The 2022 Kentucky Derby Trail heads to Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday for the only major prep race on this weekend’s horse racing schedule. The featured event on that live card is the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes for three-year old Thoroughbreds.

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2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes Predictions

With $250,000 in total prize money and Kentucky Derby qualifying points on the line, this stakes race will cover 1 1/16 miles on the dirt track at Tampa Bay. The early field at Horse Racing Nation has 12 probable contenders taking a shot at winning this year’s event. Breaking down the current list ahead of the official starting order, the following three colts jump off the page for my Win-Place-Show bets.

When: Saturday, February 12th 2022

Where: Tampa Bay Downs

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Win: Classic Causeway

This is the best probable entry in the field on paper with a HRN rating of 5.76. I also happen to think that the son of Giant’s Causeway will win this race if he runs. Trainer Brian Lynch has been eyeing the Sam F. Davis for his colt’s thee-year old debut ever since he placed second in last year’s Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27.

The Kentucky-bred colt started his racing career with a victory in a Maiden Special Weight event at Saratoga in early September. He covered the seven furlongs on dirt in 1:22.67. He went on to take third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 9. He finished behind Rattle N Roll and Double Thunder, who are considered top contenders on this year’s Kentucky Derby Trail.

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Place: Shipsational

My second choice for Saturday’s main event posted an impressive run in his last race as a juvenile to win the ungraded Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 30. He covered the mile on dirt in 1:38.32. Bred in New York, he has won three of four events at Belmont and Saratoga. Trainer Edward Barker is more than interested to see what he can do on this Florida track.

Sired by Midshipman, a win on Saturday would go a long way towards his Kentucky Derby aspirations. This will be the first graded event of his young career, but Shipsational has already proved that he knows how to win. This will also be his first race over one mile. However, he has shown the late speed to handle the extra distance.

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Show: Golden Glider

Hopefully, trainer Mark Casse gives his three-year old Kentucky-bred colt the green light to run on Saturday. He immediately caught my eye in the probable field with a recent victory at Tampa Bay in his 2022 debut. Running in a 1 mile 40 yard Allowance Claimer on Jan. 7, he bested the field with a winning time of 1:41.24. I am excited to see what he can do against a much stronger field in a graded event.

The son of Ghostzapper actually started his racing career at Woodbine in Toronto. He won a 1 1/16 miles Maiden Special Weight race at that track on Nov. 27 in his only event as a juvenile. Golden Glider posted a winning time of 1:45.25 on the synthetic turf at Woodbine. He comes into this race with a respectable 5.23 rating at HRN.

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