Pleasant Acres exacta kicks in to the tune of $229

Heading down the backstretch in yesterday’s third race at Tampa Bay Downs, 6/5 favorite She’s So Bearish was controlling the pace after setting early fractions of :23.27 and :47.52. Chalcolithic, a 3-year-old filly by Neolithic ridden by unknown Cecily Evans, and Bella Faccia, a Long On Value filly with veteran Marcos Meneses in the saddle, were firmly ensconced less than a length apart, trading seventh and eighth places on the turf course.

On the turn, Evans put Chalcolithic into high gear with a wide swing to the outside, while Meneses first attempted to find a hole on the inside with Bella Faccia, but failing to do so, took off after Chalcolithic. In mid-stretch, the favorite was gasping, and announcer Jason Beem chimed in with “Chalcolithic is kicking in nicely down the outside . . . Bella Faccia is also starting to roll.”

They ‘kicked in’ and ‘rolled’ to a 1-2 finish, getting the mile on the grass in 1:40.30, with the favorite 4 1/4 lengths back in third. The Neolithic-Long On Value $2 Pleasant Acres exacta paid a juicy $229.

In breaking her maiden in her fourth start, Chalcolithic paid $20.60, becoming Neolithic’s fifth winner this year, and the first in just three Tampa tries for Cecily Evans, who looked nothing like a rider whose entire 2022 resume reads “12-2-2-0.” Chalcolithic may have bought her an increase in business.