Parental Warning: This article may not be suitable for all audiences. Parental supervision is strongly recommended.
Attention residents of Western Florida, hide the women and children. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. The octogenarians have hit Tampa, and they are taking no prisoners. This frightening development became reality this afternoon at Tampa Bay Downs, with the cutting loose of a speeding bullet of a filly named It’s Me Mom. The principles of this taking of Tampa include 85-year-old breeder and owner Thomas Bosch, his wife of 59 years, Jean, and their 82-year-old assistant trainer, Ray Stifano.
After the onslaught thousands witnessed today in the Minaret Stakes, a slew of difficult questions need to be asked … How could this have happened? Do they think eighty is the new thirty? Should we have seen this coming and been better prepared? What’s next for this trio of eighty somethings?
Here are the specifics as reported by a few clearly shaken eyewitnesses on the scene …
It’s Me Mom broke on top in the feature today at the Oldsmar oval, and before anyone knew what happened she was three lengths clear of the ten horse field. With rider Willie Martinez in the saddle, the three-year-old daughter of Put It Back sped thru early fractions of 22.07 and 44.65 as she effortlessly extended her large margin. Martinez sat as quiet as could be while It’s Me Mom opened up a ten length advantage before coasting past the wire an 8 ¼ length easy-as-could-be winner.
It was not only everyone at the Downs today that was affected by the intimidating feat of speed, but her wrath was felt in a historical perspective as well. It’s Me Mom’s time of 1:09.68 for the six panels crushed the previous Minaret Stakes record of 1:10 2/5 set by Forli’s Lass 18 years ago.
One brave interviewer dared to approach the octogenarians after the race, and gathered these quotes …
“We’ve had a lot of winners, but none like her,” said Jean Bosch, while her husband Thomas quipped, “Day by day as she grew up, I knew she was going to be good.”
Meanwhile Stifano, who was filling in for the under the weather regular trainer, Lynne Scace, had this to say, “We try to pick good spots for her and the money adds up.”
Clearly the bunch is just taunting anyone under 80.
As for their filly, It’s Me Mom raised her lifetime record to 8-for-13 lifetime, and appears to be a real threat to challenge the fastest fillies in the nation sooner than later. As if this is not scary enough, the Bosches also bred, own and race It’s Me Mom’s 2-year-old full sister, Eyes of Love.
Be afraid, be very afraid.