Dubyuhnell, the winner of the 1⅛-mile Remsen at Aqueduct on Dec. 3, opens his 2023 campaign in the $250,000 Grade 3 Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday to headline a trio of Kentucky Derby prep races.
Trainer Danny Gargan’s colt has been working well and is the morning-line favorite at 9-5 in a field of 12 promising horses, including speedy Prairie Hawk, trainer Mark Casse’s Champions Dream, Mucho Macho Man winner Dreaming of Kona and Pasco winner Zydeceaux. The 1 1/16-mile Sam Davis will go off as Race 10 at 5:18 p.m. ET.
The $250,000 Grade 3 Withers Stakes, postponed from last weekend due to weather, features a redrawn field of seven 3-year-olds that includes Remsen runner-up Arctic Arrogance and will go off about 4:27 p.m. ET as race 9 at Aqueduct.
Controversial trainer Bob Baffert also sends out two talented horses in the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The 1⅛-mile battle will go off at 7:45 p.m. ET as race 8.
Let’s check the latest Horse Racing news, stats, injury reports, and Horse Racing lines for Kentucky Derby prep races. We’ve got plenty of Horse Racing picks for you to consider.
Smooth Trip Key in Davis
Jockey Jose Ortiz will likely try to find a good stalking spot behind the speed with Dubyuhnell, who breaks from the 7 hole and hopes to unleash a strong stretch rally in the Sam Davis.
Both of Dubyuhnell’s wins have come on sloppy tracks, but he closed well to take one and battled Arctic Arrogance most of the race before edging ahead in the Remsen. Prairie Hawk (2), Classic Car Wash (6) and Zydeceaux (12), among others, are expected to go for the lead which should set it up for stalkers and closers.
Champions Dream (9) was a close second in the 7-furlong Pasco behind Zydeceaux and trainer Bill Mott’s Classic Legacy (3) could be a factor stretching out. Dreaming of Kona (10) was placed first after a disqualification in the 1-mile Mucho Macho Man on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream and trainer Todd Pletcher’s Litigate (11) is 1 for 2 and had a strong 48-second, 4-furlong work on Feb. 4.
The wild card is rail horse Worthington, who tries dirt for the first time after going 2 for 4 on turf but is out of Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire’s crop. Check the horse racing odds on trainer Mike Maker’s colt.
Dubyuhnell is the class of the race, but we think Litigate could show improvement if not kept too wide on the first turn.
- Bet 7-11 exacta box. If Worthington (1) is 9-1 or higher, make a small win wager.
Two Standouts in the Withers
The Withers Stakes appears to be a match race between a pair of talented horses and the 1 ⅛-mile distance could be the key.
Linda Rice-trained Arctic Arrogance, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, breaks from the rail after losing by a half-length in the 1-mile Jerome on Jan. 7 at Aqueduct and has been in the top two in all five of his races. Trainer Brad Cox scratched Hit Show (4) from the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn in January and the colt seems primed with two wins at shorter distances and a fourth at 1 1/16 despite trouble on his resume.
General Banker (5) has run nine times and was a distant third in the Jerome. The wild card is trainer Bill Mott’s Jungfrau (3), who was not in the field before the race was redrawn earlier this week. Jungfrau has run the distance and was placed first after a disqualification in a 1 1/16 race at Gulfstream on Dec. 31.
Arctic Arrogance may control the pace, but expect Hit Show (9-5 ML) to have a little more left in the stretch and should be put on top if you bet online.
- Bet 4 to win, and perhaps a small wager on a straight trifecta 4-3-1.
Withers fair odds: Why @EJXD2 sees two obvious choices in this @KentuckyDerby points prep.https://t.co/qTHQIcQXpc pic.twitter.com/dZCtoWmH0R
— Horse Racing Nation (@HR_Nation) February 9, 2023
Gilmore Goes for Second Win
Bob Baffert-trained Gilmore made himself a perfect trip behind the speed in the last race at Los Alamitos and should be able to do the same from the rail post in the El Camino Real.
Baffert’s other horse in the field — No. 8 Nullarbor — will likely battle for the lead with unbeaten Harcyn (5), who has run 1:10.4 ad 1:09.4 in two 6-furlong wins. Morning-line favorite Passarando (4), with four wins in eight starts, may also benefit from that hot pace.
But the pick here if you are online gambling is Chase the Chaos (2), who has closed well to be at least in the money in all five of his races including two wins at 1 mile.
Baffert’s horses cannot earn Kentucky Derby points from the race unless his suspension is lifted by Churchill Downs. The winner of this race can earn 10 Derby points and gets an automatic bid into the Preakness at Pimlico in May. El Camino winner Rombauer won the Preakness in 2021.
- Bet a 1-2 exacta box.
