Sole Volante Sails Home to Land Sam F. Davis

It's not often that once received, a birthday present continues to keep on giving. But that is exactly what happened Feb. 8 at Tampa Bay Downs when 3-year-old Sole Volante sailed beneath the wire to win the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3).

"I bought the horse for (my daughter's) birthday last year when she turned 22," said trainer Patrick Biancone, whose daughter Andie Biancone now owns Sole Volante in partnership with Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Limelight Stables Corp. "I told her when I saw him, 'If he brings less than $22,000, I'll buy it,' so I bought it for her." 

Consigned by New Hope AB to the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, Sole Volante sold to Biancone for exactly $22,000. With Saturday's win, the gelded son of Karakontie  has now earned $196,310 as well as something even more precious—10 points on the 2020 Road to the Kentucky Derby. 

Making only his second start on dirt in a four-race career, Sole Volante was sent out in the Sam Davis under Luca Panici from post 2. Chapalu and Daniel Centeno took the early lead from the outside post 8 at the onset, but managed to hold the lead only through the first quarter mile before waning.

Premier Star made space between foes on the backstretch and was a head in front of Chapalu as the half-mile went in :46.52. Last out Jerome Stakes winner Independence Hall dove for the lead at the break but was squeezed out and settled just off the rail in third. Jockey Jose Ortiz took the Constitution  colt in hand and conceded the lead through the first turn, biding his time. The pair made their move rounding into the far turn for home and were a half-length in front heading into the stretch. 

Sole Volante, who had settled in fifth, also split horses down the backstretch to make his own play for the lead as the field set their sights on the wire. Switched to the outside of Independence Hall by Panici, Sole Volante kicked away at the three-eighths pole when asked, wrested command from his remaining rival, and pulled clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths. 

Final time for the 1 1/16-mile test was 1:42.60 on a fast track. 

"We knew from the beginning that he's a good horse who is very smart and very intelligent," said Panici. "I was just following instructions, waiting, and when I asked he kicked. I never ever had a doubt (I would catch the favorite)." 

Independence Hall held for second, 11 1/4 lengths ahead of Ajaaweed in third. Tiz Rye Time took fourth. For their efforts, the top four finishers earned qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. 

"It was a great race," said Biancone. "He's a great horse and we love him a lot." 

No Getting Over Me, Premier Star, and Chapalu completed the order of finish. 

Like his sire, Sole Volante showed early promise on the turf, breaking his maiden on debut at Gulfstream Park West before jumping up next out to win the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park on the grass to close out his freshman season. 

But with a new year and the promise of a new classic season, Biancone made the choice to shift his budding prodigy to the dirt, sending him out in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream where he finished a commendable third. 

"He's a fantastic horse on the turf, but in America where life is on the dirt you have to put the turf aside for a little while," Biancone said. "So I put him in a sprint race in Gulfstream to see if he could handle it and take some kickback, and he handled it perfectly, he just struggled a bit over the last sixteenth. Today, I told (Panici) let him sleep, let him relax, and then let him run the last three-eighths and that's what he did. He's a very interesting young horse."

While Sole Volante may have made his first tentative steps on the Derby trail successful ones, Biancone said he's taking everything one day at a time. 

"We will see how he comes back first," he said. "The plan was to go to Fair Grounds (Race Course & Slots) because this horse has a lot of stamina. We'll see how he comes back and progresses. At this age, it's a question of how they progress. I told my partners and my daughter's partners you can look for (Derby) hats, but don't buy them yet. We're not there yet, but what he did today was really good." 

As for a possible next start, Biancone was equally hesitant to pin down any plans. 

"We have plenty of races," he said. "In a month he should improve. Maybe we will come back here in a month. He seems to like the place." 

Bred in Kentucky by Flaxman Holdings Limited, Sole Volante is the fifth foal out of the Kingmambo mare Light Blow, who has also produced stakes-placed Light of Joy and grade 3 winner Explode, who took the 2019 Canadian Derby (G3) at Century Mile. Sole Volante's name, Italian for "Flying Sun," is a derivative a Karakontie, which also means "Flying Sun" in the Mohawk language. 

Sole Volante has won three of his four starts, his only loss being his third-place finish in the Mucho Macho Man. 

Video: Sam F. Davis S. (G3)