G3 Sam Davis 250K Sat

Eight to contest Sam F. Davis at Tampa
Brisnet

Eight three-year-old colts and geldings will take a swing at a potential $1 million bonus when they line up for Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs over 1 1/16 miles.

The Sam F. Davis is the leading local prep for the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, but none of its participants will earn points toward eligibility in the $2 million Kentucky Derby. To enhance the quality of the field, Tampa Bay Downs is offering a $1 million bonus for any horse who sweeps the Davis, the March 8 Tampa Bay Derby and May 3 Kentucky Derby.

Favoritism in the Davis may come down to either Noble Cornerstone or Cousin Stephen, both of whom graduated impressively at Aqueduct last fall. The New York-bred Noble Cornerstone dominated state-bred maidens in his six-furlong debut on November 3, winning by 5 1/2 lengths, and then shipped west the following month to compete in the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park. The Wesley Ward charge turned in a gallant effort, rallying from off the pace to finish second by a neck.

Cousin Stephen, a 7 1/2-length maiden winner going nine furlongs in his second career start, exits a fifth-place effort in a January 3 allowance at Gulfstream won by Commissioner, a hot sophomore prospect trained by Todd Pletcher. Second by a neck that day was the Shug McGaughey-trained Top Billing, who came back to beat allowance foes over the same track last week. Both of those colts are headed to Fountain of Youth on February 22.

Pletcher has entered two in the Davis. Both Harpoon and Vinceremos enter off Gulfstream maiden wins, Harpoon by 5 1/2 lengths going a mile in late December and Vinceremos by a head over the same trip in early January.

Canadian snowbirds are well-represented in the Davis. Matador, who broke his maiden in the grassy Cup and Saucer at Woodbine, is joined by Asserting Bear, who soundly beat that rival in their return match in the Coronation Futurity over Polytrack. Neither colt has raced on dirt.

Also trying dirt for the first time is School On a Hill, a Wayne Catalano trainee who won at first asking on the turf but went unplaced in two subsequent stakes appearances. Imaginethatmom, a maiden winner on dirt at Calder, enters the Davis off three straight unplaced finishes in stakes company at Gulfstream.

The Eclipse Award-winning Pletcher barn has a strong contender in Salto for the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa over 1 1/16 miles on the turf. A two-time allowance winner since his importation from France, the six-year-old missed by a head in Gulfstream's $100,000 El Prado in his most recent start.

The Shug McGaughey-trained Seal Cove will attempt to win his first graded stakes in the Tampa. The six-year-old gray has won six of 11 starts in a brief career, and has not been seen since upsetting a stakes-quality allowance at Saratoga in July.

Others looking to rekindle some of their old form are Grade 2 winners Riding the River and Guys Reward, and Grade 3 veterans Philly Ace, Looking Cool, and Humble and Hungry. Also in the mix are Nicklaus Way and Super Chunky, who were separated by a neck at the finish of a January 8 allowance prep for this, and Dannhauser, most recently second in an off-the-turf renewal of the W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder.

The $100,000 Suncoast, the most lucrative main track race for three-year-old fillies during the Tampa Bay Downs meet, attracted a field of 10, plus two also-eligibles, to go one mile and 40 yards.

The Michael Matz-trained Comme Chez Soi, who followed up her Laurel debut win with a photo-finish loss against allowance company at Gulfstream, might be well-backed here. Also likely to attract support is the Pletcher-trained Dame Dorothy, a Bernardini filly who won on debut at Aqueduct in late November.

The top three finishers from the $51,000 Gasparilla at Tampa on January 4 -- Nesso, Ice for the Lady, and Runway Giant -- renew acquaintance here. Others of note include Light Bringer, who landed the $65,000 Chispiski at Calder last out; Please Explain, a 5 1/2-length maiden winner at Gulfstream most recently; and Ian Wilkes-trained Churchill graduate Playful Love.

why is this race not part of the TC trail?

DO NOT LEAVE MALCOLM PIERCE'S HORSE GOLDEN SABRE OFF ANY TICKET IN THE TURF RACE!!