OLDSMAR, Fla. – Speed, schmeed. The quickest horse in a speed-filled lineup also happened to be much the best as Classic Causeway ran himself squarely into the Kentucky Derby picture with a dominant triumph Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. “It was a great effort,” said an elated Brian Lynch, who trains Classic Causeway for Clarke Cooper and the Kentucky West Racing of Patrick O’Keefe. “The horse showed up today. He really did take the steps he needed to keep the dream alive.” Classic Causeway, favored at 8-5 under Irad Ortiz Jr., broke sharply from post 3 in the 1 1/16-mile Davis and had enough zip to match strides into the first turn inside of 13-1 shot Little Vic, who was gunned to the front by Paco Lopez from his far outside post in a full gate of 12 3-year-olds. Relaxing nicely with Little Vic alongside, Classic Causeway finally began easing away to a more comfortable advantage leaving the quarter pole. Classic Causeway, a Kentucky-bred by the classic sire Giant’s Causeway, returned $5.20 after finishing in 1:42.80 over a fast track. The winning time was .36 seconds off the stakes mark set in 2018 by Flameaway. Classic Causeway was given an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. :: Serious horseplayers use serious products. Get DRF's premium past performances, now free for the first time “I was getting pushed (by Little Vic), but my horse is fast, too,” said Ortiz, who rode four winners earlier on the 11-race card. “He was traveling perfect. I didn’t want to take too much out of him and take him back too much. He broke so good, so I just let him be, let him be free out there. I knew I had horse under me the whole time.” Down the stretch, Classic Causeway drew off while sporting the look of a legitimate contender for the 148th Kentucky Derby; the colt earned the top qualifying points for the May 7 race from a scale of 10-4-2-1. Shipsational, making his first start outside of New York-bred company, was along for second, 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner and another length before Volcanic in third. On paper, the 42nd Davis appeared to have genuine depth – and speed aplenty signed on – so Lynch, understandably, was very happy with the way the chestnut colt handled himself in his first start at 3. Classic Causeway began his career in September with a flashy maiden win at Saratoga before finishing third as the favorite in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity and second as the favorite in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. “I really did think this was a tough race going in,” said Lynch, a 57-year-old Australia native who has never had a Derby starter. “When the entries came out, I was thinking, ‘Maybe I should’ve run him last week in the Holy Bull’ at Gulfstream Park. “He’d been training so well coming into this,” added Lynch, “and when good horses are good, they’re good. He is really good at the moment.” Under mostly cloudy skies as dusk drew near, the early fractions went in 22.66, 46.67, and 1:11.51, with Ortiz sitting chilly. As some of the chasers began to fade, only a belated stretch run from Shipsational kept the margin from being any larger than it could have been. :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play like a pro with free Formulator, DRF's premium data product Lynch said he would discuss the next start for Classic Causeway with the owners, whom he described as “a couple of characters who are going to make this run down the Derby trail a whole lot of fun, we hope.” Trainer Ed Barker said he intends to run Shipsational back in the Tampa Bay Derby (50-20-10-5) on March 12. After the top three, the order was Strike Hard, Golden Glider, God of Love, Little Vic, Kitten Mischief, Mr Rum Runner, Make It Big, Unpredictable Bay, and Trademark. Howling Time was an early scratch. The $2 exacta (3-8) paid $39, the $1 trifecta (3-8-10) returned $152.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-8-10-11) was worth $89.40. Preliminary figures showed total handle at about $12 million for a card that also included three other stakes.