Renegade returns in Sam F. Davis; Zany looms large in Suncoast

Feb 05, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Zany wins the Demoiselle at Aqueduct.

Zany wins the Demoiselle at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher holds a strong hand in the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks events at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

Renegade and Epic Desire give him two chances of scoring a record-extending eighth victory in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis S., and Triple Crown-nominated filly Zany commands attention in the $125,000 Suncoast S.

The Sam F. Davis, a stepping stone to the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) over the same 1 1/16-mile trip, offers points on the 20-10-6-4-2 basis to the top five finishers. The Suncoast, worth the same points applicable to the Oaks leaderboard, is held over the slightly shorter distance of one mile and 40 yards.

You can watch and wager on Tampa Bay Downs at TwinSpires.com.

Suncoast S. – Race 5, 2:11 p.m. ET

Zany, an unbeaten daughter of Triple Crown star American Pharoah, has won her two starts by a combined margin of 15 lengths. The Repole Stable runner stamped herself as a serious Oaks contender when romping in last December’s Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct. Moreover, her final time was faster than the boys in the Remsen (G2), going the same 1 1/8-mile distance later on the card.

By kicking off her three-year-old season in the Suncoast, Zany is following the path of champion filly Nest. Likewise trained by Pletcher for Repole, Nest won the 2021 Demoiselle and returned triumphant in the 2022 Suncoast. She went on to dominate the Ashland (G1) before a runner-up effort in the Kentucky Oaks.

Nest also tried the third jewel of the Triple Crown, the Belmont (G1), where she placed an admirable second. If Zany continues along the trail blazed by Nest, we might well see her take on males at the highest level.

Pletcher has another Suncoast entrant in Kadabra, who stretches out to two turns for the first time. A precocious type who broke her maiden last May, the well-bred daughter of champion Good Magic tired to fifth in her Jan. 3 comeback at Gulfstream Park.

Zany’s chief opponent is the Brad Cox-trained Life of Joy. By Hall of Famer Gun Runner, Life of Joy rolled in her first two starts, including the Rags to Riches S. on the Oaks trail at Churchill Downs. But Life of Joy lost her perfect record in the Golden Rod (G2) last time out at the same venue, rallying belatedly for fourth. Life of Joy now adds blinkers, which could sharpen her focus.

Lightscape steps up in trip after a troubled fifth in Tampa’s Gasparilla S. The Tom Proctor pupil had shown plenty of promise in her debut victory here, and she’s capable of moving forward.

Other contenders include Fly Life for high-percentage local trainer Gerald Bennett; Y’allreadyforthis; Tremont Tammy; and Justamomentplease, who was just claimed for $16,000 out of her maiden win.

Sam F. Davis S. – Race 11, 5:30 p.m. ET

Renegade has yet to earn his first official win, but he did cross the wire first in an Aqueduct maiden, only to be demoted to second for interference. He would meet the same rival who was awarded the victory, Paladin, again in the Remsen. Although Paladin prevailed by two lengths in their Remsen rematch, Renegade didn’t have the smoothest preparation going into that race. The son of leading sire Into Mischief could be ready to deliver a breakthrough on Saturday.

Stablemate Epic Desire took five starts to reach the winner’s circle, but he finally graduated at Tampa in his latest. The Uncle Mo colt, a full brother to $2 million-earner Adare Manor, is eligible to keep progressing.

As in the Suncoast, the main challenge to Pletcher’s pair is likely to come from the Cox barn – in this case, Confessional. He boasts an eye-catching formline as the runner-up in a recent Gulfstream Park allowance to Nearly, who came right back to crush the Holy Bull (G3).

Confessional had won convincingly in his only prior start, a maiden at Keeneland last October. From the first crop of two-time champion Essential Quality, and out of an American Pharoah mare, the gray is bred to enjoy the stretch-out in distance. Interestingly, Cox has decided to take the blinkers off Confessional.

Another son of Essential Quality, The Puma, likewise makes his stakes and two-turn debut for Gustavo Delgado. Sharing similar connections with 2023 Kentucky Derby hero Mage, The Puma was runner-up to sharp maiden winner Chief Wallabee in their unveiling at Gulfstream.

Keeneland maiden winner Dr. Kapur was a disappointing sixth in his previous attempt on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill. But the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee had racked up much stronger Brisnet Speed ratings in his first two outings, and it would be no surprise if he bounces back.

Trainer Chad Summers entered Game for It in last weekend’s Holy Bull, but scratched in favor of the Davis. For a colt bred to go further, he did well to overcome a stumbling start to get up in time in his sprint debut at Aqueduct.

Max Capacity’s best stakes result came at Tampa, when a distant second in the Inaugural S., and he was most recently fourth in the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park. Wayne’s Law ran away with Gulfstream’s Aventura S. last summer, but he needs to improve from a third in the Jean Lafitte S. at Delta Downs. Ocelli has run well when placing in his three maiden races and raises his sights to a higher level here.

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