Smooth sailing for Any Given Saturday

Any Given Saturday passed his first test on the Kentucky Derby trail just as trainer Todd Pletcher hoped he might. He drew off to a relatively easy 2 3/4-length victory over All I Can Get in Saturday's $150,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs without emptying the tank too much for more important endeavors.

Any Given Saturday, a son of Distorted Humor, stalked the pace, then collared pacesetter All I Can Get turning for home in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis. He began to assert his superiority approaching the eighth pole and drew off under a steady hand ride by jockey John Velazquez.

The win was the third in four career starts for Any Given Saturday, who is owned by WinStar Farm. He had last raced Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs, where he had finished second in the Kentucky Jockey Club

"I thought it was a perfect first race back," said Pletcher.

"I didn't want this to be the peak race of his career, and I felt we accomplished everything we hoped for today. I wanted to get a good two-turn race under his belt and not start him back going a one-turn mile, which is one reason we brought him here.

"He hadn't run in a while, and any time you come to a new, deep, demanding surface you always worry if you'd done enough.

"I thought he ran a little green and pricked his ears waiting on horses after making the lead. Hopefully, he'll improve on that as we go along. The plan now is to bring him back here next month for the Tampa Bay Derby."

Any Given Saturday ($2.40) ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.27. Pletcher won the Sam F. Davis last year with Bluegrass Cat.

Endeavour: Cassydora gets U.S. win

Cassydora slowed the pace down through the opening six furlongs, then had more than enough left to scamper away from her rivals through the final furlong for a three-length victory in the $108,750 Endeavour Stakes.

Under Velazquez, the British-bred Cassydora posted her first victory in the United States, covering the 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf course in 1:43.05.

Bright Abundance rallied late to gain second by three-quarters of a length over longshot Warrior Girl, with Calla Lilly fourth in the field of 10 fillies and mares.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Cassydora returned $3.80 as the public choice, earning $60,000 for the win.

In the $75,000 Suncoast Stakes, Autobahn Girl angled out four wide into the stretch and responded to the strong urging of Daniel Centeno to rally past Trainee and post a three-length win.

Autobahn Girl ($4.20), trained by Nick Zito, covered about a mile over a fast main track in 1:38.39 to post her fourth win from seven starts

Trainee, who had gotten through along the rail to hold a short lead into the stretch, was 2 1/2 lengths clear of longshot Saint Barbara, with Miss Tizzynow a tiring fourth.

- additional reporting by Doug McCoy