As soon as the gates opened for the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs on March 12, it was easy to predict it was going to be another big day for the 3-year-old colt CLASSIC CAUSEWAY. The strapping chestnut son from the last crop of the late Giant’s Causeway from the mare Private World, by Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch, burst to the lead in a blink and led his rivals on a merry chase. Under Irad Ortiz, the homebred colt for Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper Family Living Trust galloped to a 2 1/2 length win after setting modest pace fractions.
His final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.90 for an 84 Beyer Figure according to Daily Racing Form. Longshot Grantham (Declaration of War) pursued the winner and landed second by a neck over a group of other guys going for scraps including Shipsational and Canadian-owned Golden Glider, who races for Conrad Farm.
The victory earned Classic Causeway 50 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points, putting him No. 1 on the list with 66 points and guaranteeing him a spot in the Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs.
