The Sam F. Davis Stakes Grade III

$250,000 3-Year-Olds 1 1/16-Mile continued

Wolf Brigade Critical Quad

1991 Speedy Cure (1:47 4/5) ## Ricardo Lopez Susan Fisher Harvey Culp One No Trump Northern No Trump

1990 Fiery Best (1 :46) Manuel Santos Fred Berens and Solomon Garazi Jose Mendez Thames Slew of Angels

1989 Papa Leonard (1:46 4/5) Robert Woodhouse Joseph I. Losen Joseph I. Losen Bullish Roger K.

1988 House Account (1:46 4/5) Dean Kutz Glen Hill Farm Tom Proctor Spacewalker Tight Halo

1987 Phantom Jet (1:45 1/5) ## Keith Allen Aisco Stable

1986 Fellow’s Lady (1:47 2/5) Ramon Sagardia Anthony Fernandez

Phil Gleaves Irish Tex Chief Black Hawk

Charles Miranda Royal Doulton Exsable

1985 Tamao’s Gray (1:27) Ruben Hernandez A.J.W. Stable Chip Spencer Sparkling Jay Jet Cadet

1984 Morning Bob^^ (1:47) Miguel Rivera Brushwood Stable Woody Stephens Sagittarian Fourth Verse

1984 D. White Jose Velez, Jr. Frank A. Alexander and Kevin Miller

Frank A. Alexander

1983 Saverton (1:47 2/5) Wirth Driscoll Thomas James McComas Two Turns Home Slew o’ Gold

1982 Tampa Bay Buck (1:47 4/5) Miguel Rivera I. Walling

1981 Croziers Ace (1:45 2/5) Mills

Dale Baird

Pickett Malcom Pathline Jetabid

Dale Baird Tigirish Silver Dollar Boy

The Sam F. Davis Stakes Grade III

$250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes

Fastest Time: 1:42.44 FLAMEAWAY (2018)

Slowest Time: 1:49.86 BUNK N TED (2002)

Longest Priced Winner: $56.40 WHITE BUCK (2003)

Shortest Priced Winner: $ 2.40 ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (2007)

Closest Winning Margin: Nose RANDY AKIBA VINCEREMOS

(1992) (1995) (2014)

Largest Winning Margin: 6 ¾ Lengths SAN GENNARO (1999)

Shortest Priced Loser: $ .40 WOLF BRIGADE (1992)

Track Condition: Fast Good Sloppy

All except 1991 and 1998 2003

Richest Purse: $250,000 2011-present

Other Notes: After a six-year dry spell, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher won the Sam F. Davis for a record seventh time with Litigate. Homebred Classic Causeway, the 2022 winner owned by Patrick O’Keefe’s Kentucky West Racing and Clarke M. Cooper, displayed the speed and stamina needed to post a convincing victory, the second in the race for top jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. In 2021, Candy Man Rocket, a son of outstanding sire Candy Ride, won the Sam F. Davis in only his third career start. In 2020, Sole Volante unleashed an explosive move around the far turn to leave no doubt of his superiority against six rivals. Florida-bred Well Defined turned in a sterling gate-to-wire performance to place himself on the 2019 Triple Crown trail for breeder-owner Stonehedge LLC and trainer Kathleen O’Connell. Flameaway would not be denied in the Sam F. Davis, fighting back to record a half-length victory in stakes-record time. He is owned by John C. Oxley and trained by Mark Casse, who teamed to win the 2012 Tampa Bay Derby with Prospective. McCraken lived up to expectations in 2017 by setting a 1 1/16-mile track record (bettered four weeks later) of 1:42.45. The 3-year-old colt is owned by Whitham Thoroughbreds and trained by Ian Wilkes, who won the 2012 Challenger Stakes with subsequent Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned. In 2016, Destin became the first horse to win the Sam F. Davis and the Grade II Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby since Burning Roma in 2001. He also provided trainer Todd Pletcher his sixth Davis victory since 2006 and was the fourth Davis winner for Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Sam F. Davis 2015 winner Ocean Knight’s sire is Curlin, the two-time Horse of the Year and Hall of Fame member who won the 2007 Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge and earned $10.5-million. Vinceremos, the 2014 Sam F. Davis winner, was named for the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee, Fla. Falling Sky was purchased less than three weeks before the 2013 Sam F. Davis Stakes at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s winter mixed sale for $425,000 by the partnership of Maurice and Samantha Regan’s Newtown Anner Stud, James Covello and Joseph Bulger. Six Tampa Bay Derby winners have won this race in addition to Classic Causeway: Phantom Jet (1987), Speedy Cure (1991), Marco Bay (1993), Thundering Storm (1996), Burning Roma (2001) and Destin. Trainer Nick Zito has won the Sam F. Davis Stakes twice: in 2005 with Andromeda’s Hero and in 2008 with Fierce Wind. The Sam F. Davis received Grade III status for the first time in 2009, the year in which General Quarters set a stakes record. Burning Roma was owned by Clearwater’s Harold Queen, who won the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint with Big Drama.