Remsen Winner Dubyuhnell Returns in Sam F. Davis

Though the ungraded, $150,000 Suncoast Stakes drew the most star power on the Feb. 11 card at Tampa Bay Downs, with Wonder Wheel  and Julia Shining  among its entries, the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) is the richest and deepest stakes race on the card.

It drew 12 sophomore colts and geldings, led by West Paces Racing and Stonestreet Stables' 2022 Remsen Stakes (G2) winner Dubyuhnell , vying for qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis offers points to its top five finishers on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.

Also on the card is the $100,000 Pelican Stakes, a six-furlong race in which Jun Park and Deliah Nash's graded-winning Sibelius  is likely to be favored over 10 rivals.

Dubyuhnell, fourth in his debut behind eventual dual graded stakes winner Instant Coffee  at Saratoga Race Course last summer, has rattled off two straight victories since that Sept. 3 engagement. He won a maiden race Oct. 1 at Aqueduct Racetrack during the Belmont at the Big A meet and then repeated in the Dec. 3 Remsen Stakes (G2), defeating New York-bred Arctic Arrogance  by a half-length.

A son of Good Magic  , Dubyuhnell scored his two victories on sloppy tracks.

Jose Ortiz, aboard for all three of his races, travels from South Florida for the mount in Saturday's race for trainer Danny Gargan.

Centennial Farm's Litigate  lacks Dubyuhnell's stakes experience but has been active this winter. Following a debut win at Aqueduct in December, he was a well-beaten second to Cyclone Mischief  last month in a fast allowance optional claiming race last out at Gulfstream Park for eight-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, a Hall of Famer.

Luis Saez is aboard the Blame   colt.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse also has two entrants in the Sam F. Davis: Champions Dream  and Classic Car Wash . Champions Dream, a former Gargan trainee who closed fast to be second to Zydeceaux  by a neck on Jan. 14 in the Pasco Stakes, is "definitely a much better horse now than he was (then)," Casse said.

Tyler Gaffalione has the riding assignment on Champions Dream.

Zydeceaux, who won the Pasco on the front end, also is entered and will look for a third straight win when he starts from the outside post under jockey Samuel Marin.

Tampa Bay Downs-based trainer Aldana Spieth has entered Dreaming of Kona, the stakes-winning Fast Anna  gray colt she owns in partnership under her Aldana Gonzalez Racing banner with sister and brother Lisa and Steve Ballou, in the Sam F. Davis. Spieth's husband, Scott Spieth, will ride Dreaming of Kona.

Third in the Dec. 3 Inaugural Stakes at Tampa, Dreaming of Kona subsequently ran in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park, crossing the wire second before his promotion to first upon the stewards' disqualification of first-past-the-wire Legacy Isle  for interference.

"He's doing very good now, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he has progressed (since the Mucho Macho Man). He was already very professional, but I think a lot of stuff clicked for him after that race. The shipping, the different environment, he handled everything well," Aldana Spieth said.

"If he knew halfway what he is supposed to do at that point, he is probably up to 75 or 80% (effectiveness) now," she added. "But he is still learning and enthusiastic about everything, and he is very focused. He loves to train and be out there and do his thing."

Dreaming of Kona, 2-for-3, having also won a maiden race Oct. 17 at Presque Isle Downs, races two turns for the first time in the Sam F. Davis.

Entries: Sam F. Davis S. (G3)

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, February 11, 2023, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $250,000
• 3 yo
• 5:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Worthington (KY)	Pablo Morales	122	Michael J. Maker	-
2	Prairie Hawk (KY)	Samy Camacho	120	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-
3	Classic Legacy (KY)	Junior Alvarado	120	William I. Mott	-
4	Laver (KY)	Jose E. Morelos	120	George R. Arnold, II	-
5	Groveland (KY)	Daniel Centeno	120	Eoin G. Harty	-
6	Classic Car Wash (FL)	Emisael Jaramillo	120	Mark E. Casse	-
7	Dubyuhnell (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	124	Danny Gargan	-
8	Notah (KY)	Antonio A. Gallardo	120	John P. Terranova, II	-
9	Champions Dream (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Mark E. Casse	-
10	Dreaming of Kona (KY)	Scott Spieth	122	Aldana Spieth	-
11	Litigate (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	-
12	Zydeceaux (FL)	Samuel Marin	120	Ramon Minguet	-