Tampa Bay: Crazy Mason wins, enters Kentucky Derby picture

Crazy Mason swept past Fulmineo in the stretch to post a half-length victory Sunday in a $53,000 allowance, optional-claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs, putting him in the conversation for Kentucky Derby 2024 preps.

Scratched from Saturday’s seven-furlong Pasco Stakes to gain experience racing around two turns, Crazy Mason successfully stretched to one mile and 40 yards in Sunday’s sixth race.

Afterward, trainer Greg Sacco said Crazy Mason showed enough talent and stamina to be pointed toward the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a Derby points prep at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 10.

Owned by Donna Wright and the Reeves Thoroughbred Racing concern of Dean and Patti Reeves, Crazy Mason was ridden by Mychel Sanchez. The victory was his second from six starts for Crazy Mason, whose winning time was 1:42.31.

The early pace clocked at 51.91 seconds for a half-mile and 1:15.88 for three-quarters worried Sacco.

“I was concerned with the slow fractions. He was bottled up with really nowhere to go,” Sacco said. “Mychel did the right thing. Just tipped him out because I think he would have hit traffic coming into the lane. “I was proud of him running into no fractions and with the way he finished. He really had his legs underneath him at the wire, and his gallop-out was fantastic.”

Tampa Bay Downs bettors did their homework. Crazy Mason paid $3.40 to win.