Road to the Kentucky Derby > Sam F. Davis Stakes
Sam F. Davis Stakes Race Facts
- Location: Tampa Bay Downs, Tampa Bay, FL
- Inaugural Race: 1981
- Current Distance: 1 1/16 miles
- Track Type: Left-Handed Dirt
- Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
- Status: Grade 3
- 2023 Purse: $250,000
- 2023 Race Date: Saturday, February 11th
The Sam F. Davis Stakes is typically run in February at Tampa Bay Downs. The Road to the Kentucky Derby prep-race is one of two Kentucky Derby preps held at the Florida track and awards a point spread of 20-8-6-4-2 to the top finishers
2023 Sam F. Davis Race Results
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY / TRAINER | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Litigate | Luis Saez / Todd A. Pletcher | $7.60 / $5.40 / $4.80 |
| 5 | Groveland | Daniel Centeno / Eoin G. Harty | $17.80 / $11.60 |
| 6 | Classic Car Wash | Emisael Jaramillo / Mark E. Casse | $9.00 |
| 3 | Classic Legacy | Junior Alvarado / William I. Mott | |
| 12 | Zydeceaux | Samuel Marin / Ramon Minguet | |
| 4 | Laver | Jose E. Morelos / George R. Arnold, II | |
| 10 | Dreaming of Kona | Scott Spieth / Aldana Gonzalez | |
| 7 | Dubyuhnell | Jose L. Ortiz / Danny Gargan | |
| 2 | Prairie Hawk | Samy Camacho / Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. | |
| 1 | Worthington | Pablo Morales / Michael J. Maker | |
| 9 | Champions Dream | Tyler Gaffalione / Mark E. Casse |
Exotic Payoffs:
- $1 Exacta (11-5) Paid: $53.30
- $0.50 Trifecta (11-5-6) Paid: $263.10
- $0.10 Superfecta (11-5-6-3) Paid: $563.53
Watch the 2023 Sam F. Davis Stakes
The History of the Sam F. Davis Stakes
The Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) is a 1 1/16 mile race for 3-year-olds held at Tampa Bay Downs in early February. The race offers a purse of $250,000 and is part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby with the winner receiving 20 qualifying points. The 2017 race had Kentucky Derby points for the first time since 2013, and the race drew its strongest field in years and offered more betting interest and competition. Still, the favorite McCraken won the 2017 Sam F. Davis in a then-record time of 1:42.45 coming from more than four lengths off the pace at the three-quarter pole (McCracken’s reign was short lived as the 2018 edition winner Flameaway beat his time by 1/100th of a second!). Runner up Tapwrit, at 9-1 odds, finished 2nd and he went on to win the 2017 Belmont Stakes.
McCraken’s off the pace style and win was in contrast to 2016 winner Destin, who pressed the pace just off the leader. Both those horses went on to run in the Kentucky Derby. But no Sam F. Davis winner has ever won a Triple Crown race. Destin came closest, losing the 2016 Belmont Stakes by a nose.
Among other notable winners of the Sam F. Davis Stakes that helped it improve its status were Bluegrass Cat (subsequently runner-up in the Kentucky Derby) and grade one winner Any Given Saturday.
The Sam F. Davis Stakes is also an important lead-up to the Tampa Bay Derby, usually held a few weeks later. Classic Causeway was the last to complete the double in 2022; others to do so were Phantom Jet (1987), Speedy Cure (1991), Marco Bay (1993), Thundering Storm (1996) and Burning Roma (2001), and Destin (2016).
