Puma defeated favorites Father Advert and Canaletto by three-quarters of a size within the $350,000 Grade 3 Esmark Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7, incomes sufficient qualifying factors to earn him a spot within the beginning gate for the Woodford Reserve-sponsored Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Might 2.
Puma is represented by lots of the similar connections as 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage, together with co-owner OGMA Investments, coach Gustavo Delgado and Corridor of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, all of whom punched their ticket to a return to the Derby.
Within the Tampa Bay Derby, regardless of being widened and falling again to 4 or 5 vehicles, Puma rallied from final place in a nine-horse discipline and outperformed his rivals with the very best efficiency of his three-race profession. He raced 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute, 43.23 seconds on a observe that was rated quick, though weakened by a short pre-race rainstorm.
The Tampa Bay Derby was Puma’s first profession win, however he entered the match as a extremely touted maiden. He completed second to Chief Wallaby within the last G2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes when he ran seven furlongs in his debut at Gulfstream Park on January 10, and third behind Renegade and Wayne’s Legislation within the 1.5-mile Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 7. These experiences led him to success within the Tampa Bay Derby. He paid $16.80 to win.
Puma deserved the win, beating Father Addo in second place and Canaletto in third place, each of whom have been a head behind on the end. As well as, Addo continued his robust 3-wide run and battled for place in his first begin of the 12 months. In the meantime, Canaletto, who took a landslide first win within the Gulfstream, raced as huge as The Puma. Neither racer was in a position to fend off the victor’s onslaught, with Canaletto drifting in and making slight contact with Canaletto earlier than stretching out in a straight line to take the win with a last time of 16:06.76.
Pacesetters Redland Rebels fell to fourth place. Tokin ran fifth.
The highest 5 finishers earned Kentucky Derby qualifying factors distributed on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. Mixed with the factors earned within the Sam F. Davis, Puma at present has 56 factors and is second on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard behind Paladin.
“I bear in mind even earlier than he ran for the primary time, he saved telling everybody, ‘It is a Derby horse,'” assistant coach Gustavo Delgado Jr. stated in an interview with Fox Sports activities.
The 2 Tampa Bay Derby rivals have gained Run for the Roses (Road Sense in 2007) and Tremendous Saver in 2010. They every made yet one more run between the Tampa Bay Derby and the beginning of the Triple Crown race.
