Irad Ortiz Jr. was elated as he met trainer Brian Lynch in the winner’s circle following Owen Almighty’s electrifying victory in the Grade III, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.

“I tapped him on the shoulder when they started getting close to me,” Ortiz said, “and ‘whoosh.’”

The 3-year-old surged ahead, finishing 3 ½ lengths clear of dual Grade I winner Chancer McPatrick. Hill Road took third, while favorite Patch Adams settled for fourth. His winning time of 1:42.30 was the second-fastest in race history.

Owen Almighty, who had faced tough luck in previous stakes races, claimed $210,000 and 50 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points. But Lynch remains cautious about his Derby prospects, preferring a shorter-distance campaign.

However, Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing COO Payton Boersma had bigger aspirations: “He really showed what he is made of today. He’s going to be really tough going into that Derby – the Kentucky Derby, of course.”

Lynch, collecting his second Tampa Bay Derby win, praised Ortiz’s ride. “I didn’t give him any instructions… just said, ‘class horse, class rider.’”

Ortiz, thrilled with the performance, credited a small equipment change for unlocking Owen Almighty’s full potential.

“We had some cheater blinkers on him last time and they were still too little,” Ortiz explained. “I talked to Brian and we decide to give him a little fuller blinkers today, and I think it helped.” 

The result: “Today when I tapped him, he jumped on the bridle and I said, ‘Let’s roll.’ I didn’t wait for nobody and he didn’t wait for nobody, so that was huge.”

With a record-breaking race day and a stellar performance, Owen Almighty now stands at a crossroads—Kentucky Derby dreams or Lynch’s preferred path? Only time will tell.