Sam F. Davis Stakes Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey/Trainer | Distance/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Litigate | Luis Saez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1/16 miles / 1:44.83 |
| 2022 | Classic Causeway | Irad Ortiz, Jr. / Brian A. Lynch | 1 1/16 miles / 1:42.80 |
| 2021 | Candy Man Rocket | Junior Alvarado / William I. Mott | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.30 |
| 2020 | Sole Volante | Luca Panici / Patrick L. Biancone | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:42.60 |
| 2019 | Well Defined | Pablo Morales / Kathleen O'Connell | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:42.70 |
| 2018 | Flameaway | Jose Lezcano / Mark E. Casse | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:42.44 |
| 2017 | McCraken | Brian Hernandez Jr. / Ian R. Wilkes | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:42.45 |
| 2016 | Destin | John R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:43.67 |
| 2015 | Ocean Knight | Irad Ortiz Jr. / Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1.43.74 |
| 2014 | Vinceremos | Edgar S. Prado / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.34 |
| 2013 | Falling Sky | Jose L. Espinoza / John P. Terranova II | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.79 |
| 2012 | Battle Hardened | Julien R. Leparoux / Eddie Kenneally | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.58 |
| 2011 | Brethren | Ramon A. Dominguez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.07 |
| 2010 | Rule | John R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.15 |
| 2009 | General Quarters | James Lopez / Mark L. Miller | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:43.54 |
| 2008 | Fierce Wind | Cornelio Velasquez / Nicholas P. Zito | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.13 |
| 2007 | Any Given Saturday | John R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.27 |
| 2006 | Bluegrass Cat | John R. Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.17 |
| 2005 | Andromeda's Hero | Rafael Bejarano / Nicholas P. Zito | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.63 |
| 2004 | Kaufy Mate | Ramsey Zimmerman / Kirk Ziadie | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.60 |
| 2003 | White Buck | Roger I. Velez / Jerry P. Paradise | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.47 |
| 2002 | Bunk N Ted | Derek C. Bell / Kenneth B. Wirth | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:49.86 |
| 2001 | § Burning Roma | Juan Umana / Heather A. Giglio | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.20 |
| 2000 | Go Lib Go | Robert C. Landry / Kenneth G. McPeek | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:44.84 |
| 1999 | San Gennaro | Pedro A. Rodriguez / Richard J. Ciardullo Jr. | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.54 |
| 1998 | Dabney Carr | Kevin Whitley / Elizabeth Zemp-Everard | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.20 |
| 1997 | Wilt the Tilt | Luis Antonio Gonzalez / Cyndi Smith | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.00 |
| 1996 | Thundering Storm | Jorge A. Guerra / Don R. Rice | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.60 |
| 1995 | Akiba | Santos Noe Chavez/ Sonny Hine | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.40 |
| 1994 | Parental Pressure | Jack M. Lauzon/Fred H. Loschke | 1 1⁄16 miles/1:47.40 |
| 1993 | Marco Bay | Ronald Dale Allen Jr. / Sarah A. Lundy | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.60 |
| 1992 | Randy | Herson A. Sanchez / Angel Raphael Rosado | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.40 |
| 1991 | § Speedy Cure | Ricardo D. Lopez / Harvey Culp | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.80 |
| 1990 | Fiery Best | Manuel A. Santos / Jose A. Mendez | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.00 |
| 1989 | Papa Leonard | Robert Woodhouse / Joseph I. Losen | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.80 |
| 1988 | House Account | Dean Kutz / Thomas F. Proctor | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.80 |
| 1987 | Phantom Jet | K. Keith Allen / Philip A. Gleaves | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:45.20 |
| 1986 | Fellow's Lady | Ramon Sagardia / Charles Miranda | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.40 |
| 1985 | Tamao's Gray | Ruben A. Hernandez / Curtis N. Spencer | 7 furlongs / 1:27.00 |
| 1984 | Morning Bob (Division 1) | Miguel A. Rivera / Woodford C. Stephens | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.00 |
| D. White (Division 2) | Jose A. Velez Jr. / Frank A. Alexander | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:46.40 | |
| 1983 | Saverton | Kevin Wirth / Glenn S. Wismer | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.40 |
| 1982 | Tampa Bay Buck | Heriberto Rivera Jr. / Arnold W. Fink | 1 1⁄16 miles / 1:47.80 |
| 1981 | Croziers Ace | Brian L. Mills / Robert E. Van Worp Sr. | 1 mile & 70 yards / 1:45.40 |