OLDSMAR, Fla. – Well Defined will be looking for his first victory since going wire to wire in the 2019 Sam Davis when he faces five other older horses in the Friday feature at Tampa, a $25,000 allowance carded as the fifth of nine races. No Dozing and Big Dollar Bill are among the other notables in the mile and 40-yard race.
A second allowance follows an hour or so later as race 7. It’s a $22,500 first-level turf mile that drew nine 3-year-old fillies. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – The Sam F. Davis is the primary focus of an annual Festival Preview Day card Saturday that leads to a second day of high-profile stakes on March 7, Tampa Bay Derby Day. The most accomplished runner in any of the three supporting events Saturday is Got Stormy, who figures as a heavy favorite in the Grade 3, $150,000 Endeavour for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, the only Kentucky Derby qualifier this weekend, got an unexpected measure of intrigue when Premier Star became a late addition to the lineup.
With Premier Star facing off against favored Independence Hall and perhaps six other 3-year-olds Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, the $200,000 Sam Davis will have two unbeaten colts in the field. Entries for the race were being taken Wednesday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The millionaire Lone Sailor swept into Oaklawn from Fair Grounds last week and won an allowance route by a neck after battling through the stretch with Bruder Bob. He will now remain here with his next start to be determined, trainer Tom Amoss said Tuesday.
Amoss said he was concerned about the race setup for the late-running Lone Sailor when a couple of speed horses scratched.
“It required us to be put a little closer than he likes, than what his style is,” he said. “In the end, the difference maker was Joe Talamo. He rode him great.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Robertino Diodoro has taken the early lead in the trainer standings at Oaklawn, with seven winners from 25 starters through Sunday. They include Pioneer Spirit in the $100,000 Fifth Season on Jan. 25 and Special Relativity in the $125,000 American Beauty last Saturday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Villainous helped trainer Jeremiah Englehart get off to a fast start at the Oaklawn Park meet when the 3-year-old won his two-turn debut on opening day.
Now, he’s headed for the track’s Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest on Feb. 17.
Villainous won a maiden special weight over a mile and a sixteenth Jan. 24, by a length and a quarter under Irad Ortiz, Jr. Villainous, by Wicked Strong, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 77.
Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., on Tuesday announced it will run 20 stakes at its meet, which opens April 8. The stakes will be worth a collective $1.3 million.
The $100,000 Evangeline Mile for 3-year-olds and up is the richest race of the meet and will be held June 27. Louisiana Legends Night, a program of eight statebred stakes worth $550,000, is May 30.
Evangeline will race 84 dates through Aug. 29.
Delta Downs in Vinton, La., will offer an all-stakes pick four with a minimum guaranteed pool of $50,000 on its Louisiana Premier Night program Saturday, said Chris Warren, the track’s director of racing.
Warren said the sequence will start with the sixth race and end with the ninth, the $150,000 Louisiana Premier Night Championship.
The program features a number of stakes for Louisiana-breds and starts at 5:10 p.m. Central.
Robertino Diodoro, who ranked as the third-winningest trainer in North America in 2019, said he plans to have a division of horses at the Lone Star Park meet, which opens April 16.
Diodoro moved into the Texas market in January, when he set up a division at Sam Houston. He’s gone 4 for 13 with his starters and had four seconds at Houston.
Enforceable had his first work since winning the Grade 3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds when he breezed a half-mile under Declan Carroll in 49.80 seconds on Sunday.
Working alone, Enforceable didn’t post a flashy time (nor is he a flashy work horse), but David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, seemed more than satisfied with the drill.
