No More Time to start in Tampa Bay Derby off Sam Davis victory

No More Time, winner of the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 10, will head back to the Oldsmar, Fla. track for his next start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby March 9, owner Rich Mendez said Thursday.

“The logical place is the Tampa Bay Derby,” said Mendez, who heads the ownership group known as Morplay Racing. “We’re probably going to work him a week-and-half before the race, but the logical race to point to is the Tampa Bay Derby. He definitely liked the surface over there. We like our odds.”

The Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream on March 30 had also been mentioned as a possible start for No More Time.

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No More Time, a son of Not This Time, has won 2 of 4 starts. In between a maiden win and the Sam Davis, he finished fifth in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream. Trainer Jose D’Angelo scratched him out of the Holy Bull Stakes Feb. 3 at Gulfstream, believing he needed one more work to be spot on, which he was in the Sam Davis, a race he won by 1 1/4 lengths.

No More Time earned 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points by virtue of his victory in the Sam Davis. How he fares in the Tampa Bay Derby will likely impact if No More Time makes another start before the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

“If we get the points that we need, we’ll sit down with the whole team, speak to the trainer, and see what’s best for the horse and make that decision,” Mendez said.

The Tampa Bay Derby offers 105 qualifying points to its top five finishers (50-25-15-10-5) toward the Kentucky Derby.

Agate Road, second in the Sam F. Davis, has been mentioned as a possible starter in the Tampa Bay Derby as has Domestic Product, the runner-up to Hades in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream on Feb. 3.

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