Three more races will run as part of the Prep Season in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series with 51 precious points on the line. The Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita and Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct all run on February 2.
10 points – Winner
4 points – 2nd place
2 points – 3rd place
1 point – 4th place
$200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita – 1 1/16 miles – Dirt
1. Little Jerry – Jockey Tyler Baze – Trainer Richard Baltas – 118 lbs
2. Flashback – Jockey Julien Leparoux – Trainer Bob Baffert – 118 lbs
3. Den’s Legacy – Jockey Garrett Gomez – Trainer Bob Baffert – 120 lbs
4. He’s Had Enough – Jockey Mario Gutierrez – Trainer Doug O’Neill – 118 lbs
The Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita drew just four horses, but includes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up He’s Had Enough and two Bob Baffert trained colts.
He’s Had Enough followed up his effort in the BC Juvenile with a rough trip in the CashCall Futurity (G1) at BetFair Hollywood Park that saw him bobble at the start and get bumped hard coming down the stretch. Temper the excitement for now as he’s still a non-winner of two race colt who just has the maiden score under his belt. He’s also finished 6th in the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf Stakes at Del Mar and 11th in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. Can the connections of last year’s Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another go on another big run with this colt? It all started with this race last year for the Owners at Reddam Racing, Trainer Doug O’Neill and Jockey Mario Gutierrez. They rattled off wins in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
As mentioned, Baffert will saddle two horses in this race, most notably Den’s Legacy. The Medaglia d’Oro colt finished 2nd in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview Stakes at Santa Anita, then won the Generous Stakes (G3) at Hollywood on the turf before finishing his two year old season with a 3rd in the CashCall. His first start at three was another 2nd in the Sham Stakes (G3). He lost to Goldencents by 1 1/2 lengths going one mile on the dirt.
$200,000 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct – 1 1/16 miles – Dirt Inner Track
1. Long River (KY) – Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin – Odds 7/2
1A. Valid (VA) – Jockey Junior Alvarado – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin – 116 lbs – Odds 7/2
2. Revolutionary (KY) – Jockey Javier Castellano – Trainer Todd Pletcher – 116 lbs – Odds 3/5
3. Escapefromreality (NY) – Jockey Jose Ortiz – Trainer Dominick Schettino – 116 lbs – Odds 6/1
4. Amerigo Vespucci – Jockey Erick Rodriguez – Trainer Timothy Tullock, Jr. – 116 lbs – Odds 15/1
5. Siete de Oros – Jockey Maria Remedio – Ramon Preciado – 120 lbs – Odds 8/1
6. Champion Boy – Jockey Eddie Castro – Trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero – 116 lbs – Odds 30/1
7. Smooth Bert – Jockey Michael Luzzi – Trainer Leah Gyarmati – 118 lbs – Odds 15/1
The Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct with sport a field of eight colts with no shock that trainer Todd Pletcher saddles the favorite, Revolutionary.
Revolutionary might have just broken his maiden, but he did it by destroying a field of six others by 8 1/2 lengths and was .73 seconds off the Aqueduct track record for one mile on the dirt. He looks primed for a big run.
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin brings an entry into the Withers. The A.P. Indy colt Long River broke his maiden on December 15 at Aqueduct, then finished 4th in his three year old debut in the Jerome Stakes (G2). Virginia bred Valid is the other half of the entry and comes into this race off his maiden score at Laurel Park going a mile on the dirt.
Siete de Oros isn’t getting respect with morning line of odds of 8/1, but the A.P. Warrior colt comes in off a solid 2nd place result in the Jerome Stakes. Prior to that, he finished 3rd in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes and won an Allowance at Parx Racing.
Escapefromreality broke his maiden first time out, then finished 2nd by a neck in an Allowance. This will be his first trip longer than six furlongs.
Smooth Bert is the only stakes winner in this field, yet he is 15/1 morning line odds. He won the Damon Runyon Stakes at Aqueduct last out on December 8 going one mile on the dirt. The race prior he ran 5th in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park after getting hit at the gate and going wide the entire race. Sleeper?
$250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs – 1 1/16 miles – Dirtk
1. Northern Lion – Jockey Patrick Husbands – Trainer Mark Casse – 116 lbs – Odds 9/5
1A. Dynamic Sky – Jockey Luis Contreras – Trainer Mark Casse – 116 lbs – Odds 9/5
2. Silver Day – Jockey Marcelino Pedroza – Trainer William Kaplan – 116 lbbs – Odds 20/1
3. Divine Ambition – Jockey Willie Martinez – Trainer Darrin Miller – 116 lbs – Odds 8/1
4. My Name Is Michael – Jockey Joel Rosario – Trainer Willam Mott – 116 lbs – Odds 4/1
5. Speak Logistics- Jockey Angel Serpa – Trainer Ed Plesa, Jr. – 120 lbs – Odds 3/1
6. Lightning Stone – Jockey Daniel Coa – Trainer William Allyn – 116 lbs – Odds 30/1
7. Balino – Jockey Nik Goodwin – Trainer Bernell Rhone – 116 lbs – Odds 30/1
8. Falling Sky – Jockey Luis Saez – Trainer John Terranova – 116 lbs – Odds 5/1
9. Midnite Poppa – Jockey Jose Lezcano – Trainer Nick Zito – 116 lbs – Odds 10/1
Trainer Mark Casse brings his entry to the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs this weekend.
Ontario bred Dynamic Sky is the reason why the entry is 9/5 morning line favorites to capture this race. The Sky Mesa colt has never ran in a maiden race. His debut came in a 3rd place performance in the Vandal Stakes at Woodbine. He folowed it up by winning the Simcoe Stakes. He shipped to Kentucky and ran 6th in the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and ran 2nd, a length behind Joha. He ran 6th in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after being steadied a couple of times during the race. His first race as a three year old was successful in taking the Pasco Stakes on January 12 in Tampa.
His entry mate Northern Lion ran 3rd in his debut at Woodbine on September 26, 2nd at Churchill Downs on November 24 and won his most recent at Gulfstream Park on December 22. A couple of bullet morning works shows he is ready for his three year old debut.
Trainer Ed Plesa has Speak Logistics running for the first time in three months. His last race was 7th in the BC Juvenile. The Florida bred colt by High Cotton won the Florida Stallion In Reality Stakes at Calder Race Course before the Breeders’ Cup. He too has a couple of bullet works.
Bill Mott will saddle My Name Is Michael who is by the hot sire Macho Uno. All four of his races were North of the border at Woodbine. Broke his maiden second time out, then finished 3rd in an Allowance race going six furlongs. His most recent was finishing 2nd in the Display Stakes on December 1 going 1 1/16 miles. This will be his first try on dirt.
Two more races remain in the Kentucky Derby Prep Season, then on to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series which features eight races. View the schedule here.
Never miss a beat on the Derby trail. Keep up to date by regularly checking the points standing at this page.
Loading ...