Kentucky Derby/Oaks: Litigate Takes Davis, Wonder Wheel Upset

Just when a race seems more wide-open than you can imagine, and any one of eight or nine horses seems to have a chance to land in the winner’s circle, along comes this Pletcher fellow to snap you back to reality.

Hall of Famer and reigning Eclipse Award champion conditioner Todd Pletcher won his record seventh Sam F. Davis Stakes in the rain at Tampa Bay Downs, as his 3-year-old LITIGATE turned in a sustained rally under jockey Luis Saez and held off long-shot Groveland by a length-and-a-quarter to win the Grade III, $250,000 event.

LITIGATE (Blame – Salsa Diavola by Mineshaft) picked up 20 “Road to the Kentucky Derby” qualifying points after completing the mile-and-a-sixteenth distance in 1:44.83. Another long shot, Classic Car Wash, finished third in the 11-horse field, with betting favorite Dubyuhnell never getting untracked and finishing eighth.

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The winning Beyer Speed Figure was 76.

Litigate paid $7.60 to win as the second wagering choice. “I’m very pleased with Litigate,” Pletcher said from his south Florida base after winning the Sam F. Davis for the first time since 2016 with Destin. “He got a good position early and finished well. We thought he would appreciate two turns.”

Saez was able to secure a good position in fifth place early, keeping Litigate out of trouble and saving his best for the stretch run. “That was magnificent,” Saez said. “The game plan was trying to break from the start and pick up some spots. He ran from there pretty well and when he came to the top of the stretch, I felt like I had a lot of horse and let him run free and keep going. I had plenty of horse and he was running pretty nice.”

The victory, Litigate’s second from only three starts, was worth $120,000 to owner Centennial Farms, raising Litigate’s bankroll to $182,590.

“It’s exciting to be on the Kentucky Derby trail,” said Centennial Farms president and co-owner Donald Little, Jr. “He just really improved mentally from his last race (a second-place finish on Jan. 8 at Gulfstream) and put it all together today. Luis gave him a really tactical ride. He broke him early, got in there and saved some ground in the first turn and then he moved him to the outside and let him rock.”

Litigate is the third foal to race and first winner for his dam Salsa Diavola, who was unplaced in two races.

The 43rd running of the Sam F. Davis Stakes was the centerpiece of an exciting Festival Preview Day card that included four stakes races. In the $150,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, the race preceding the Sam F. Davis, co-owner and trainer Gerald Bennett’s Florida-bred DREAMING OF SNOW (Jess’ Dream – Snow Fashion by Old Fashioned) pulled a shocker, withstanding the determined efforts of 2022 Eclipse Award Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Wonder Wheel to post a neck victory.

Samy Camacho rode Dreaming of Snow, who paid $78 to win after racing the mile-and-40-yard distance in a good time of 1:40.18 in a light rain. That was one of three victories today for Camacho, the track’s leading rider. Julia Shining, trained by Pletcher, finished third, another length-and-a-quarter back. The winning Beyer Speed Figure was 83.

Jockey Daniel Centeno, aboard fourth-place finisher Opus Forty Two, claimed foul against Dreaming of Snow for interference in the first turn, but the claim was disallowed by the stewards. Dreaming of Snow improved to 3-for-5 lifetime, with first-place money of $110,000 boosting her earnings to $170,850.

“I beat Wonder Wheel – WOW!” Camacho exclaimed after the result was made official. “I know this filly well and when I got on her in the morning for the first time, I told (Bennett) I have to stay on her. She’s pretty nice, but I never thought she would run two turns like this. She came back again when Wonder Wheel came to her.”

Considering Dreaming of Snow was making her first start around two turns, it was a supreme performance and affirmation of her ability after a disappointing fourth-place finish in last month’s Gasparilla Stakes.

“She’s been training really well and getting better and better,” said Bennett, who owns Dreaming of Snow under his Winning Stables banner with Team Equistaff. “She went a little backwards during the recent cold weather, but she blew out like a monster (Feb. 4, 4 furlongs in 46 seconds flat) and galloped out quick.

“You had to be on the rail today and I told Samy to put her on the lead, and she kept going. She likes this track, so you can’t win it if you’re not in it.”

On Wonder Wheel’s determined rally, Bennett relayed that “I said ‘Put your hands under her (Dreaming of Snow), Dear Lord, and carry her on home.’ ”

Mark Casse, who trains Wonder Wheel for owner D. J. Stable, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione attempted to put her second defeat in six races in perspective.

“I thought she ran very well,” Casse said. “I’m very proud of her. She got a little tired, but she ran good and this sets her up great (for the future).”

“She was traveling great coming off the layoff (since her NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies victory on Nov. 4 at Keeneland),” Gaffalione said. “That was my only concern. I tried to wait on her as long as possible, but she just got tired today.

“Today wasn’t the end goal. We’ve got bigger things ahead.”

The Suncoast is a “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” points race, with Dreaming of Snow earning 20 points toward qualifying for the May 5 event.

Dreaming of Snow’s sire Jess’ Dream is a half brother to Rachel Alexandra. Her dam Snow Fashion was unarced and this is her third foal to race and third winner. Karyn Phillipp bred the winner in Florida.

LITIGATE wins the Sam F Davis on the Road to the #KyDerby! pic.twitter.com/aUasBMWPJx

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 12, 2023

A home team victory with #5 DREAMING OF SNOW ($78.00) and jockey @SamyCamacho1 winning the 🏆 Suncoast Stakes for trainer, Gerald Bennett! Congratulations to the owners, @TeamEquistaff and Winning Stables! pic.twitter.com/1UouGQ9Kqt

— FanDuel Racing (Formerly TVG) (@FanDuel_Racing) February 11, 2023