Tampa Bay Derby: Expected off track added hurdle for Classic Causeway

OLDSMAR, Fla. – A key Kentucky Derby prep already featuring plenty of unknown variables apparently will have another one thrown into the mix when the Tampa Bay Derby is run amid what forecasters are saying is a 100 percent chance of rain for Saturday.

What is known – regardless of track condition or how inhibiting the rain might be – is that Classic Causeway will be a solid favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds in the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, one of the last 50-20-10-5 qualifying races before points become worth even more toward the May 7 Kentucky Derby. Brian Lynch, the trainer of Classic Causeway, is eager to see how the colt handles himself when returning to Tampa Bay Downs from his Atlantic Coast base following an emphatic victory here four weeks ago in the Sam F. Davis Stakes.

“We’ve all seen the forecast, and it’s not good,” said Lynch. “We won’t know how he’ll handle the slop until we try it, I guess. The main thing is the colt seems to be doing really well, so we’ll find out more Saturday.”

Classic Causeway, with Irad Ortiz Jr. back to ride, will break from post 4 in the 42nd Tampa Bay Derby, a 1 1/16-mile race that happens to be the only Kentucky Derby prep this week or next. His 3 3/4-length triumph in the Davis was something of a breakthrough, helping to obscure his defeats as the favorite in a pair of graded stakes last fall in Kentucky while positioning him among the early favorites for the 148th Derby at Churchill Downs.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Lynch knew the waters – no pun intended – would get deeper as Classic Causeway ventured farther down the Derby trail, but it’s a challenge he is relishing.

“He came out of the Davis in great shape,” said Lynch. “He’s carrying good weight and he has great energy.”

Classic Causeway, owned by Clarke M. Cooper and the Kentucky West Racing of Patrick O’Keefe, caught a flyer leaving the starting gate in what shaped up as a speed-laden renewal of the 1 1/16-mile Davis, a development that left Ortiz little choice but to maintain his forward position. The colt basically wound up going wire to wire, rating kindly while shrugging off all challenges ahead of getting his final sixteenth of a mile in less than six seconds.

One of his main rivals Saturday is Shipsational (post 9, Manny Franco), who ran on late to be second in the Davis when making his first start in open company after competing with fellow New York-breds in his first four starts, including two wins in as many tries over sloppy tracks. The Midshipman colt is trained by Eddie Barker, a lifelong New Yorker who surely would become one of the more interesting stories of the upcoming Derby if Shipsational can stay the course. Barker, 76, has never been remotely close to having a Derby prospect of this caliber.

“It’s exciting to have a colt like this,” said Barker.

Newcomers to Tampa and/or the stakes ranks are among the many X-factors in this race. They include two colts from uber-barns – Major General for Todd Pletcher and Money Supply for Chad Brown – along with Giant Game and Belgrade.

Major General (post 8, Javier Castellano) will be looking to add to Pletcher’s record six wins in this race when making his first start since he earned the first 10 Derby points in winning the Iroquois at Churchill last September.

Money Supply (post 11, Jose Ortiz) has raced just once, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a six-furlong maiden race to open the Davis card, so the demands on him with this new assignment clearly are high.

:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!

Giant Game (post 5, Joe Talamo) was third last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, which thus far has shown itself to be a negative key race. The colt underwent minor throat surgery following a resounding defeat last month in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

Belgrade (post 10, Hector Diaz Jr.), a winner of both prior starts, is one of a handful of sleepers in a race with a recent history of longshot winners, including Quip (19-1 in 2018), King Guillermo (49-1 in 2020), and Helium (15-1 in 2021).

Rounding out the lineup are Grantham, Trademark, Happy Boy Rocket, Golden Glider, Strike Hard, and Spin Wheel.

The Tampa Bay Derby is the 11th of 12 races on a Festival Day card that starts at 12:15 p.m. Eastern. Post time for the feature is 5:23. Four preceding stakes help to make up a pick-five wager (races 7-11), those being the Hillsborough, Challenger, Florida Oaks, and Columbia. The biggest name in those undercard stakes is Greatest Honour, returning from nearly a year layoff in the Challenger.

The first six races all are on dirt in a tacit nod to the forecast, with Commandperformance, runner-up in the Champagne and fourth in the BC Juvenile, sure to be a huge favorite for Pletcher in a maiden-special route (race 5).

Tampa officials are hoping to surpass the track record for one-day mutuel handle ($15.2 million) set on the corresponding date last year.

General admission is $15, available online or walk-up.