Sam F. Davis Offers 20, 10, 6, 4 and 2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points

The Sam F. Davis, a mile-and-a-sixteenth race on the main track, is a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" points race. The top five finishers will receive 20, 10, 6, 4 and 2 qualifying points toward securing a spot in the Run for the Roses starting gate on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

PROMINENT STAKES WINNERS FROM TOP BARNS AMONG SAM F. DAVIS NOMS

Jan 28 - Paladin, who won the Grade II Remsen Stakes on Dec. 6 at Aqueduct; Incredibolt, the winner of the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes on Oct. 26 at Churchill Downs; and Zany, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah who won the Grade II Demoiselle Stakes on Dec. 6 at Aqueduct, head a list of 45 3-year-olds nominated to the 46h running of the $250,000, mile-and-a-sixteenth Sam F. Davis Stakes for 3-year-olds, which will be contested Saturday, Februray 7 at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Sam F. Davis is the showcase of the track's Festival Preview Day card, which includes four stakes races worth a combined $625,000 in purse money. The race is a "Road to the Kentucky Derby" qualifying race, offering 20, 10, 6, 4 and 2 points to the top five finishers toward qualifying for a spot in the Run for the Roses on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

The other stakes on the card are the 46th edition of the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes, a mile-and-40-yard race for 3-year-old fillies that is a "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" qualifying race; the 45th running of the $125,000, 6-furlong Minaret Stakes for fillies and mares 4-years-old-and-upward; and the 42nd edition of the $125,000, 6-furlong Pelican Stakes for horses 4-years-old-and-upward.

Trainer Brad Cox, who won last year's Sam F. Davis Stakes with John Hancock, has nominated 10 colts to next week's race. Cox's nominees include stakes winner Commandment and the highly regarded Cannoneer.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the Sam F. Davis Stakes a record seven times, has seven nominees including Zany, who is also nominated for the Suncoast Stakes. Pletcher trained Rags to Riches to a Belmont Stakes victory against males in 2007 (five weeks after she won the Kentucky Oaks for fillies), so it will be fascinating to see which race Zany competes in if she comes to Tampa Bay Downs.

Zany won the Demoiselle by 8 ½ lengths to improve her record to 2-for-2.

Paladin is the lone Sam F. Davis Stakes nominee from the barn of Chad Brown, who has yet to win the Sam F. Davis but captured his first Tampa Bay Derby trophy in 2024 with Domestic Product.

Riley Mott, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is the trainer of Incredibolt. Bill Mott won the Sam F. Davis in 2021 with Candy Man Rocket.

The Sam F. Davis is the main prep race for the Grade III, $400,000 ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby on March 7.

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