Lots of Upside in Davis

A promising field of 12 sophomores square off in Saturday's $250,000 GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. Stonestreet Stables LLC's Ocean Knight (Curlin) spots his competition in the experience department, but boasts plenty of promise. The $320,000 OBS March juvenile aired by 4 1/4 lengths for Kiaran McLaughlin on debut over six panels of Aqueduct inner track Dec. 13, earning a field's best 93 Beyer Speed Figure. He fired a four-furlong bullet in :48.30 for this at Palm Meadows Jan. 23. 

Anthony Lenci's Catalina Red (Munnings) broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths in this venue's six-panel Inaugural S. Dec. 6, and was a neck best in the seven-furlong Pasco S. Dec. 27. He has paired up 89 Beyers in his last two starts, but will be making his first two-turn start on the dirt. The Chad Stewart pupil was third in a two-turn grassy Gulfstream Park West maiden special weight in October. 

Ivan Dalos's Ami's Flatter (Flatter) graduated first up over the Woodbine Polytrack Nov. 9, and was a solid second behind Bluegrass Singer (Bluegrass Cat) in Gulfstream's one-mile Mucho Macho Man S. Jan. 3. Bluegrass Singer returned to finish third behind Upstart (Flatter) in the GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. a week ago. 

Eoin Harty saddles a pair of promising runners here in Casner Racing's My Johnny Be Good (Colonel John) and Sheikh Mohammed homebred Crittenden (Distorted Humor). The former donned cap and gown second out at Arlington Sept. 1, and completed the exacta behind well-regarded GII Kentucky Jockey Club Gold Cup third Eagle (Candy Ride {Arg}) in a Keeneland allowance over this trip Oct. 22. He resurfaced to air by 14 1/2 lengths in a local six-furlong optional claimer Dec. 28. Since being gelded, stretched out and switched to grass, Crittenden is two-for-two, having broken his maiden impressively Dec. 6 and cleared his first-level allowance condition here Dec. 26. “The [GI] Kentucky Derby winner is usually not precocious as a 2-year-old,” noted Harty. “The good ones usually start developing around this time of year and really get good on Derby Day.” He continued, “Basically, just about everybody [in this race] is in the same boat, but it's going to be a tough race. It's never easy when you're running for that kind of money. But you don't necessarily want your horse peaking on Jan. 31. There is a lot of time between now and the first Saturday in May.”