OGMA Investments, JR Ranch and High Step Racing, LLC’s The Puma (Essential Quality- Eve of War, by Declaration of War) stalked and pounced in the lane to capture the Grade 3, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7, earning 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates for the week.
(SV Photography)
Fellow OBS grad Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox, was the runner-up.
“We’re a small barn. We have to scout, we have to buy the horses. It’s more gratifying when you only get one or two horses at the sale, and they end up like this,” Gustavo Delgado, Jr., the assistant trainer to his father, Gustavo Delgado, Sr., told America’s Best Racing from the winner’s circle “From the first time he ran, I said that this is a very good horse, and I kept telling everyone.”
The Puma dueled through the lane with Further Ado before edging clear by three-quarters of a length at the wire. He was purchased by Marquee Bloodstock for $150,000 out of the Hidden Brook consignment at the 2025 OBS April Sale after breezing in :10 flat.
In the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes on the undercard of the Tampa Bay Derby, Steve Landers Racing’s Destino d’Oro (Bolt d’Oro- Heart of Destiny, by Lion Heart) overcame a troubled trip to triumph in a five-horse blanket rush to the finish.
Trained by Brad Cox, the daughter of Bolt d’Oro took the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park in her previous start and is now a three-time graded stakes winner. She was purchased by Cary Bloodstock on behalf of her owner for $185,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of CM Thoroughbreds after breezing in :10 flat.
The Tampa Bay Derby card also saw Tagermeen Racing’s Dandona (Tiz the Law-Tulsa Queen, by Cactus Ridge) make her first foray into stakes company a winning one as she rallied from the back of the pack to capture the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.
Dandona was purchased by Mahmud Mouni for $1.05 million from the Kings Equine consignment at the 2025 OBS April Sale after breezing in :9 4/5.
At Aqueduct on March 7, Michael Dubb’s Sculcos Folly (Redesdale- Cool Johanna, by Johannesburg) led each step of the way en route to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $135,000 Gander, a one-turn mile for New York-bred sophomores.
Trained by Rick Dutrow, Jr., the son of Redesdale was a $70,000 purchase by Chad Schumer at the 2025 OBS April Sale from the Omar Ramirez Bloodstock consignment after breezing in :10 flat.
The Aqueduct card also saw Victory Hall (Independence Hall- Into Victory, by Into Mischief) edge clear late to notch her first black type stakes victory in Saturday’s $135,000 Maddie May.
Campaigned by Twin Sports Racing, Cypresshead Racing and Let’s Go Racing, Victory Hall was making her first start for trainer Tom Morley. She was offered at last year’s OBS April Sale by the Majestic consignment but failed to meet her reserve after breezing in :10 1/5.