Challenger Stakes Next Dance for Talented Disco Time

The connections of Disco Time are ready for another dance. After watching the son of Not This Time suffer his first career defeat when off the board in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, his connections are hoping for a fresh start to his 4-year-old season March 7 in the $125,000 Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. Sent off at 3-2 odds as the Pegasus favorite, Juddmonte homebred Disco Time is the 3-5 morning-line favorite this time around as he shortens up a half-furlong to 1 1/16 miles and gets some class relief as well. Prior to the Pegasus, Disco Time had won his previous five career starts by a combined margin of more than 22 1/2 lengths. Trained by Brad Cox, that win streak saw Disco Time win three straight stakes but he received time off after taking the Lecomte Stakes (G3) in January at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. He returned in late summer to win the St. Louis Derby and then the Dwyer Stakes in November. Disco Time has been working steadily toward this return, including four timed moves in February. The entered field of seven also includes a pair of runners coming off of dominant victories in allowance races in Disruptor for trainer Todd Pletcher and Solo Venturi for Will Walden. Time to Dream to Open 3-Year-Old Campaign Saturday's card highlighted by the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) also includes the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3T) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. The 5-2 morning-line favorite in the expected field of 11 is Repole Stable's Time to Dream, who like the Challenger favorite is by Not This Time. Trained by Pletcher, Time to Dream will be making her season debut and first start since finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Prior to that grade 1 debut, Time to Dream won her initial start then took the P. G. Johnson Stakes in August at Saratoga Race Course before finishing third in the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) in October at Keeneland. Time to Dream delivered four moves in February, including a Feb. 20 breeze at Palm Beach Downs where she completed a half-mile in :48 4/5, third best of 21 moves at the distance that day. Some of the runners awaiting Time to Dream Saturday include Icon Racing Stable's Kokomotion, who enters off a 6 1/4-length career debut maiden win Feb. 7 on the Tampa turf; and Green With MV Stable and Patrick Biancone's Laigina, who has won two of her three starts on turf, including a 4-length win in an allowance race for Florida-breds Feb. 7 at Gulfstream.