Penelope P. Miller
Tampa Bay Downs

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Saturday’s 11-race card at Tampa Bay Downs features the 19th edition of the $65,000 Challenger Stakes, a 1 1/16 miles main track test for four-year-olds and upward. Headlining the field is Arson Squad, a seven-year-old gelded son of Brahms owned by Jay Em Ess Stable and trained by Richard Dutrow.

Arson Squad has earned over $922,000 in his 24 race career, and comes into the Challenger after posting a bullet work over the Gulfstream surface at five furlongs on March 1. He’ll have the services of leading Tampa Bay Downs rider Daniel Centeno, and will make his second race off of a layoff after a third-place finish by only 1½ lengths in an allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream on Feb. 3.

Joining Arson Squad in the Challenger Stakes lineup is Timber Reserve. The Graded stakes winning six-year-old son of Forest Camp most recently eon an allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park on January 14, and in his sixteen lifetime starts has finished in the money nine times. Timber Reserve has bankrolled over $750,000 in his career for owners Circle E Racing and Caesar Kimmel and trainer John C. Kimmel.

Bird Run, a four-year-old Birdstone colt, also comes off of a win in an allowance optional claiming race at Gulfstream; the William Mott trainee has only finished out of the money three times in his life, and hasn’t finished worse than second in his 2010 campaign. Bird Run posted a bullet work at Payson Park on February 24, going five furlongs in 1:02, the best of 12 horses working that distance.

Finish Lines… Jockey Carlos Montalvo booted home three winner’s Friday; the reinsman got his first trip to the Winner’s Circle aboard Lady Zeig for owner Kinsman Stables and trainer Greg Griffith. Montalvo scored again aboard She’sfitforaking, this time for owners Mike Borcetta, Larry King, Martin Silver and Billy Connors and trainer Dale Bennett. Montalvo rounded out his hat trick with Wicked Moon, a Florida-bred Migrating moon mare undetr the care of Ronald Behrens for owner Joseph Waugh.

Racing resumes March 6 with an 11-race card; there is a High Five carryover of $3,903.76.