Renegade, despite being officially winless in his last three races due to a steward’s disqualification, secured second place behind Paladin in his debut special class race on October 17 at Belmont’s Big A. He enters Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs as the strong 8-5 morning favorite over 1 1/16 miles.
Bred in Kentucky by Robert and Lawana Law and owned by Law together with Lepore Stables, Into Mischief is trained by Todd Pletcher. The colt will start from the sixth gate of a nine-horse lineup, ridden by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Among the entrants are two other horses making their debuts: Puma, who placed second in his only prior race under trainer Gustavo Delgado, and Ocelli, now trained by Whit Beckman after three career starts.
The Sam F. Davis Stakes marks the final race of the day with a 5:30 p.m. post time, following earlier races beginning at 12:10 p.m. This race is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby,” awarding points (20, 10, 6, 4, and 2) to the top five finishers, helping secure spots in the upcoming Run for the Roses on May 2.
The morning’s second choice at 2-1 odds is Confessional, owned by Steve Landers Racing LLC and sired by Essential Quality. Trained by Brad Cox, who won last year’s Sam F. Davis with John Hancock, Confessional will start from post one with Flavien Prat aboard, the same jockey who rode John Hancock in 2025.
Below is the complete list of Sam F. Davis Stakes participants, including jockeys, trainers, and morning line odds:
- Confessional, Flavien Prado, Brad Cox, 2-1
- Epic Desire, Sammy Camacho, Todd Pletcher, 15-1
- The Pumas, Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado, 6-1
- Game for It, Luis R. Rivera Jr., 20-1
- Ocelli, Joseph D. Ramos, Whit Beckman, 12-1
- Renegade, Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, 8-5
- Wayne’s Law, Marcos Meneses, Amador Sanchez, 30-1
- Maximum Capacity, Jevian Toledo, Richard Sillaman, 30-1
- Dr. Kapur, Samuel Marine, Safie A. Joseph Jr., 5-1
With seven career wins in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, Todd Pletcher is running two horses this year: favorite Renegade and long-shot Epic Desire. He appreciates the timing and distance of the race at Tampa Bay Downs’ sand-based Oldsmar track, viewing it as an excellent way to begin a horse’s three-year-old season.
Saturday’s card also features three additional stakes races. The fifth race, the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes for three-year-old fillies, showcases a potential duel between Pletcher’s undefeated G2 winner Zanny and Life of Joy, a stakes winner herself. Zanny, a daughter of American Pharoah owned by Lepore Stables, will start from post three with Ortiz riding, listed at 2-5 odds. Bettors staking $2 on her would earn roughly 80 cents profit if she wins—a wager many might keep as she develops.
Though comparisons to Pletcher’s 2022 Suncoast winner Nest, an Eclipse Award champion 3-year-old filly, are premature, Pletcher is optimistic about Zanny’s prospects, noting she has been training well and could compete in similar high-profile races. Life of Joy, owned by Will Stroud and partners, will start from post five and is listed at 2-1 odds, ridden by jockey Pratt.
The Suncoast Stakes serves as a prep on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks,” awarding qualifying points (20, 10, 6, 4, 2) to the top five finishers for the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks.
While Ortiz and Pratt are the top jockeys on the three-year-old horse circuit, horse development varies widely, so surprises and underdogs could emerge victorious, keeping the sport thrilling.
For older fillies and mares, trainer Saffie A. Joseph Jr.’s Florida-bred, five-year-old Mystic Lake will compete in the fourth race, the $125,000 Minaret Stakes at six furlongs. A crowd favorite with morning line odds of 2-2 and competing from post one under Pratt, she boasts 11 wins in 21 career races and over $1.46 million in earnings, including three graded stakes wins at Tampa Bay Downs.
However, Mystic Lake finished third in her latest outing, the December 20 Sugar Swirl Stakes, won by six-year-old Ms. Buccello, a Florida-bred with 10 wins out of 19 races but no major stakes experience. Buccello poses a serious threat, potentially upsetting the favorite at 2-1 odds in the six-horse field.
The tenth race, the Pelican Stakes, is a six-furlong sprint for older horses with a $125,000 purse. The 3-1 morning favorite is Concrete Glory, a 7-year-old gelding owned by Big Frank Stables and trained by Joseph. Ortiz will ride him from post three. Concrete Glory is a veteran runner with 17 wins in 40 starts across 14 tracks.
His closest competition is a 6-year-old from trainer George “Rusty” Arnold II, owned by Calumet Farm, breaking from post five with Platt riding. Arnold, with nearly 2,000 career wins, enters multiple horses on the card, including several Florida-breds trained by Gerald Bennett.
Other entrants in the Pelican Stakes include Victoria’s Ranch’s Silver Slugger, Woundup, and three of Bennett’s Florida-breds: Chrome Ghost, El Principito, and Naughty Rascal. Also running are Rolando, a 4-year-old colt trained by Fausto Gutierrez, and Beach Colt, a 7-year-old gelding from Amador Sanchez’s stable.
This story originally appeared on February 6, 2026, in the Paulick Report’s News section.
Fan Take: This lineup of races highlights the depth and excitement of Thoroughbred racing, spotlighting emerging three-year-olds and seasoned veterans aiming to make their mark. Fans should watch closely as events like the Sam F. Davis and Suncoast Stakes set the stage for the sport’s next stars and shape the road toward the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, underscoring why this season matters so much to horse racing’s future.
