First Look: 2 Kentucky Derby preps lead weekend stakes

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The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with two Saturday points preps. Make it Big will put his 3-for-3 record on the line in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, and Golden Gate Fields hosts the prep that sent Rombauer to his Preakness win last year.

All of this weekend's graded stakes are on Saturday.

Sam F. Davis (G3), Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby points

Make It Big looks to add to the 10 Derby points he earned with his Remington Springboard Mile win. Classic Causeway has 6 Derby points from his third-place effort in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) and runner-up finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). Trademark broke his maiden in October at Churchill Downs on third try then won an allowance there in December. It took seven tries for Unpredictable Bay to break his maiden, but after finishing third in his debut, he was second in the next five starts.

El Camino Real Derby (listed), Golden Gate Fields, 1 1/8 miles (synthetic), 3-year-olds, 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby points

Mackinnon, third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, had five starts on turf before switching to dirt for the Sham (G3), where he finished fourth. Flying Drummer was fifth in the American Pharoah (G1) before breaking his maiden at Santa Anita on New Year's Eve. The winner of this race automatically qualifies for the Preakness Stakes.

Suncoast Stakes (listed), Tampa Bay Downs, 1 mile, 40 yards, 3-year-old fillies, 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks points

Nest will look to build on her neck win in the Desmoiselle (G3) last out, where the 10 points she earned put her at No. 6 on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. Outfoxed has won three in a row in Florida, including the listed Gasparilla at seven furlongs here last out.

Razorback Handicap (G3), Oaklawn, 1 1/16 miles, 4-year-olds and up

Lone Rock followed up his Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) victory with a win in the black-type Tinsel here and has won 11 of his last 13 starts, finishing second in the other two. Rated R Superstar finished in the money in each of his last six starts, winning three, but hasn't won a graded stakes since 2018.

Bayakoa (G3), Oaklawn, 1 1/16 miles, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

This race was rescheduled from Feb. 5 and will be redrawn. The favorite when it was drawn last week was Coach, at 5-2. She took a break after an ninth-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks and came back to win an December allowance and the listed Pippin Stakes last month. Miss Bigly has been in the money in her last eight starts but hasn't won since April – and she was second by 3 lengths in the Pippin.

Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3), Gulfstream, 5 furlongs (turf), 4-year-olds and up

Before finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Gear Jockey won the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G3). Carotari has won two in a row, including the Janus at this track and distance.

Sweet Life Stakes (G3), Santa Anita, 6 1/2 furlongs (turf), 3-year-old fillies

Urban broke her maiden on her fifth try last month at this distance. Ellamira has won two of six starts, including the black-type Golden Gate Debutante in November.