Any Given Saturday winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes on the dirt; Cassydora wins the Endeavour Stakes on the lawn. Tom Cooley photo.
OLDSMAR, Fla. (February 17, 2007) Watched by a crowd of 5,194, conditioner Todd Pletcher’s Any Given Saturday captured the $150,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Piloted by veteran jockey John Velazquez, the three-year-old son of Distorted Humor traveled the 1 1/16 miles in 1.44:27. Any Given Saturday, who is owned by WinStar Farms, stalked leaders All I Can Get and Monster Drive, pulling ahead in the stretch and winning the stake by 2 ¾ lengths. All I Can Get and James Wilfred finished second and third, respectively.
“I didn’t know we had the race won until he was under the wire,” said Pletcher’s go-to jockey John Velazquez. When asked if he was aware that Any Given Saturday started the race as the 1-9 favorite, he laughed and said, “I don’t look at the odds, I ride the horses.” He further said that he was undaunted by the fact that his mount had not raced since November 25, 2006. “Todd (Pletcher) knows how to train horses.”
Pletcher said he was very pleased by the colt’s performance, and intends to start him next in March 17’s Tampa Bay Derby. Pletcher will be following the same path he used with last year’s winner of the Sam F. Davis, Bluegrass Cat. After scoring a win in the Sam F. Davis, Bluegrass Cat went on to place second in both the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby and the Grade I $1,000,000 Kentucky Derby. “That’s been the plan (for Any Given Saturday) all along. Obviously he’s going to tell us what he needs to do, but hopefully that’s the path.”
Pletcher says that he’s been very lucky to train horses for owners WinStar Farm. “I’ve been blessed. They’re great to me and they’ve provided me with some awfully good horses- this horse obviously and Bluegrass Cat last year.”
Pletcher and Velazquez scored back-to-back stakes victories by capturing the $125,000 Endeavour Stakes with Cassydora. Bright Abundance placed second and Warrior Girl finished third. Cassydora is owned by Green Hills Farm and has now notched two-for-two victories under Pletcher’s care. “She’s got good form from Europe,” said Pletcher. “My main concern was when she went to the lead. I wasn’t sure she could handle it, but she obviously did.” He went on to say that he plans to run the mare back at Tampa Bay Downs. “The Hillsborough Stakes (to be run at Tampa Bay Downs on March 17) would make a lot of sense. We’ll probably run assuming she comes back well.”
Velazquez said of Cassydora’s victory, “She was doing pretty well; she went easy after the first quarter. She was a little strong in at first, and I had to give and take a little; once she was in the backstretch she settled.” He added, “She was the only speed in the race. She went when I asked and was fine to ride.”
The $75,000 Suncoast Stakes was won by Autobahn Girl, a Nick Zito-trained entry who is owned by Live Oak Stud. Autobahn Girl set a stakes record for her final time of 1:38.39 going the inaugural distance of about a mile. Autobahn Girl won the race by a three length margin, with Trainee and Saint Barbara finishing second and third.
“We intend to bring her back to the Florida Oaks in March,” said Hall of Fame conditioner Nick Zito via telephone after the race. “The timing of the races is ideal and Centeno rode the filly perfectly; he has the mount back at Tampa.”
Daniel Centeno, the nation’s leading rider, booted the three-year-old daughter of A. P. Indy home for his first stakes victory of the Tampa Bay Downs season. “I’ve had a great year. It’s my first stake win, so I’m happy now. I had a good shot today.” Centeno won the race despite a difficult start, in which Autobahn Girl broke from the gate in the air. “I knew she was a good filly, she was a little bit scared of the dirt in her face, but when I put her in the middle of the track she took off.”
Daniel Centeno booted home two other winners along with his stakes victory today. He scored his first win in the day’s opener with "Tampa Bay Downs' Trainer of the Month" Jamie Ness’ Slewey Armstrong. Ness owns Slewey Armstrong along with Four Star Stable. Centeno captured the next race on Sea Doctor, a six-year-old son of Sea Cliff who is owned by Kennedy and Hess Thoroughbred Racing. Sea Doctor is trained by Connie Kendall.
Racing resumes tomorrow, February 18th with an eleven race card. Kids’ and Family Day begins at noon, with pony rides, games, clowns and more continuing until three. The Silks Card Room will offer live poker and tournaments from 12:00 PM through midnight. Gates will open at 11:00 AM and post time for the first race will be 12:25 PM.