Tampa Bay Derby 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 2 Tampa Bay Downs comes our way from Tampa Bay Downs this Saturday March 8. The race will feature three year old Kentucky Derby hopefuls as they go 1 1/16 miles on Tampa Bay Downs’s main track looking for the winner’s share of the $350,000 purse and the 50 qualification points toward the Kentucky Derby in May.

A competitive field of 10 three years olds will line up in the Tampa Bay Derby – race 11 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card. Post time is 5:25 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 10 entries for this Grade 2 stakes – seven of the 10 entries either won or finished within a length of the winner last time out.

Vinceremos – impressive Todd Pletcher trained colt is coming off a terrific win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes on this track February 1 in his third career start. He debuted with a second and broke maiden January 4 at Gulfstream before his stakes debut. Vinceremos will collect a $1 million bonus if he wins the Tampa Bay Derby and the Kentucky Derby in May. Edgar Prado gets the mount from post 6 on Vinceremos who is the 120 pound highweight for the Tampa Bay Derby.

Conquest Titan – has run in some big races with less-than-stellar results – a thirteenth in the Breeders’ Cup Futurity and a fifth in the Grade 1 Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity are among the bad. But he had an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Churchill Downs November 30 and is coming off a promising second behind Cairo Prince in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream January 25. Conquest Titan has two wins and a second in six career starts but looks his best at the present time. He starts from gate 5 with Shaun Bridgmohan aboard.

Matador -highly regarded Mark Casse trained colt most recently finished fourth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on this track February 1 after an equally disappointing sixth after encountering interference in the minor Coronation Futurity at Woodbine November 17. He had a great win in the Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine October 20 to follow an OK third behind Go Bro in the Grade 2 Summer Stakes at Woodbine September 14 and a fourth in his debut – the minor Vandal Stakes August 11. Matador looks like an average colt ahead of this weekend and will have Julien Leparoux aboard from post 3.

Cousin Stephen – most recently finished third behind Vinceremos in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes on this track February 1 after a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming January 3 and after breaking maiden at Aqueduct in his second career start November 7 – his only win and the only time that he has placed in his four race career. Javier Castellano will get the call from post 8.

Tampa Bay Derby betting at Tampa Bay Downs with OffTrackBetting.com

East Hall – has an astounding 11 career starts already for trainer William Kaplan and is coming off an OK fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream February 22. This after a pair of thirds – the OBS Championship Stakes at Ocala Training Center January 21 and the Gulfstream Park Derby at Gulfstream January 1. He has just two wins with a second and four third place finishes in his 10 career starts and despite being the most experienced entries is a long shot to contend. He will line up in gate 7 with Juan Leyva in the saddle.

Coltimus Prime – has three career starts – all at Woodbine. Last time out was a second in the minor Display Stakes December 8 after breaking maiden November 17 and debuting with an ugly seventh place finish in September. Gary Boulanger will be guiding Coltimus Prime from the 4-hole Saturday.

Tuscan Getaway – has seven career starts with two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes and is coming off one of his wins – an Allowance score at Woodbine November 16. He has raced four minor stakes in his career posting a pair of thirds at Woodbine, a fifth three back at Presque Isle Downs and a second behind Storming Inti in the Awad Stakes two back at Belmont Park in October. He starts from the far outside post with Joseph Rocco in the reins.

Ring Weekend – WH. Graham Motion trainee has steadily improved every time out in his five race career. He finally broke maiden last time out at Gulfstream February 8 after a second January 18 and a pair of thirds in the fall. He starts from the rail Saturday with Daniel Centeno aboard for his stakes debut.

Surfing U S A – Todd Pletcher trained colt makes his stakes debut Saturday but has looked OK in his career so far. He is coming off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Gulfstream January 25 after breaking maiden November 30 at Aqueduct and finishing second in his debut. Jose Lezcano has the mount from post 2

Hy Kodiak Warrior – makes his stakes debut Saturday having placed in five of six career starts -all at Gulfstream. Last time out was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming January 3 after a pair of seconds in Allowance races to end 2013. Gabriel Saez gets the call from post 9.

Race 11 on Tampa Bay Downs’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:25 PM.