BetAmerica’s horse racing pick of the day: May 6, Tampa Bay

Racing at Tampa Bay Downs. (Photo by SV Photography)

May 6th, 2020

Weekday picks and plays for Thoroughbred racing.

Wednesday, May 6

Tampa Bay Downs, Race 8: Maiden special weight (1 mile on turf, 4:30 p.m. ET)

Trainer Michael Stidham has been on fire at Tampa Bay Downs this year, with a 28% win rate, and he can return to the winner’s circle Wednesday with #9 Big Dreaming (6-1 on the morning line).

An unraced son of Declaration of War, out of the champion Rahy mare Dreaming of Anna, Big Dreaming is bred to thrive running long on grass and enters off a string of sharp workouts, including a quartet of bullet 5-furlong moves since Feb. 24.

Top trainers/wins: Gerald Bennett, 49; Michael Stidham, 27; Kathleen O'Connell, 26; Jose H. Delgado, 20; Mike Dini, Kent Sweezey, 18; Darien Rodriguez, Juan Arriagada, 17; Maria Bowersock, 15; Jonathan Thomas, 14; Arnaud Delacour, Anthony Granitz, 13; Eoin Harty, Derek Ryan, 12
— Tampa Bay Downs (@TampaBayDownsFL) May 3, 2020

With hot jockey Daniel Centeno (a 22% winner at Tampa) in the saddle, Big Dreaming can vie for victory on debut, even against a quality field.

We’ll key him in the exacta, with #8 U S Army Corps (7-5), a close runner-up over this course and distance April 11; #1 Talako (10-1), a first-time starter from the barn of Jorge Abreu; and #11 Juror (3-1), who will need to draw in off the also-eligible list for four-time champion trainer Chad Brown.