Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher additionally dominated the $210,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs as his horse, Renegade, gained the preparatory race for the Kentucky Derby hosted by Woodford Reserve, extending Pletcher’s record-tying eighth profession victory within the race.
Sam F. Davis notched his first profession victory within the Renegade, however he entered the race with no abnormal maiden. After ending a distant third in his debut at Saratoga Race Course on August sixteenth, he crossed the wire first forward of promising Paladin in his first race at Water Duct on October seventeenth, however was disqualified for interference and completed second. Renegade then ran once more at Suidobashi within the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes on December 6, and after an early begin and a large race, ran second to Paladin by two lengths. Paladin is taken into account one of many early favorites to win the Kentucky Derby.
The Renegades as soon as once more went out on Sam F. Davis, which was no downside for the opponent they confronted on Saturday. The horse was closing in on No. 8 in a subject of 9 horses, and caught minor stakes winner Wayne’s Row in a straight line, pulling away from Irad Ortiz Jr. by 3 3/4 lengths. He ran the 1 1/sixteenth mile in 1 minute 43.54 seconds, took first place with a time of 1/sixteenth of a second at 05.97 seconds with 1 mile remaining, and paid $4.40 to win as the favourite.
“This is without doubt one of the greatest first wins of your life,” quipped Mike Lepore, co-owner of the Lepore steady, in an interview with FOX Sports activities.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. picked up his third win with Sam F. Davis after main different trainers to victories in Traditional Causeway (2022) and Ocean Night time (2015).
Earlier racer Wayne’s Regulation, who recorded instances of 23.80, 48.30 and 1:12.81, completed second in his solely begin final month within the extremely acclaimed first race, ending second on this race by 2 1/4 lengths over the second-favorite present finisher, The Puma. Sport for It was 4th and Epic Need was fifth. Sam F. Davis’ different common horse, Confessional, was caught in site visitors and fell to seventh place.
With Sam F. Davis becoming a member of the “Street to the Kentucky Derby” factors collection, the highest 5 horses will earn qualifying factors on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale for the primary leg of the Triple Crown on Might 2 at Churchill Downs. Officers within the nation use qualifying factors as a precedence system when the variety of horses within the Derby is above the capability of 20.
Mixed with the 5 factors that they had already earned from their runner-up end at Remsen, the Renegades now have 25 derby factors. Derby Renegade’s subsequent begin may very well be the $1.5 million G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park on March 28, however there may be yet one more race left earlier than that.
