OLDSMAR, Fla. – It’s no surprise to see Jamie Ness winning races, but last week Ness runners at Tampa Bay Downs were simply on fire. In a five-day span beginning Jan. 26, horses from the Ness barn won 9 races from 14 starts for a staggering 64 percent hit rate. There’s no secret that making good claims and keeping fresh stock is one of the keys to maintaining a high level of success for an operation like Ness’s and Saturday the trainer showed he has a pretty good eye for potential with the runners he claims. In the fifth race, Ness sent out Glazed Wings against $10,000 claiming sprinters in her first start since he claimed the filly for $8,000. Glazed Wings blew past the leaders into the stretch of that six-furlong sprint and drew away like a fresh horse, winning with something left while covering the distance in a very quick 1:10.38. While he lost Glazed Wings via the claim box, Ness also ran High Cry in a starter allowance on turf later in the day and she was equally impressive, pulling away to win by five widening lengths after making an eye-catching move to the front in the second turn. Ness said Sunday that the outfit “had a pretty good week,” adding that he has a strong team working for him that helps a lot. One of the disappointments of the week was the poor showing of My Irish Girl in the Sunshine Millions Sprint at Gulfstream. Ness agreed with other observers that My Irish Girl, who finished last in the field after being in striking distance early, never looked comfortable in the race over a new surface and also pointed out that she had had a busy campaign in 2010 that included a lot of shipping to different venues and it was time to give her a break. “She’s been running hard and deserves a break,” Ness said, “I think it’s time to give her a little R and R and relax a bit. She’s been good to us and deserves a vacation.” Transplanted Californian Brinson likes new winter home Trainer Clay Brinson brought a full r é sum é in the business to Tampa Bay Downs when he shipped here for the first time this winter with 16 head. A California native, Brinson’s father was a trainer and racing was all Brinson knew from the an early age. He rode for four years, winning riding titles at Golden Gate Fields and old Tanforan Race Course, and won aboard the famed Hill Rise before weight forced him to turn to training. Over the past 25 years, Brinson’s win percentage has hovered near 20 percent and the horseman has sent out more than 500 winners since 1976. Brinson said he has been pleased with what he has found at Tampa. “I really like it here, the track’s good to train over and the horses seem to like the atmosphere here,” Brinson said recently, “It’s a tough spot from a competition standpoint but if you’re looking to upgrade your stock like my owner Terry Hamilton and I are looking to do you’ve got to race where the purses are better and the racing’s tougher,” ◗ Jockey Daniel Centeno travelled to Gulstream Park on Sunday to ride Sandpiper and Gasparilla Stakes winner Devilish Lady in grade 2 Forward Gal but came home empty-handed as Devilish Lady faded through the stretch after pressing a blistering early pace and wound up sixth.