Following last weekend’s Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races, two more are scheduled for the opening weekend of February. The $250,000 Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Florida, comes on Super Bowl weekend. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers (10-4-2-1).
So does the $250,000 Grade III Withers Stakes at Aqueduct in Queens, New York — the first 1 1/8-mile Derby prep of the season.
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Check out the race preview highlights for Saturday, Feb. 6.
Sam F. Davis Stakes
Race 11, post time 5:02 p.m. EST
1 – Hidden Stash (10-1)
2 – Joe Man Joe (20-1)
3 – Known Agenda (6-1)
4 – Millean (12-1)
5 – Smiley Sobotka (3-1)
6 – Runaway Magic (8-1)
7 – Boca Boy (5-1)
8 – Nova Rags (4-1)
9 – Candy Man Rocket (10-1)
10 – Ricochet (15-1)
11 – Lucky Law (20-1)
12 – Last Investment (30-1)
Nova Rags and Smiley Sobotka are pace pressers, and favorites according to the odds. Candy Man Rocket is another runner up front off a solid speed figure race. Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the race six times, and he enters Known Agenda and Millean. Known Agenda is considered a value with Pletcher’s go-to jockey Johnny Velazquez riding. He has a win and runner-up finish, and also a third-place finish last start at Aqueduct in the mud, when he was bumped and ran wide throughout the race.
Withers Stakes
Race 8, post time 4:25 p.m. EST
1 – Shackqueenking (10-1)
2 – Royal Number (6-1)
3 – Capo Kane (3-1)
4 – Mr. Doda (30-1)
5 – Risk Taking (5-2)
6 – Overtook (6-1)
7 – Donegal Bay (7-2)
8 – Civil War (50-1)
9 – Eagle Orb (10-1)
Donegal Bay, Risk Taking and Eagle Orb are the top win contenders, and Capo Kane will take money after he won the Jerome Stakes last out in front of New York-bred Eagle Orb. Trainer Todd Pletcher has both Donegal Bay and Overtook entered, and trainer Chad Brown has the favorite, Risk Taking.
