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By Richard Rosenblatt
If at first you do succeed, you would possibly as properly attempt to do it once more.
That’s the best way coach Brian Lynch is pondering as he prepares to ship out favourite Traditional Causeway within the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Traditional Causeway shook off all challenges on the result in win the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Photograph curtesy of SV Pictures
Traditional Causeway cruised to a 3 ¼-length victory over Shipsational within the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 12. And whereas Lynch’s colt has been coaching at Palm Meadows in Boynton Seashore, Florida, it was a simple determination to return to the scene of that final victory.
“He got here out of the (Sam F. Davis) very properly, he’s carrying good weight and he has nice vitality, so we’re counting our blessings,” Lynch mentioned. “He appeared to actually just like the racetrack, so we thought the sensible factor was to take him again over there and have a crack on the Tampa Bay Derby.”
After a stable exercise at Palm Meadows on March 5 – 5 furlongs in 59.5 — Traditional Causeway takes on 11 rivals within the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, together with Shipsational and Main Common.
Traditional Causeway is the 5-4 favourite in odds launched Wednesday by BUSR, with Sam F. Davis runner-up the 4-1 second alternative and Main Common at 6-1.
“Traditional Causeway is the standout favourite, however punters anticipating a rerun of the Sam F. Davis Stakes with a Traditional Causeway/Shipsational 1-2 may very well be upset,’’ BUSR spokesman James Ross mentioned. “We’ve seen loads of curiosity in a few of the lesser uncovered contenders, and the lightly-raced scrapper Main Common appears the decide of the bunch together with his excellent 2-for-2 file final yr.”
At Wednesday’s post-position draw, Traditional Causeway drew publish 4, with Shipsational leaving publish 9 and Main Common publish 8.
Shipsational wins the 2021 Sleepy Hole stakes – Photograph courtesy of Coglianese Pictures – Joe Labozzetta / BloodHorse
Additionally within the subject are Grantham (BUSR odds 20-1), Trademark (BUSR odds 25-1), Pleased Boy Rocket (BUSR odds 16-1), Big Sport (BUSR odds 33-1), Golden Glider (BUSR odds 14-1), Strike Laborious (BUSR odds 8-1), Belgrade (BUSR odds 9-1), Cash Provide (BUSR odds 10-1), and Spin Wheel (BUSR odds 20-1).
Submit time is 5:23 p.m. ET.
The Tampa Bay Derby provides Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying factors of 50-20-10-5 to the primary 4 finishers. Traditional Causeway already has 16 factors – 10 from his Sam F. Davis win, 4 for ending second within the Kentucky Jockey Membership (G2) and two for a 3rd within the Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He’s at the moment 11th on the leaderboard.
In 41 runnings of the Tampa Bay Derby, two winners went on to take the Kentucky Derby, Avenue Sense in 2007 and Tremendous Saver 2010. The final horse to drag off the Davis-Tampa Bay Derby double was Destin in 2016.
“We’ve been lucky to not miss a beat with him,” Lynch mentioned. “He has had two sturdy exercises, and he’s on schedule to return to a monitor he actually preferred. We’re trying ahead to getting again over there.”
Irad Ortiz, Jr. additionally returns to Tampa to experience. The final time Ortiz got here to the monitor he gained 5 races, capped off together with his win within the Sam F. Davis.
Relying on the outcomes, Lynch mentioned Traditional Causeway would both run within the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland on April 9 as a ultimate prep or just practice as much as the Could 7 Run for the Roses.
Shipsational got here on sturdy within the stretch to be second within the Sam F. Davis, giving coach Ed Barker confidence there’s extra within the tank. The colt has gained three of 5 begins and will probably be ridden by Manny Franco. Barker, 76, is on the lookout for his first starter within the Kentucky Derby.
Todd Pletcher’s Main Common, 2-for-2 in 2021 with one win within the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 18, makes his 3-year-old debut. He will probably be ridden by Javier Castellano.
Through the years whereas working at The Related Press, Wealthy Rosenblatt turned a well-known identify to legions of the horse racing followers and trade insiders together with his award-winning articles on horse racing and his tales from the backstretch.
Along with being an astute observer of sports activities, Rosenblatt is the co-author of The All-American Chili Cookbook. His work has been seen in nearly each publication on this planet, together with The New York Occasions, The Washington Submit and Time Journal.
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