A 3-year-old colt, trained by renowned Kentucky Derby champions Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox, is one of three contenders in the nine-horse lineup for the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes this Saturday. This race is part of Tampa Bay Downs’ Festival Preview Day and marks the 46th running of the 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-olds on the main track. It serves as a points-earning event in the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding 20, 10, 6, 4, and 2 points to the top five finishers, with the Derby scheduled for May 2 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
The Sam F. Davis Stakes is an important stepping stone toward the track’s marquee race, the Grade 3, $400,000 Esmark Tampa Bay Derby, which will take place on March 7. Todd Pletcher is entering two horses—Renegade and Epic Desire—from the sixth and second post positions respectively, while Brad Cox’s entry, Confessional, will start from the inside rail in the first post. Saturday’s races will begin at 12:10 p.m., with the Sam F. Davis slated as the final race around 5:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay Downs is hosting a busy week of racing, offering fans five consecutive days of competition from Thursday through Sunday. Among the featured events is the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes, a mile and 40 yards race for 3-year-old fillies and also a Road to the Kentucky Oaks points race. Eight promising second-year horses will compete, including the undefeated Zanny, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, trained by Pletcher.
Additionally, Saturday’s card includes the $125,000 six-furlong Minaret Stakes for fillies and mares 4 years and older, featuring six runners such as Mystic Lake, a multiple Grade 2 winner and millionaire filly trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr. The day also highlights the 42nd Pelican Stakes for older male sprinters, where notable competitors include Naughty Rascal, Chrome Ghost, and El Principito, all Florida-based horses.
Many fans’ attention will center on the Sam F. Davis Stakes, which Cox and jockey Flavien Prat won last year. This year, Renegade will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Confessional by Flavien Prat, and Epic Desire by Sammy Camacho. Both Prat and Ortiz are highly decorated jockeys, with Prat winning the last two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey in North America, and Ortiz taking home five of the last six.
Todd Pletcher boasts an impressive record in the Sam F. Davis, having won the race seven times, including five victories between 2010 and 2023 when it held Grade 3 status. His early successes include Bluegrass Cat (2006) and Any Given Saturday (2007), both of whom achieved multiple graded stakes victories and strong placements in Triple Crown races. Another standout winner, Destin (2016), not only won the Tampa Bay Derby but also narrowly missed victory in the Belmont Stakes.
Renegade, although still a maiden, is highly regarded by handicappers. The colt initially won a 1-mile race at Belmont on October 17 but was disqualified after a collision, settling for second. In the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct in December, Renegade briefly led but finished two lengths behind Paladin. Meanwhile, Confessional won his debut at Keeneland and recently delivered a strong performance in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, nearly securing a victory by 5 3/4 lengths.
Post positions for the Sam F. Davis lineup are as follows: Confessional (1), Epic Desire (2), Puma (3), Game for It (4), Ocelli (5), Renegade (6), Wayne’s Law (7), Maximum Capacity (8), and Dr. Kapur (9).
In the Suncoast Stakes, Pletcher’s Zanny is favored after going undefeated as a two-year-old, with notable wins at Gulfstream and Aqueduct, including a six-and-a-half-length victory in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes. Zanny will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.
This article originally appeared in the News section of Paulick Report on February 4, 2026.
Fan Take:
This preview highlights the growing competitiveness and depth in early Triple Crown prep races, giving horse racing fans exciting prospects to watch as the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks heats up. The presence of elite trainers and top jockeys underscores the stature of these events, which not only shape the paths to the sport’s biggest races but also energize the broader racing calendar with high-stakes drama.
