back Pasco scores for his connections: owner John Oxley, trainer Mark Casse and jockey Luis Contreras. Their Prospective found Tampa Bay Downs much to his liking in 2012. After his Pasco Stakes victory, he finished second in the Sam F. Davis Stakes before winning the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby. The 2009 Pasco winner, Musket Man, won the Tampa Bay Derby and Grade II Illinois Derby and finished third in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, while 2009 runner-up General Quarters scored victories in the Sam F. Davis and the Grade I Blue Grass at Keeneland. Jockey Earlie Fires, who won the 2002 Pasco on Major Focus at age 54, is a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.