The Sam F. Davis is a vital prelude to Oldsmar Oval’s largest race, the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), which might be contested on March seventh.
Additionally on Saturday would be the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes, a one-mile, 40-yard race for 3-year-old fillies on the principle observe at Tampa Bay Downs. This race gives qualifying factors for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at 20-10-6-4-2. This would be the fifth match on this card. Eight second-year horses might be entered, led by Zanny, who’s a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, skilled by Reverend Pletcher, and has the potential to go undefeated.
Submit time for Saturday’s first race is 12:10pm EST. The Sam F. Davis card might be introduced as the ultimate eleventh race round 5:30 p.m.
The Sam F. Davis Stakes was gained final 12 months by Cox and Flavien Pratt, jockeyed by John Hancock. Renegade and Confessional might be ridden by world-class jockeys, with Renegade being ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and Confessional being ridden by Pratt. Epic Want’s jockey might be Sammy Camacho.
Pratt has gained the Eclipse Award as North America’s excellent jockey the final two instances, whereas Ortiz has gained the earlier two and 5 of the previous six.
Pletcher has gained the Sam F. Davis seven instances, together with 5 instances from 2010 to 2023, when the race was labeled as a Group 3 stakes. Conditioner Sam F. Davis’ first two wins performed a key function in incomes him Grade 3 standing for the 2009 race. Pletcher’s first win over Sam F. Davis in 2006, Bluegrass Cat, went on to complete second within the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and win the Haskell Invitational (G1).
The next 12 months, coach Sam F. Davis’ winner Any Given Saturday completed second within the Tampa Bay Derby and gained the Dwyer Stakes (G2), Haskell Invitational and Brooklyn Handicap (G2).
Destin, a winner of Pletcher’s sixth Sam F. Davis race in 2016, additionally gained the Tampa Bay Derby and Marathon Stakes (G2) that 12 months, and completed second to Creator within the Belmont Stakes.
Renegade is a maiden, however extremely regarded by revered disabled individuals. On October 17, he gained his first particular one-mile race at Large A in Belmont, however was disqualified resulting from a collision and completed second to Paladin. Within the Remsen Stakes (G2) held at Aqueduct on December 6, Renegade briefly took the lead in a straight line, however Paladin made a late comeback and misplaced by two lengths.
Confessional gained his debut at Keeneland on Oct. 16 and completed second to the Pletcher-trained Neary by 5 lengths within the allowance possibility declare race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 2. He nearly gained his subsequent begin, the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Racecourse on Saturday, successful by 5 3/4 lengths, making Confessional’s remaining efficiency much more spectacular.
