Double Blessed breaks her maiden at Tampa; Treasure Beach’s first 2021 winner

Double Blessed achieved two milestones in the 10th race at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday. The 3-year-old filly by Treasure Beach broke her maiden in her fourth try for owner/trainer Mike Dini, at the same time becoming the first winner of the new year for her sire.

The filly out of the Point Given mare Points of Grace appeared to be looking for more distance after two tries at a flat mile and one at a mile and one-sixteenth produced one third and two fourths, and this one at a mile and one-eighth proved to be right up her alley. She broke well from the rail with Tomas Mejia, then eased back to mid-pack on the backstretch. Coming to the final turn, Mejia took her three wide after the leaders and she made a strong run down the lane, getting up to win by a head in the last jump.

Double Blessed, who had finished third in the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Gulfstream West in November, paid $19.80 and earned $13,170 for her maiden-breaker, plus a breeders’ award for Joe and Helen Barbazon.