'In good form,' Sole Volante leads expected Tampa Bay Derby field

Sole Volante, the local Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) winner on Feb. 8, is expected to head the field for Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, the main event on a stakes-laden afternoon of Thoroughbred racing at Tampa Bay Downs.

A 2020 Kentucky Derby points race, the Tampa Bay Derby awards its first four finishers points on a 50-20-10-5 scale toward qualifying for a spot.

The 3-year-old gelding Sole Volante, whose name is Italian for “Flying Sun,” improved to 3-for-4 with his Sam F. Davis score, punctuated by a powerful move around the far turn and a strong finish that resulted in a 2 ½-length victory from previously unbeaten Independence Hall.

Sole Volante will be ridden in the Tampa Bay Derby by Florent Geroux, replacing Sam F. Davis-winning jockey Luca Panici, who suffered a broken collarbone in a fall at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 21.

The 40th edition of the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, run on the main track at a distance of a mile-and-a-sixteenth, is one of five stakes on the Festival Day card.

Three of the four other stakes are also graded: the Hillsborough Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares 4 and up at 1 1/8 miles on turfl the Florida Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the turf; and the Challenger Stakes (G3) for older horses going 1 1/16 miles on dirt. The fifth stakes is the Columbia, for 3-year-olds at a mile on the turf.

Much can change between now and next weekend, but Tampa Bay Downs Stakes Coordinator Gerry Stanislawzyk and the racing office have already established initial probables.

Sole Volante, who is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing in partnership with Biancone’s daughter and assistant, Andie Biancone, and Limelight Stables Corp., worked seven furlongs Wednesday in 1:23 on the turf at Biancone’s Palm Meadows Training Center base in Boynton Beach on Florida’s east coast, with Geroux flying in from New Orleans for that assignment.

“After he won (the Sam F. Davis), we needed to see how he recovered and then take the best route possible,” Biancone said this morning. “So we chose to come back to Tampa because, No. 1, he likes the track; No. 2, the people in Tampa are very nice; and No. 3, he is in good form and he improved in his last race.”

There will be no shortage of challengers to the son of Karakontie, including Florida-bred colt Chance It, a late scratch from the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park because of concerns about starting from the No. 12 post.

Chance It, who is owned by Shooting Star Thoroughbreds and trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., is 4-for-6 lifetime with three stakes victories, including the Mucho Macho Man Stakes on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream in his most recent start.

Other probable Tampa Bay Derby runners include the Godolphin homebred Spa City, a son of 2007 Tampa Bay Derby and Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, from the barn of Kiaran McLaughlin; Louisiana-bred stakes-winning colt Relentless Dancer, trained by Michael Maker; Maker’s Mo Mosa, a recent maiden special weight winner at Turfway Park; Letmeno, trained by Ian Wilkes; and King Guillermo, from the barn of Juan Carlos Avila.

2020 Tampa Bay Derby (G2)

The list of current probables for the 22nd running of the Hillsborough Stakes is headed by 5-year-old mare Jehozacat, who won the Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (G3) on Feb. 8 over the Tampa Bay Downs turf in front-running fashion, and Grade 1 winner and career millionaire Starship Jubilee, a 7-year-old Florida-bred trained by Kevin Attard.

The 37th running of the Florida Oaks (and 10th edition on the turf course) is expected to feature New York Groove, an undefeated (4-for-4), multiple stakes-winning daughter of 2013 Tampa Bay Derby winner Verrazano, and Walk In Marrakesh, second last September in the Natalma Stakes (G1) at Woodbine.

New York Groove is owned by Commonwealth New Era Racing and trained by Michael Trombetta. Walk In Marrakesh is owned by Merriebelle Stable and trained by Correas.

2020 Hillsborough (G2)

The Challenger Stakes is a graded event for the first time in its 29-year-history, and one of the past winners responsible for that upgrade, 8-year-old gelding War Story, is expected to try to duplicate his 2018 victory.

Owned by Imaginary Stables and Glenn Ellis and trained by Elizabeth Dobles, War Story has earned more than $3.2 million in his remarkable career, which includes three graded-stakes victories and a fourth-place finish in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

2020 Challenger Stakes (G3)