Marion County Preview: Can Jackson Defend Title?

OLDSMAR, FL – Tracy Pinchin homebred Jackson will attempt to defend his title in Saturday’s $100,000 FTBOA Marion County Florida Sire Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Marion County is a 7-furlong dirt sprint restricted to FTBOA-registered Florida-bred colts and geldings ages 3 and up. This year’s edition is the third event on a 10-race card and has a local post time of 1:12 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the Marion County:

1. Lord Barna 15/1 – The first of two entries from trainer Kathleen O’Connell, he makes his second start back after a 13-month hiatus, a 21% winning setup for the barn. He broke his maiden on debut over this course 3 years ago almost to the day and has an overall track record of 9-3-3-1, but he’ll likely need a career-best effort if he hopes to cross first.

2. Legal Deal 7/2 – Claimed from O’Connell 4 starts back for $12.5k, he was a late-running nose victor in the Millions Sprint Preview Stakes last time out while covering 6 1/2 sloppy furlongs against Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park West. The 3-year-old gelding earned his second straight 88 Beyer Speed Figure that day, but he may need to take a step forward to contend here.

3. Shivaree 4/1 – He won 2 straight stakes (the Buffalo Man and the Limehouse) while going 6 furlongs at Gulfstream Park last winter and finished second in his next 3, including the Florida Derby (G1). His form trailed off in the summer and he took time off before returning in the Millions Sprint Preview, where he pressed the pace before finishing fourth.

4. Old Time Revival 8/1 – The second O’Connell runner makes his first start for the barn after making most of his 23 prior starts in the northeast for trainer Kenneth Decker. Unraced since finishing a well-beaten fifth against Laurel Park optional claimers 12 months ago and a far-behind seventh in the 2018 edition of this event, he’s won twice at this distance in 8 tries.

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5. My Boy Lenny 6/1 – Trainer Gerald Bennett and owner/breeder J J Brevan Stable lost him for $32k out of a local win this past February but tagged him right back out of his next start, again a local win while risked for $32k. Though off since finishing last of six against Delaware Park optional claimers in early October, he’s won 5 of 8 appearances over this course.

6. Noble Drama 5/2 – He’s hit the exacta in each of his past 6 non-graded stakes tries, splitting the results right down the middle (3 wins, 3 seconds). He finished second in the 2018 edition of this race and won the 1-mile Wildcat Heir Stakes at Gulfstream Park 2 starts back, which earned him a 98 Beyer Speed figure that ties My Boy Lenny for the highest in this field.

7. Jackson 3/1 – The Jose Pinchin trainee returns to a track over which he is undefeated in 3 tries, including this race and the Sophomore Stakes (at the same distance) last year. He’s the field’s only graded stakes winner, having taken the 6-furlong Word of Trouble Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream Park in February that earned him a career-high 97 Beyer Speed Figure.

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