Pedigree suggested that Litigate would thrive over a route of ground, and the son of Blame duly obliged in his stakes and two-turn debut in Saturday’s Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

Hit Show became the latest three-year-old from the Brad Cox barn to jump onto the Kentucky Derby (G1) leaderboard with a resounding victory in Saturday’s Withers (G3) at Aqueduct.

The field for Saturday’s $1 million Rebel (G2) gives a sense of déjà vu, with the top five from the Southwest (G3) reuniting over the same 1 1/16-mile circuit at Oaklawn Park. But the result might not be the same.