Sam F. Davis Stakes 2017: Odds and Picks

Saturday’s $250,000, Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes brings back some promising juveniles, led by the Ian Wilkes-trained McCraken. The 1 1/16 miles race at Tampa Bay Downs attracted nine three-year-olds and awards points on a 10-4-2-1 basis for the 2017 Kentucky Derby.

For Sam F. Davis picks, check out Sam F. Davis Stakes 2017: Analysis and Odds from Zipse at the Track. The full field with post positions and morning line odds is below as seen on the HRN Stakes Tracker.

Unbeaten in three starts, 2-1 favorite McCraken is using the Sam F. Davis as his three-year-old debut. Last time out, he won the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes by 1 ¼ lengths, going from ninth to first. The son of Ghostzapper had also won the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs before that. McCraken is a homebred for Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC, and has 10 points on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Also unbeaten in three starts, is Todd Pletcher-trainee Fact Finding. The Factor colt ended his two-year-old season with a seven-length victory in the Smooth Air Stakes over a sloppy track. After scratching from the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes, the Sam F. Davis will be Fact Finding’s graded stakes debut. Pletcher also sends out Pulpit Stakes winner Tapwrit, who has two wins in three starts.

Still looking for his first stakes win, second-choice No Dozing will also be making his three-year-old debut. The Union Rags colt has two wins in four starts, and finished second to Mo Town in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in his last start.

Wild Shot will also be looking for his first stakes win. A son of Trappe Shot, Wild Shot was second to McCraken in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last out. He was also third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity behind Classic Empire, where he finished a head better than No Dozing.

By Christine Oser