Though the ungraded, $150,000 Suncoast Stakes drew the most star power on the Feb. 11 card at Tampa Bay Downs, with Wonder Wheel and Julia Shining among its entries, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) is the richest and deepest stakes race on the card.
It drew 12 sophomore colts and geldings, led by West Paces Racing and Stonestreet Stables' 2022 Remsen Stakes (G2) winner Dubyuhnell, vying for qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis offers points to its top five finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.
Also on the card is the $100,000 Pelican Stakes, a six-furlong race in which Jun Park and Delia Nash's graded-winning Sibelius is likely to be favored over 10 rivals.
Dubyuhnell, fourth in his debut behind eventual dual graded stakes winner Instant Coffee at Saratoga Race Course last summer, has rattled off two straight victories since that Sept. 3 engagement. He won a maiden race Oct. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack during the Belmont at the Big A meet and then repeated in the Dec. 3 Remsen, defeating New York-bred Arctic Arrogance by a half-length.
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A son of Good Magic , Dubyuhnell scored his two victories on sloppy tracks.
Jose Ortiz, aboard for all three of his races, travels from South Florida for the mount in Saturday's race for trainer Danny Gargan.
Centennial Farm's Litigate lacks Dubyuhnell's stakes experience but has been active this winter. Following a debut win at Aqueduct in December, he was a well-beaten second to Cyclone Mischief last month in a fast allowance optional claiming race last out at Gulfstream Park for eight-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, a Hall of Famer.
Luis Saez is aboard the Blame colt.
Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse also has two entrants in the Sam F. Davis: Champions Dream and Classic Car Wash. Champions Dream, a former Gargan trainee who closed fast to be second to Zydeceaux by a neck on Jan. 14 in the Pasco Stakes, is "definitely a much better horse now than he was (then)," Casse said.
Tyler Gaffalione has the riding assignment on Champions Dream.
Zydeceaux, who won the Pasco on the front end, also is entered and will look for a third straight win when he starts from the outside post under jockey Samuel Marin.
Tampa Bay Downs-based trainer Aldana Spieth has entered Dreaming of Kona, the stakes-winning Fast Anna gray colt she owns in partnership under her Aldana Gonzalez Racing banner with sister and brother Lisa and Steve Ballou, in the Sam F. Davis. Spieth's husband, Scott Spieth, will ride Dreaming of Kona.
Third in the Dec. 3 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa, Dreaming of Kona subsequently ran in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park, crossing the wire second before his promotion to first upon the stewards' disqualification of first-past-the-wire Legacy Isle for interference.
"He's doing very good now, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he has progressed (since the Mucho Macho Man). He was already very professional, but I think a lot of stuff clicked for him after that race. The shipping, the different environment, he handled everything well," Aldana Spieth said.
"If he knew halfway what he is supposed to do at that point, he is probably up to 75 or 80% (effectiveness) now," she added. "But he is still learning and enthusiastic about everything, and he is very focused. He loves to train and be out there and do his thing."
Dreaming of Kona, 2-for-3, having also won a maiden race Oct. 17 at Presque Isle Downs, races two turns for the first time in the Sam F. Davis.
Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, February 11, 2023, Race 10Entries: Sam F. Davis S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Worthington (KY) Pablo Morales 122 Michael J. Maker 20/1 2 2Prairie Hawk (KY) Samy Camacho 120 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 6/1 3 3Classic Legacy (KY) Junior Alvarado 120 William I. Mott 12/1 4 4Laver (KY) Jose E. Morelos 120 George R. Arnold, II 15/1 5 5Groveland (KY) Daniel Centeno 120 Eoin G. Harty 12/1 6 6Classic Car Wash (FL) Emisael Jaramillo 120 Mark E. Casse 20/1 7 7Dubyuhnell (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Danny Gargan 9/5 8 8Notah (KY) Antonio A. Gallardo 120 John P. Terranova, II 30/1 9 9Champions Dream (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Mark E. Casse 9/2 10 10Dreaming of Kona (KY) Scott Spieth 122 Aldana Spieth 12/1 11 11Litigate (KY) Luis Saez 120 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1 12 12Zydeceaux (FL) Samuel Marin 120 Ramon Minguet 20/1
