Classic Causeway Likely to Return in Tampa Bay Derby

Classic Causeway , who turned in a dominating performance in the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, is likely to return to the Oldsmar, Fla., oval for the March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2), trainer Brian Lynch said Sunday morning.

"We're looking forward to coming back," Lynch reported from his Palm Meadows Training Center base, where Classic Causeway "looked happy and spunky" after his 3 3/4-length victory ahead of runner-up Shipsational  and 10 other 3-year-olds. "We think it will be the right move. He ran great over the track, and it was such a great day of racing we'd like to enjoy it again."

Shipsational's trainer, Eddie Barker, said his colt is also being pointed to the Tampa Bay Derby. Shipsational remains at Tampa Bay Downs, where he has been in training since December.

Classic Causeway, a Kentucky homebred for Patrick O'Keefe's Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper, earned 10 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points for his Sam F. Davis victory, moving him atop the standings with 16 points. Shipsational is 25th with four points earned Saturday.

The Tampa Bay Derby offers points to the first four finishers on a 50-20-10-5 scale. The winner's share of 50 has generally been enough to guarantee a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, run May 7 this year.

Lynch said he was most impressed by Classic Causeway's ability to run comfortably down the backstretch of the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis despite being pressured from the outside by longshot Little Vic . After a :22.66 opening quarter-mile, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. got Classic Causeway to relax somewhat through a second quarter in :24.01, enabling him to draw off from the field on the turn for home.

Classic Causeway's final time was 1:42.80, :0.36 off the stakes mark set by Flameaway   in 2018.

Classic Causeway, who was grade 1- and grade 2-placed as a juvenile, raced professionally throughout, seeming to be energized by the early challenge from Little Vic.

"He is a very competitive horse who loves what he does," Lynch said. "We are happy to have him on our team and not have to play against him."

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational, a two-time stakes winner against fellow New York-breds last year, proved his worth under jockey Javier Castellano by surging past eventual third-place finisher Volcanic  in deep stretch.

"I loved the way (Shipsational) finished," Barker said Sunday morning. "He came out of the race absolutely super, he dove into his feed tub and he's been bouncing around. I think he is a horse who is going to keep on developing, and hopefully when the Tampa Bay Derby gets here we'll be ready to go."