Casse points two to Sam F. Davis Stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Classic Empire and Tepin were the biggest names nominated to the graded stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 11, but it’s possible that neither Eclipse Award winner will run here that day. Trainer Mark Casse reiterated Monday that Classic Empire is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut Saturday in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park and said that Tepin is only “50/50” to run here Feb. 11 after having a workout postponed due to wet weather in south Florida.

Classic Empire, honored as last year’s champion 2-year-old male after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was among 46 horses nominated to the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes, which offers 17 qualifying points to the Kentucky Derby to its top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 basis.

Casse still will be well represented in the Sam F. Davis here Feb. 11 by King and His Court, who won the Coronation Futurity in November and the Display Stakes in December at Woodbine, and State of Honor, who finished second in the Coronation Futurity and was the runner-up to Sonic Mule in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 7.

Among the other nominees to the Sam F. Davis are Sonic Mule, trained by Todd Pletcher; McCraken, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes for trainer Ian Wilkes; and Gunnevera, the winner of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special and Grade 3 Delta Jackpot for trainer Antonio Sano. Sonic Mule and Gunnevera are likely to start in stakes at Gulfstream this weekend instead. The Sam F. Davis is for 3-year-olds and covers 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Tepin, the champion female turf runner in each of the past two years, was nominated to defend her title in the Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes here Feb. 11, but her workout Monday was pushed back to Wednesday due to rain in south Florida. Casse said he was hoping to get two more works into Tepin ahead of her 6-year-old debut in the Endeavour, but she likely will get only one now. If she skips the Endeavour, she might be pointed to a defense of her title in the Grade 2, $200,000 Hillsborough Stakes here March 11, Casse said.

“We’re behind the eight ball a little bit with the weather,” Casse said.

Among the other nominees to the Endeavour are Sandiva, who won the Grade 3 Marshua’s River for the second straight year at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 14, and Isabella Sings, a three-time graded stakes winner who set the pace in last year’s Hillsborough before being reeled in by Tepin and finishing second. The Endeavour is for fillies and mares and covers 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The Feb. 11 card also features the Grade 3, $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes, for older horses going 1 1/16 miles on turf, and the $100,000 Suncoast Stakes, for 3-year-old fillies at one mile and 40 yards on the main track.

The nominees to the Tampa Bay Stakes include Ectot, the winner of the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont Park in October for Pletcher, and March, a two-time graded stakes winner for trainer Chad Brown.