'TDN Rising Star' McCraken (Ghostzapper) solidified his spot at the top of many GI Kentucky Derby lists–including the TDN Derby Top 12–with a track record-breaking sophomore debut in Tampa Bay's GIII Sam F. Davis S. Saturday afternoon.
Off at 3-2 with some question marks as to how he would return off the bench and how he might take to the notoriously quirky Tampa main track, the Whitham homebred broke well enough from the eight hole and was guided right down to the fence by pilot Brian Hernandez, Jr. Drafting in a good spot behind the leading flight through splits of :23.63, and :47.15, the bay was guided into the clear through six panels in 1:10.90. Catapulting past his competition without too much encouragement to midstretch, he was kept to task late by Hernandez to hold off a bid from $1.2-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad Tapwrit (Tapit) and hit the line 1 1/2 lengths clear. Pacesetting State of Honor (To Honor and Serve) held on for third.
McCraken's final time of 1:42.45 lowered the 1 1/16-mile track record of 1:42.82 set by Destin (Giant's Causeway) in last year's GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby.
“He puts a lot of confidence in you, that's for sure,” Hernandez said. “You've just got to go with it and ride him with confidence. I asked him at about the half-mile pole and he hesitated a bit, but I think that was his way of telling me 'Don't worry. We're going to get the job done.'”
Referring to the Kentucky Derby, trainer Ian Wilkes offered, “If he's good enough, he'll take us there.
As for what could be next, the longtime right-hand man to two-time Derby-winning conditioner Carl Nafzger added, “We've got a long way to go. This is not a one-race program. I want two more races for him, then the Derby. This is just one stepping stone, and we keep building.”
A very rare debut winner for Wilkes going 6 1/2 panels at Churchill Oct. 2, McCraken returned four weeks later and blew past the likes of eventual GIII LeComte S. winner Guest Suite (Quality Road) to annex the one-mile Street Sense S. He was last seen justifying 4-5 favoritism back under the Twin Spires in the Nov. 26 GII Jockey Club S. Wild Shot (Trappe Shot) was second that day, while Smarty Jones S. romper Uncontested (Tiz Wonderful) was fourth.
Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
SAM F. DAVIS S.-GIII, $200,000, TAM, 2-11, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.45 (NTR), ft.
1–MCCRAKEN, 122, c, 3, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Ivory Empress (GSP, $189,402), by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Madame Pandit, by Wild Again
3rd Dam: Tuesday Evening, by Nodouble
'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Ian R. Wilkes; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. $120,000.
Lifetime Record: MGSW, 4-4-0-0, $310,848. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tapwrit, 116, c, 3, Tapit–Appealing Zophie, by Successful
Appeal. ($1,200,000 Ylg '15 FTSAUG). O-Bridlewood Farm,
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and LaPenta, Robert V.; B-My
Meadowview LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $40,000.
3–State of Honor, 116, c, 3, To Honor and Serve–State Cup, by
Elusive Quality. O-Conrad Farms; B-Manfred & Penny Conrad
(ON); T-Mark E. Casse. $20,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1, 1. Odds: 1.50, 9.80, 11.90.
Also Ran: Wild Shot, Fact Finding, No Dozing, Six Gun Salute, Chance of Luck, King and His Court. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Pedigree Notes:
McCraken's GSP dam is a daughter of GSW/GISP Madam Pandit, making her a half-brother to Whitham's Grade I-winning turfer Mea Domina (Dance Brightly). His year-older half-brother Bondurant (War Front), beaten a neck in last November's GIII Commonwealth Turf S., was fifth one race before the Sam Davis in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Ivory Empress has an unraced 2-year-old colt named Kearny County (Stroll) and a yearling filly named With Dignity (Declaration of War). She was bred back to Majesticperfection.
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