Trainer Shug McGaughey has made the most of his trips to Tampa Bay Downs the last three winters, posting a healthy 37.5 percent winning percentage including a 7-for-14 record so far at the current meet. McGaughey hopes the good times continue this week as he’ll start likely favorite Change of Command in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis and Whocouldaskformo in the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies the same day. First, however, McGaughey on Wednesday will send out African Waters, the probable favorite in a maiden special weight race for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and 40 yards on a nine-race card that includes eight claiming races, four for maidens. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. African Waters, a $1.2 million yearling purchase, is by War Front out of the A.P. Indy mare Vaulcluse, who went 3 for 3 in her career including a victory in the 2008 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa. Another half-sister, Nette Nette, won her maiden at Tampa in January 2022. African Waters, winless in three career starts, finished a well-beaten second behind Paris Style in a one-mile maiden race at Aqueduct in November. Last out, at Tampa, African Waters set a pressured pace, but was passed at the sixteenth pole and had to settle for second, 2 1/4 lengths behind Rita’s Onthe Beach. “I thought she ran good,” said McGaughey, whose winter string is split between Gulfstream Park and Payson Park. “To go over there and run that hard over that track is not that easy.” African Waters will break from the rail under Vincent Cheminaud, who is 4 for 7 at this meet for McGaughey. Trainer Barbara Minshall, who has not started a horse at Tampa in three years, sends out Money Beets in this spot. Over the last five years, Minshall, who runs mostly at Woodbine, has two wins and a third at Tampa with horses going from synthetic to dirt as Money Beets will be doing in this spot. Money Beets is a half-sister to Awesome Aaron, a three-time winner on dirt. Serena’s Court goes back to dirt for trainer Christophe Clement after finishing fourth, beaten three lengths, in a turf maiden race Jan. 5, her first start in just more than a year. Serena’s Court is related to 10 winners from the dam Home Court and is a full sister to Grade 1 winner Dancing Rags. Eyes of Gold is 0 for 12, but has two seconds and seven thirds for trainer Larry Demerrite. She was fourth in the same race in which African Waters was second. McGaughey won two races and had a third runner get beat a neck at Tampa last week. On Saturday, McGaughey won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes with Never Explain. On Jan. 31, Tracy Flick captured a second-level allowance, her third win from four starts since returning from a layoff. McGaughey said his goal with Never Explain is to get him back to the Grade 2 Dinner Party, a race run at Pimlico on Preakness Day that he won last year. He could run him once before, potentially in the $150,000 Danger’s Hour on April 20 at Aqueduct. Tracy Flick, a 6-year-old mare, will return to Tampa for the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough on March 9, McGaughey said. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.