Printer Friendly Page 

Sam Davis gets dose of Z Humor

Z Humor is one of several Kentucky Derby hopefuls in the Bill Mott barn (Jessica Hicks/Coady Photography) Zayat Stables' Z HUMOR (Distorted Humor) tops a field of nine sophomores entered in Saturday's $200,000 Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs. A dead-heat winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot S. (G3) in December, the Grade 1-placed colt will make his first start on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail in the 1 1/16-mile event. Z Humor finished third in both the Champagne S. (G1) and Sapling S. (G3) last year prior to a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). The Bill Mott runner concluded his juvenile season with an ultra-game effort at Delta Downs, racing on a quick pace before dead-heating with Turf War (Dixie Union), who is slated to make his three-year-old bow in Monday's Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park. Z Humor will break from post 8 beneath a returning Garrett Gomez. Hutcheson S. (G2) king SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) will bring a two-race winning streak into the Sam Davis, which marks his first attempt at two turns. Conditioned by Bennie Stutts Jr., the bay colt placed in two restricted juvenile stakes at Calder and owns a commendable 5-3-1-1 record. Regular rider Manoel Cruz has the mount. Multiple Calder stakes winner WISE ANSWER (Wised Up) will revert to the dirt following a failed turf attempt in the Tropical Park Derby (G3), and New York-bred stakes victor BIG TRUCK (Hook and Ladder) will ship up from Gulfstream for Barclay Tagg after finishing fifth in the Hutcheson.

Promising three-year-old FIERCE WIND (Dixie Union) will make his stakes debut for Nick Zito. A 10 1/4-length maiden winner at Calder two starts back, Fierce Wind exits a smart 5 1/4-length allowance score at Gulfstream. Local hero HONEY HONEY HONEY (Awesome of Course) is also in the field. Winner of the six-furlong Inaugural S. two back, the Stanley Gold-trained colt exits a 5 1/2-length romp in the seven-furlong Pasco S. at Tampa.

Wise Answer will lead the post parade and will carry 122 pounds with Jose Lezcano. They'll be followed by CELTIC MEAL (Formal Dinner), Andrew Ramgeet, 116; WONDER MON (Maria's Mon), Travis Dunkelberger, 116; Fierce Wind, Cornelio Velasquez, 116; DYNAMIC WAYNE (Eltish), Pablo Morales, 116; Big Truck, Eiba Coa, 116; Smooth Air, 118; Z Humor, 122; and Honey Honey Honey, Jose Lopez, 120.

Tampa will offer a pair of stakes on the undercard. The $150,000 Endeavour S. (G3) drew an intriguing cast of 11 distaffers, with Grade 1 winner LEAR'S PRINCESS (Lear Fan) scheduled to make her four-year-old bow in the 1 1/16-mile turf test. Winner of the Gazelle S. (G1) and second in the Alabama S. (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) on the main track, Lear's Princess does own a two-for-two mark on grass, winning an allowance and the Tweedside S. at Belmont Park last year. The Kiaran McLaughlin pupil was last seen finishing 10th as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Grade 1 winner DREAMING OF ANNA (Rahy) will bring speed and a ton of class into the Endeavour. Named champion juvenile filly of 2006, the Wayne Catalano charge enjoyed an excellent sophomore campaign on turf, winning the Pucker Up S. (G3), Virginia Oaks and Double Delta S. before wrapping up last year with a second in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1).

The $75,000 Suncoast S. will feature three-year-old fillies going a mile and 40 yards. Grade 1-placed SUNDAY HOLIDAY (Sunday Break [Jpn]), who was last seen finishing fourth in the Golden Rod S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, will make her seasonal debut for Mott against eight rivals.

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend