US expert Tom Collins thinks powerful barns can dominate in Florida on Friday

The Goddess Lyssa
6.17 Tampa Bay Downs
2pts win

Rhythm Section
9.48 Gulfstream Park
1pt win

Idle Time
10.04 Tampa Bay Downs
2pts win

There is good-quality racing at Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park on Friday evening and I could have easily tipped a horse in the vast majority of the 20 races on offer.

However, it is always wise to stick to the most confident selections and hopefully the three promising sorts to make the final copy will add to 5-1 and 6-1 winners that were put up in this column earlier this week.

The first runner of serious interest is The Goddess Lyssa, who is one of the most highly regarded horses currently being campaigned at Tampa Bay Downs.

Gerald Bennett's three-year-old filly runs in what looks a high-class $21,000 allowance optional claimer (6.17), a race in which six improving horses are set to go to post.

Purchased for just $10,000, The Goddess Lyssa has proved to be a phenomenal buy and has already amassed almost four times her purchase price by winning all three career starts.

Bennett kept her sights low on debut by running her in a weak-looking maiden claimer in early January, but The Goddess Lyssa proved her good trackwork to be no lie as she cruised home for an easy 12-and-a-half-length success in a time just short of a track record over 5½f.

That was an incredible effort given she had never encountered race conditions before, wasn't pushed out to score and the record had stood for over seven years. The runner-up in that contest has won a maiden special weight since, so the form isn't too shabby either.

Given three weeks to recover from that effort, she was pitched into allowance optional claiming over 6f and again won with her head in her chest, beating another good field in the process.

Her latest display was equally impressive, too, as she was returning from a two-month layoff. She sauntered clear rounding the bend to strike by six lengths.

Bennett clearly has high hopes for The Goddess Lyssa following her early promise, and although she is in against the boys for the first time, she receives a handy 3lb fillies' allowance and can dominate from start to finish over a course and distance she loves.

Another smart sort to catch the eye on the Tampa Bay Downs card is Idle Time, who I tipped to make a winning debut at this venue in late March but he found one too good on the day.

The winner was North Dakota, who propelled clear of Idle Time in the final furlong and has subsequently proved himself to be a top-class prospect with another impressive victory at a higher level.

The form of that contest looks strong and given natural improvement, Idle Time should have every chance of getting off the mark at the second time of asking in the closing $20,000 maiden special weight (10.04) contest.

The four-year-old has clearly needed time to come to himself, but Christophe Clement does exceptionally well with his unexposed, young horses and can add another winner to his noteworthy Tampa haul (11 winners from 31 starters) this meet.

Another trainer working his magic in Florida is Todd Pletcher, who is set to saddle the top two in the market in an intriguing $33,000 starter optional claimer (9.48) on the Gulfstream Park card.

Mandate, drawn in gate one and partnered by Irad Ortiz, will take a fair bit of cash, but his form isn't in the same league as stable companion Rhythm Section, who will be tough to hold given a fast early gallop.

Owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who are best known for their successes with Aidan O'Brien, Rhythm Section built on a promising debut second over a mile at this track (slowly away, stayed on well) to land a maiden special weight contest at the end of March.

Held up early, Rhythm Section looked to have plenty to do down the backstraight, but the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah found his stride rounding the homebend and won with plenty in hand at the wire.

He clearly needs a strong pace to chase as he isn't the quickest to get into stride, but nothing will be finishing quicker and Luis Saez is a great man to have on board.

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