The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes is named in honor of the former president at Tampa Bay Downs when the track was known as Florida Downs and Turf Club. Unofficially, however, the race also belongs to trainer Todd Pletcher. The Hall of Famer sent out a record-extending seventh winner Feb.
Month: February 2023
Hit Show Cruises to Victory in Withers Stakes
As it turned out, getting to the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct was much harder for Hit Show than the race itself.
Yes I Am Free Scores Repeat Win In Gulfstream Turf Sprint
Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free went right to the front and was in control throughout Saturday at Gulfstream Park on his way to successfully defend his title in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3).
Yes I Am Free ($8.60) shot out of the starting gate and showed the way during a half-mile on fractions of :21.75 and :44.33 with Caratori and Shekky Shebaz in pursuit. The Laura Cazares-trained 7-year-old gelding continued on to score a half-length decision over a determined Carotari. The son of Uncaptured ran five-furlongs in :55.71 over a firm turf while making quick work of his title defense under Miguel Vasquez.
“We kind of had two ways that we were thinking it would play out: Get out, go to the lead, try to get to the rail and save some ground; get the lead and keep the lead. Or, if anybody else kind of wanted to go out in front, hang back a little bit, let the speed go and make a closing move.” Cazares said. “I told Miguel, 'Do what you need to do. You know how the race is going to play out there. I don't want to tell you too much. These are our two game plans and go with whichever one.'”
Carotari, the 7-5 favorite who was ridden by Joel Rosario, finished second three-quarters of a length ahead of Shekky Shebaz.
Yes I Am Free had come off a five-month layoff to win an optional claiming allowance by a hard-fought nose Jan. 19.
“His last race as a very tough race and we were very worried,” Cazares said. “He hadn't run in a while and we know he was going to need a race off the layoff but he fought the entire way. He was not giving up. He showed a lot of heart.”
Saturday's victory was Yes I Am Free's 11th in 25 career starts, the most memorable being last year's triumph in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.
“It feels amazing because I hadn't won a Grade 3 race before, I didn't really win any stakes race before, so this guy has done a lot for me and [the owners]. It's their first horse and look what he's done for them. He's done a lot for all of us,” Cazares said. “All the horses do a lot for all of us, but this guy has done the biggest so far. It's great.”
Bred in Florida by Sherry R. Mansfield and Kenneth H. Davis, Yes I Am Free was produced by the Yes It's True mare Yes It's Valid.
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Road To The Kentucky Oaks: Dreaming Of Snow Upstages Champion Wonder Wheel In 38-1 Suncoast Upset
Leading out of gate, Dreaming of Snow held off the hard-charging stretch bid of champion and 1-2 favorite Wonder Wheel to win the $100,000 Suncoast for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Ridden by Samy Camacho, Dreaming of Snow defied her 38-1 odds and gamely dug in when Wonder Wheel came calling in the final furlong and won by a neck. She returned $78.
Wonder Wheel, who rated in third early, then fourth under Tyler Gaffalione, launched her rally around the turn and took aim on leader but tired in her season debut.
Julia Shining finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Wonder Wheel, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2022.
Dreaming of Snow covered one mile and 70 yards in 1:40.18 on fast track.
The Suncoast is a qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in May at Churchill Downs, with the top five finishers earning points on a 20-8-6-4-2 basis.
A Florida-bred daughter of Florida stallion Jess's Dream, Dreaming of Snow tallied her first stakes win and entered off a fourth in her stakes debut in the Gasparilla Jan. 4 at the Oldsmar, Fla. track. Her overall record stands at 3-0-0 from five career starts and $170,850 in earnings. She is campaigned by Team Equistaff LLC and Winning Stables Inc. and trained by Gerald S. Bennett.
Dreaming of Snow's dam is the Old Fashioned mare Snow Fashion. She was bred by Karyn Philipp.
Suncoast Quotes
Trainer Gerald Bennett, winner Dreaming of Snow: “She's been training really well and getting better and better. She went a little backwards during the cold weather, but she blew out like a monster (Feb. 4, four furlongs in :46 flat) and galloped out quick. You had to be on the rail today and I told Samy (Camacho) to put her on the lead, and she kept going. She likes this track, so you can't win it if you're not in it.”
On Wonder Wheel's rally: “I said, 'Put your hands under her, Dear Lord, and carry her on home.' ”
Winning jockey Samy Camacho: “”I know this filly well and when I got on her in the morning for the first time, I told (Bennett) I have to stay on her. She's pretty nice, but I never thought she would run two turns like this. She came back again when Wonder Wheel came to her. I beat Wonder Wheel – WOW! I'm pretty happy.”
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, runner-up Wonder Wheel: “She was traveling great coming off the layoff. That was my only concern. I tried to wait on her as long as possible, but she just got tired today. Today wasn't the end goal. We've got bigger things ahead.”
Trainer Mark Casse, runner-up Wonder Wheel: “I thought she ran very well. I'm very proud of her. She got a little tired, but she ran good and this sets her up great (for the future).”
The post Road To The Kentucky Oaks: Dreaming Of Snow Upstages Champion Wonder Wheel In 38-1 Suncoast Upset appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
