By Margaret Ransom
Horses at Tampa Bay Downs – Photo Courtesy of www.TampaBay.com
Since it was first contested in 1981, the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) has produced just two winners of the Kentucky Derby (G1): Street Sense won this race in 2007 while Super Saver was third in 2010. It has, however, produced a significant number of Derby starters and this year a talented field of 12 sophomores, led by Sam F. Davis (G3) winner Sole Volante, will seek to improve those statistics. Once again, the 1 1/16-mile event is sponsored by Lambholm South, a successful thoroughbred nursery and training center located in Florida. American financier and businessman Jack Dreyfus founded Hobeau Farm in the 1960s and the facility was purchased by longtime horseman Roy S. Lerman in the mid-2000s and added to the previous Lambholm South facility once known as Allen Paulson’s Brookside Farm. Lerman opened Lambholm South in 2000 and it’s been one of the more successful operations in the Ocala, Florida area.
Tapwrit won this race in 2017 before going on to win the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Verrazano won the Tampa Bay Derby before winning the Wood Memorial (G1) and Haskell Invitational (G1) in 2013. He also owns the stakes record, clocking the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36. A year ago, the highly regarded Tacitus won this race en route to a win in the Wood Memorial (G2) and an official third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. Most recently, Tacitus was fifth in the inaugural $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia, the worst finish of his 10-race career which earned him $1 million. The Tampa Bay Derby is again a significant stop on the Triple Crown trail and offers Derby qualifying points on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the top-four finishers, virtually guaranteeing the winner a spot in the Kentucky Derby gate. Six jockeys – Daniel Centeno, Eibar Coa, Richard Migliore, Pat Day, John Velazquez and Jose Ortiz — each have ridden two winners of this race to tie as leading rider, while trainer Todd Pletcher has saddled five winners, including four of the last seven (Limehouse, 2004; Verrazano, 2013; Carpe Diem, 2015; Destin, 2016; and Tapwrit, 2017). Five winners of the Sam F. Davis, the traditional prep for this race, have gone on to win the Tampa Bay Derby — Phantom Jet (1987),
Speedy Cure (1991), Marco Bay (1993), Thundering Storm (1996) and Burning Roma (2001).
It’s going to be a beautiful day on Saturday with highs in the mid-60s under partly cloudy skies. The Tampa Bay Derby is one of five big stakes races on the card and will be the 11th with a post time of 5:25 p.m. ET. The field, in post-position order with jockey, trainer, and pedigree:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Breeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Swing | J. Castellano | T. Pletcherr | Curlin—Derby Eve, by Tiznow |
| 2 | Spa City | D. Centeno | K. McLaughlin | Street Sense—Sara Louise, by Malibu Moon |
| 3 | Relentless Dancer | A. Gallardo | M. Maker | Midshipman—Passion for Words, by Benchmark |
| 4 | Chance It | P. Lopez | S. Joseph, Jr. | Currency Swap—Vagabon Diva, by Pleasantly Perfect |
| 5 | Market Analysis | J. Velazquez | T. Pletcher | Honor Code—Interest Free, by Exchange Rate |
| 6 | Mo Mosa | P. Morales | M. Maker | Uncle Mo—Roughing, by Eskendereya |
| 7 | Sole Volante | F. Geroux | P. Biancone | Karakontie—Light Blow, by Kingmambo |
| 8 | Letmeno | C. Landeros | I. Wilkes | Twirling Candy—Wicked Mizz, by Mizzen Mast |
| 9 | Unrighteous | J. Bravo | T. Pletcher | Violence—Tapit Ten, by Tapit |
| 10 | Bye Bye Melvin | J. Leparoux | H. Motion | Uncle Mo—Karlovy Vary, by Dynaformer |
| 11 | King Guillermo | S. Camacho | J. Avila | Uncle Mo—Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band |
| 12 | Tons of Gold | A. Suarez | A. Delgado | Tonalist—Exit to Heaven, by Holy Bull |
