Handsome Mike adds winners in Tampa and Louisiana

Handsome Mike is less than $23,000 from reaching the $4 million mark in career progeny earnings after two more winners gave him four for the first 19 days of January.

Alabama Slammer boosted his record to 3-2-0 in seven starts with a smart off-the-pace victory in a one-mile turf test with Alonso Quinonez aboard. The 4-year-old gelding broke last from the No. 9 post but rushed up on the outside and found good position about three lengths off the lead down the backstretch. Quinonez sent him up with a strong three-wide move on the turn and Alabama Slammer ran down the leaders late to score by 3/4’s of a length, clocked in 1:36.92. Considering his record, he paid a generous $25. The $11,363 winner’s share raised his total to $52,623.

At Delta Downs, Darkness Trembles made an auspicious career debut at the age of four, going wire-to-wire under Tim Thornton, fending off two challengers at the top of the stretch, and winning by a length. The Handsome Mike colt was well-bet for his first try, paying $10.60 after getting five furlongs in 1:00.38, and collecting a check for $16,200.