Poster, undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct in December, will make his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Originally considered for the $250,000 Withers at Aqueduct last Saturday, Poster’s plan B became the Sam Davis when he missed some training time due to winter weather in Florence, Ky., where he was based at Turfway Park. Poster is trained by Eoin Harty, who maintains a string at Turfway and Tampa during the winter. Following a Jan. 25 work at Turfway, Harty shipped Poster to Tampa where on Sunday he worked five furlongs in 1:01.60, equaling the fastest of 20 recorded works at the distance. Harty said Poster began behind a stablemate and finished on even terms at the wire. “He certainly wasn’t under a lot of duress to do what he did.” Harty said. “His works have been better and better all winter and I was very happy with his work yesterday.” :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2025: Point standings, prep schedule, news, and more As of Monday, Harty was still trying to secure a rider for Poster. Flavien Prat, who rode him in the Remsen, is committed to ride John Hancock for Brad Cox in the Sam Davis, a race that offers qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) to its top five finishers toward the May 3 Kentucky Derby. The Davis is a stepping-stone to the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby on March 8. Poster will be one of two horses Harty runs in the Davis. Very Bold, third in the Pasco Stakes going seven furlongs at Tampa on Jan. 11, will try 1 1/16 miles for the first time. “He finished very well the other day, he galloped out very strongly and he’s worked well since then,” Harty said. “He’ll be a longshot but it’s a risk worth taking.” Entries for the Sam Davis will be taken on Wednesday. Others expected include Owen Almighty, Naughty Rascal, Treaty of Rome, Smoken Boy, Dr Ruben M, and the maidens Camp Hale and Gateskeeper. A small field is expected for the Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile and 40 yards. La Cara, winner of the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs, heads a group that could include Dancing Magic, Deloraine, Queen in the Deck, Cloe, and Her Laugh. Book’em Danno back to work Book’em Danno, a Grade 1 sprint winner in 2024, had his second work of the year Sunday at Tampa, breezing a half-mile in 48 seconds, the second-fastest of 100 recorded works at the distance. Trainer Derek Ryan said he may look to run Book’em Danno in early to mid-March with the possibility of using that as a prep for the Godolphin Mile on April 5 at Meydan. Ryan said that Book’em Danno has gotten bigger, which may lead him to try him going longer in 2025. “I don’t think he wants to sprint anymore,” Ryan said. “We’ll eventually get him going two turns, maybe get him on the turf.” Last year at this time, Book’em Danno was preparing for a trip to Saudi Arabia where he finished second, beaten a head by Forever Young, in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby. Book’em Danno returned to the U.S. where he won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga and then the listed Jersey Shore Stakes at Monmouth Park. Top pair drop in feature Rocio and Skipwineyesterday have been traveling in the same circles lately, the former finishing ahead of the latter in a pair of first-level allowance races. Wednesday, both 3-year-old fillies are dropping in class in the same starter allowance/optional $32,000 claiming event that serves as the featured final race on Tampa’s nine-race card. Rocio has finished second and third while Skipwineyesterday was fourth and fifth in allowance races run here on Dec. 13 and Jan. 10, respectively. Rocio did win on turf for maiden $40,000 claiming and debuted for maiden $30,000, the latter race making her eligible for this spot. Skipwineyesterday is being offered for the $32,000 claiming price by trainer and part-owner Tim Padilla. Dynamic Actress was a front-running winner of maiden $32,000 claimer on Jan. 4 and may try to wire this field. Brown on a roll Trainer Chad Brown has won eight of the last 10 races in which he’s had starters at Tampa, including seven straight from Jan. 25 through Feb. 2. The run includes a sweep of both graded turf stakes over the weekend as part of a four-win Saturday afternoon. Brown’s streak began in the eighth race on Jan. 25 when Garamond won a maiden race. Then, Fundamentally won a Jan. 31 turf maiden race. On Saturday, Brown’s four wins included the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes with Running Bee, who set a course record of 1:38.83 for 1 1/16 miles on turf. Running Bee, owned and bred by Calumet Farm, earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. Running Bee’s victory came about an hour after Saffron Moon won the Grade 3 Endeavour by 2 1/4 lengths over See You Around. Venencia, Brown’s other runner in the race finished third. Saffron Moon could be a candidate to return to Tampa for the Grade 2 $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes on March 8. Brown also won a turf maiden with Goncora and a turf allowance with Notinamillionyears on Saturday. Jockey Flavien Prat was aboard all four winners. Brown came back Sunday to win an allowance with High Beta before his seven-race winning streak was snapped when Catherine Wheel finished second in a dirt allowance. Brown is 11 for 27 at the Tampa meet and sixth in the trainer standings. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.