Tampa Bay Pick 3 Play for Sunday March 24

A big Sunday of racing will take place at Tampa Bay Downs with six black-type contests on the slate. I have put much of my focus on the latter trio of stakes tilts on the card. 

Pick 3

• $3 Pick 3: 1,6 with 4,7,8 with 1,7 ($36)

Race 9 – Turf Classic S. 

Eight are signed on for the nine-furlong turf endeavor. #1 Forever Souper is well drawn on the fence and rates a big chance from off the pace for Trombetta. The American Pharoah gelding finished second by a nose in his lone prior run on the course two back, and the Live Oak homebred is too consistent to leave off of the ticket with Paco Lopez in the irons. 

#6 Me and Mr. C has compiled a fine 8-3-3-1 mark on the local lawn, which includes a runner-up showing in the race last season. The Khozan seven-year-old comes in fresh for Maker and will make one run from off of the early tempo under Edgard Zayas. 

Race 10 – Sophomore S. 

An octet of sophomores will travel seven-eighths on the dirt. I liked the allowance win from #4 Pure Class last time out at Gulfstream Park and will make him my slight top pick in the well-matched field. The dark bay son of The Big Beast lands in a group with a lot of speed in it, so the colt will receive a very good voyage from off the pace on Sunday. 

#8 Saybrook, who exits a fine maiden score, as well as Kevin Rice’s #7 Everdoit, will make the ticket, too. 

Race 11 – Distaff Turf S. 

A total of nine fillies and mares will go postward in the 1 1/16-mile turf affair. The final stakes race of the day and sequence features a pair of runners which I like. #7 Mohawk Trail finished well when fifth in the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream most recently and will improve second time off the break. Kelsey Danner pupil will appreciate the drop down to state-bred foes, and she is a winner on the surface, too. 

#1 Sweet Dani Girl is 2-for-2 since being acquired for $350,000 in November and transferred to Christophe Clement. She romped home a four-length winner of the affair in 2023 and looms large, making her third start off the layoff. The five-year-old chestnut is the one to beat with Javier Castellano in the stirrups.