First Look: Kentucky Derby, Oaks preps lead weekend stakes

The road to Kentucky Derby 2024 continues Saturday with the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs, offering 20 Derby qualifying points to the winner.

The race lost some of its luster when trainer Todd Pletcher pulled Locked out of contention for the race, which was to be his 3-year-old debut, after he developed a fever. Locked, winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity, was last seen finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Pletcher still expects to have two entrants in the race, Agate Road and maiden winner Tireless.

Tampa Bay Downs also offers the Suncoast, a points prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), with another Oaks prep, the rescheduled Las Virgenes (G3) at Santa Anita.

Here is an early look at the likely fields.

Saturday

Sam F. Davis (G3), Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds, 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Derby qualifying points

Agate Road returns to dirt after going 2-for-4 on turf following his dirt debut. Change of Command broke his maiden on his fourth try then prevailed in a stretch duel to win an optional-claiming allowance by a neck in his most recent start. Patriot Spirit would make his first start since winning the black-type Inaugural Stakes here on Dec. 2. West Saratoga is 0-for-2 since he won the Iroquois (G3), losing by 12 1/2 lengths last out to Book’em Danno in the Pasco Stakes here.

Life Talk has a record of 5: 2-1-1 and led at every call in winning the Demoiselle (G2) last out. Power Squeeze won the Cash Run stakes last out by five lengths, with Sweet Hazely, also expected here, finishing fourth. Whocouldaskformo’s maiden win last out came in her second attempt.

Palos Verdes (G3), Santa Anita, 6 furlongs, 4-year-olds and up

Big City Lights has a record of 8: 4-4-0 and beat Newgate last out in an optional-claiming allowance. See Through It would try his first graded stakes after beating odds-on favorite Hopkins, last year’s winner and also expected here, in a Jan. 19 allowance. It was the first start for Hopkins since he finished fourth in the March 25 Dubai Golden Shaheen (Gr. 1).

Las Virgenes (G3), Santa Anita, 1 mile, 3-year-old fillies, 20-10-6-4-2 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points

Kopion is 2-for-2 after going gate to wire last out to win the Santa Ynez (G3) by 5 3/4 lengths. Nothing Like You has won three in a row and also led gate to wire in her last start, the Starlet (G2), to win by 5 1/4 lengths, with Great Forty Eight, also possible here, in fourth after a disqualification from second. This race was rescheduled from Sunday because heavy rain was forecasted for Southern California.

San Marcos (G3), Santa Anita, 1 1/4 miles (turf), 4-year-olds and up.

Missed the Cut came back from a 12th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with a runner-up effort in the San Gabriel (G2), with War at Sea, also possible here, in fourth. Planetario beat Francesco Clemente by a neck last out in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2). This race also was rescheduled from Sunday.

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

The heavy rain in California was playing havoc with this race too. Endlessly was 3-for-3 before finishing eighth last out in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Arctic Breeze led gate to wire and won a maiden special weight here by 9 1/4 lengths last out in her sixth start. Facenda won his debut on Tuesday at Turf Paradise. The winner here gains an automatic berth in the Preakness.