Panadero sends Handsome Mike past $4 million

Panadero’s fortunes changed dramatically after he left Gulfstream Park and shipped to Tampa Bay Downs, where he found the long stretch to be right up his alley. Four tries at Gulfstream produced little, but his next four in Oldsmar have resulted in two victories and a second, including a milestone for his sire, Handsome Mike.

In his previous start under Samy Camacho at Tampa on Jan. 9, the 3-year-old gelding came from last place in a field of eight and missed by a nose at the wire. Yesterday, again coming from eighth and last, Camacho guided him to a head victory; he paid $8.40 and collected a winner’s check of $14,000. That was just enough to raise Handsome Mike’s career progeny earnings to $4,002,683.

Panadero, a $9,000 OBS March 2-year-old bred by Tom McCrocklin, is now 2-1-0 in eight starts with earnings of $31,630.