Study Guide: 2026 Sam F. Davis Stakes

Feb 05, 2026 J. Keeler Johnson/TwinSpires.com

Confessional wins at Keeneland (Photo by Coady Media)

Nine horses have entered Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs, a Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier worth 20-10-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers.

Let’s take a horse-by-horse tour through the entries:

Confessional

Confessional wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 2
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Steve Landers Racing
Breeder: Breed First
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat

Top Speed Rating: (93) when winning a Keeneland maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $78,485

Sire: Essential Quality
Dam: Speedy Vanessa
Color: Gray/roan

Confessional won his debut in fine fashion, then ran second to Nearly in a $75,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. Nearly came back to trounce the Holy Bull (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, suggesting Confessional is a logical win threat in the Sam F. Davis. Take note, two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat is slated to ride Confessional.

Epic Desire

Start(s): 5
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 1

Owner: Epic Horses
Breeder: Town & Country Horse Farms
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Samy Camacho

Top Speed Rating: (82) when finishing third in an Aqueduct maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $56,525

Sire: Uncle Mo
Dam: Brooklynsway
Color: Bay

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Sam F. Davis seven times. He’s entered two horses in the 2026 edition, including Epic Desire, who won a one-mile and 40-yard maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs last month. Epic Desire is progressing in the right direction, but needs to improve from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective to beat this caliber of competition.

The Puma

Start(s): 1
Wins: 0
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, and High Step Racing
Breeder: Hidden Brook Farm and Brian Kahn
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Jockey: Javier Castellano

Top Speed Rating: (94) when finishing second in a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $14,280

Sire: Essential Quality
Dam: Eve of War
Color: Chestnut

The Puma debuted in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. After breaking slowly, he raced up to challenge for the early lead. He got to the front and held a slim advantage down the homestretch before weakening to finish second by 1 1/2 lengths against Chief Wallabee. Even in defeat, The Puma earned a sharp 94 Brisnet Speed rating, suggesting he’s fast enough to factor in the Sam F. Davis.

Game for It

Game for It wins at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

Start(s): 1
Wins: 1
Place: 0
Show: 0

Owner: Gold Square, Wynnstay, and Chad Summers
Breeder: Wynnstay
Trainer: Chad Summers
Jockey: Luis Rivera Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (83) when winning a $75,000 maiden optional claimer at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $38,500

Sire: Known Agenda
Dam: Manahatta
Color: Chestnut

Game for It gained 3 1/2 lengths through the final furlong of a six-furlong $75,000 maiden optional claimer at Aqueduct to prevail by half a length. His late run was eye-catching, but he was aided by a decelerating pace. The 83 Brisnet Speed rating he earned looks light against the Sam F. Davis field.

Ocelli

Start(s): 3
Wins: 0
Place: 1
Show: 2

Owner: Ashley Durr, Anthony Tate, and Front Page Equestrian
Breeder: Rosedown Racing Stables
Trainer: D. Whitworth Beckman
Jockey: Joseph Ramos

Top Speed Rating: (85) on two occasions, including when third in a Fair Grounds maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $29,600

Sire: Connect
Dam: Zalia
Color: Bay

Ocelli has cracked the top three in each of his first three starts against maiden special weight competition. However, he’s yet to visit the winner’s circle, and the Sam F. Davis is his toughest test yet.

Renegade

Start(s): 3
Wins: 0
Place: 2
Show: 1

Owner: Robert Low, Lawana L. Low, and Repole Stable
Breeder: Robert Low and Lawana Low
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Top Speed Rating: (96) when finishing second in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct.
Total Earnings: $79,000

Sire: Into Mischief
Dam: Spice Is Nice
Color: Bay

The second Pletcher trainee is Renegade. Like past Kentucky Derby winners Authentic, Mandaloun, and Sovereignty, Renegade is a son of Into Mischief. Renegade performed well in his Road to the Kentucky Derby debut, finishing second to the highly regarded Paladin in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. That effort earned Renegade a 96 Brisnet Speed rating, and a similar performance in the Sam F. Davis could secure him first prize.

Paladin picks up 10 #KentuckyDerby points in the G2 Remsen! 🌹

Chad Brown trains the son of Gun Runner and Flavien Prat was aboard. pic.twitter.com/1mZRLgHwjY

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) December 6, 2025

Wayne’s Law

Start(s): 4
Wins: 2
Place: 0
Show: 2

Owner: Baalbek Corp
Breeder: Margaret McFarland
Trainer: Amador Sanchez
Jockey: Marcos Meneses

Top Speed Rating: (83) when winning a Gulfstream Park maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $85,530

Sire: Tiz the Law
Dam: Mollie Merisa
Color: Chestnut

Wayne’s Law has already won at the stakes level, dominating the one-mile Aventura S. at Gulfstream Park by 7 1/4 lengths. But he’ll need to improve upon his career-best 83 Brisnet Speed rating to beat tougher foes in the Sam F. Davis.

Max Capacity

Max Capacity wins at Colonial Downs. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 7
Wins: 2
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: LBR Racing Stable and Michael S. Schmidt
Breeder: Ocala Stud
Trainer: Richard Sillaman
Jockey: Jevian Toledo

Top Speed Rating: (91) when winning a $50,000 maiden optional claimer at Colonial Downs.
Total Earnings: $94,500

Sire: Maxfield
Dam: Madam Mom
Color: Dark bay/brown

Max Capacity has shown talent in sprints, even running second in Tampa’s six-furlong Inaugural S. But when Max Capacity stretched out over one mile for the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream, he tired to finish fourth by 11 lengths. Racing 1 1/16 miles in the Sam F. Davis may stretch the limits of his stamina.

Dr. Kapur

Dr. Kapur wins at Keeneland. (Photo by Coady Media)

Start(s): 3
Wins: 1
Place: 1
Show: 0

Owner: Kenneth L. Ramsey
Breeder: Kenneth L. Ramsy and Sarah K. Ramsey
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Samuel Marin

Top Speed Rating: (96) when finishing second in a Saratoga maiden special weight.
Total Earnings: $89,643

Sire: McKinzie
Dam: Ava’s Kitten
Color: Bay

Dr. Kapur set too fast of a pace in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs last fall and understandably tired to finish sixth. He’d previously led all the way to win a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland over future Gun Runner S. winner Chip Honcho, so if Dr. Kapur can set a more relaxed pace in the Sam F. Davis, he may outrun expectations and challenge for a top-three finish.