Twice graded stakes-placed before this Saturday, Classic Causeway returned from a two-month layoff to put in an impressive performance in the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The 3-year-old son of Giant's Causeway deftly handled early pace pressure and pulled clear from his rivals in the lane, winning by about four lengths as the 8-5 favorite under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. Trained by Brian Lynch, Classic Causeway covered 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:42.80.
Classic Causeway races for his breeders, Kentucky West Racing LLC and Clark M. Cooper. The Davis victory earns him 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby; the colt already had six points, and the new total of 16 puts him at the top of the Derby leaderboard.
Breaking from the three-post in a field of 12, Classic Causeway was very sharp early to get inside position around the clubhouse turn. He was quickly joined by the drawn-in also eligible entry Little Vic on the outside, who remained at the eventual winner's throatlatch through fractions of :22.66 and :46.67.
Rounding the far turn, Ortiz sat motionless on Classic Causeway to allow Little Vic to draw even. When Ortiz went to work at the head of the lane, Classic Causeway burst clear from his rivals with ease. Racing a bit greenly down the stretch, first getting out then drifting back to the rail, Classic Causeway made it an easy victory by about four lengths.
Shipsational came from well off the pace to gain second, while Volcanic ran evenly to finish third. Strike Hard and God of Love rounded out the top five.
Bred in Kentucky by his owners, Classic Causeway is out of the multiple stakes-winning Thunder Gulch mare Private World. He won on debut at Saratoga, then ran third in the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland and second in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. Overall, the colt has won two of his four starts for earnings of $331,100.
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