Wagering

Track Phantom has been the star of the Fair Grounds Road to the Kentucky Derby so far, but the waters are getting a lot deeper in Saturday’s $400,000 Risen Star (G2).

Just as the Risen Star (G2) marks the turning point on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail, so does the Rachel Alexandra (G2) ring in the Kentucky Oaks Championship Series at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Morplay Racing’s No More Time ironically benefitted from getting extra time to score a new career high in Saturday’s Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Power Squeeze entered the Kentucky Oaks (G1) picture on Saturday with a ground-saving score in the $100,000 Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Sam F. Davis features an interesting field of horses led by a few Todd Pletcher trainees looking to earn 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

A deep and talented field of 12 three-year-olds will run 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay Downs dirt in Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis S. (G3).

A Road to the Kentucky Oaks double-header is on tap Saturday, with the Suncoast S. and the rescheduled Las Virgenes (G3).

Although the $250,000 Sam F. Davis S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs has yet to produce a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, it’s churned out 26 Kentucky Derby starters in the last two decades, including at least one in 16 out of those 20 years.

The defection earlier this week of Grade 1 winner Locked from Saturday's $250,000 Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs leaves the 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby prep with no clear-cut favorite.

Hades' road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) is paved with more than merely good intentions.