Payntdembluesaway scored a dominating win in Saturday’s $100,000 Lightning City S. at Tampa Bay Downs to become Paynter’s newest stakes winner. The lightly-race 6-year-old is the sixth stakes horse this year for her sire, who finished 2021 in the top 10 on the General Sire list with $13.8 million in progeny earnings.
Payntdembluesaway came out of the gate very quickly and battled with Senora Roma through a lively first quarter in :22.56. Two wide on the turn, Payntdemblues came on even terms with the pacesetter at the top of the stretch, then spurted away to take command. The bay was all alone in the final furlong, coming home a 3 ¼-length winner in :56.73 for the five furlongs on the firm turf.
“My job was to let her use her natural speed and just keep her happy<” said winning rider Pablo Morales. “She was super good in the gate the whole time, very professional, and when the gate opened she shot out of there like a rocket.”
Payntdembluesaway has won nine of 15 lifetime starts for her owner All My Hart Racing Inc. and has earned $237,920. She was bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding.
