The Road to the Kentucky Derby heads to Tampa for the biggest day of racing at Tampa Bay Downs. The $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby headlines a 12-race card that includes four graded stakes races.
The Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby drew a field of 12 for Saturday, March 12, and the 3-year-olds will race 1 1/16 miles looking to win and secure a spot in the May 7 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The top four finishers of this Kentucky Derby Championship Series race receive 50-20-10-5 points in this year’s running at Tampa Bay Downs.
Be aware of the track conditions’ influence
Fans attending the races will want to bring umbrellas, and handicappers will be checking the past performance charts for any signs of horses who have raced over a sloppy or off track. Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast, with 20-plus mph winds expected in Tampa.
2022 Tampa Bay Derby field and odds
A fill field of 12 is scheduled to go to post in the 42nd running of the Tampa Bay Derby. The horse betting odds favor Sam F. Davis Stakes winner Classic Causeway.
Post time for race 11 and the Tampa Bay Derby is 5:23 p.m. EST, and the race is part of the late Pick 3, Pick 4 and Super High 5 betting pools. Fans can watch and wager on the Tampa Bay Derby program on TVG.
| Post | Horse | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grantham | 20-1 | Sammy Camacho | Mike Maker |
| 2 | Trademark | 30-1 | Daniel Centeno | Victory Oliver |
| 3 | Happy Boy Rocket | 12-1 | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott |
| 4 | Classic Causeway | 8-5 | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Brian Lynch |
| 5 | Giant Game | 10-1 | Joe Talamo | Dale Romans |
| 6 | Golden Glider | 12-1 | Antonio Gallardo | Mark Casse |
| 7 | Strike Hard | 8-1 | Luis Saez | Matt Williams |
| 8 | Major General | 9-2 | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher |
| 9 | Shipsational | 5-1 | Manny Franco | Ed Barker |
| 10 | Belgrade | 20-1 | Hector Diaz Jr. | Graham Motion |
| 11 | Money Supply | 10-1 | Jose Ortiz | Chad Brown |
| 12 | Spin Wheel | 20-1 | J.C. Castanon | George Arnold II |
Leading favorites and contenders
Classic Causeway
Classic Causeway (8-5) is the heavy race favorite, ridden by top jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Brian Lynch. Ortiz road Classic Causeway to a front-running 4-length win last month over this track in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. He posted a solid 104 Equibase Speed Figure that day, and he has pace-setting speed but is versatile with his running style. Classic Causeway has won two of four starts and finished in the money each race. He’s also been the post-time race favorite at less than 2-1 odds in each of his three graded stakes starts, and Classic Causeway is the clear favorite, with the early speed challenge coming from long shot Trademark (30-1) to his inside.
“We’ve been fortunate to not miss a beat with him,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “He has had two strong workouts (since the Sam F. Davis), and he’s on schedule to go back to a track he really liked.”
Shipsational
Returning to challenge Classic Causeway is Shipsational (5-1), who came off the pace over a fast track to finish second in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. Shipsational is a viable contender and holds the top value when betting this race, according to Horse Racing Nation. He won his previous two minor stakes races at Belmont Park last fall as a 2-year-old, and one of those was over a sloppy (sealed) track racing 1 mile. In addition, Shipsational broke his maiden last summer in a short sprint over a sloppy Saratoga track. Jockey Manny Franco takes over to ride Shipsational for the first time, and the NY-bred is growing into himself and maturing, like other top 3-year-olds trying to make up ground in the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Major General
Trainer Todd Pletcher has won this race five times, and Major General (9-2) is a son of leading sire Constitution. He makes his 3-year-old debut and is 2-for-2, having won the minor Derby prep Iroquois Stakes in September at Churchill Downs. Major General has been training in the mornings consistently for his return, with some bullet works in place. He’ll sit just off the pace and has plenty of stamina to make a move if the favorite doesn’t fire.
Strike Hard
The other runner to note with morning line odds of less than 10-1 is Strike Hard (8-1). He’s already run seven races in his career, and the galloping gray colt finished seventh in the Iroquois Stakes last fall and fourth last month in the Sam F. Davis Stakes — more than 6 lengths behind the winner, Classic Causeway. In that race, Strike Hard raced from the back of the pack and made up ground after going five-wide on the far turn. Strike Hard posted his best-ever speed figure of 94 (EFS) in that race, and like other 3-year-old runners, he’s trying to continue his progression and improvement and will be given a better chance with top jockey Luis Saez riding him for the first time.
Honorable mentions
Giant Game (10-1) comes up from his training base at Gulfstream Park to try to make amends for his disappointing eighth-place finish last month in the Holy Bull. Giant Game is a well-bred colt by Giant’s Causeway, who also sired the Tampa Bay Derby favorite Classic Causeway.
Money Supply (12-1) is what bettors are hoping for after winning his debut over the speed-favoring Tampa Bay surface last month. Bumped at the start, it was no Practical Joke (his sire’s name) as Money Supply roared from the back of the pack to win fairly easily as the favorite. He stretches out in his stakes debut with top jockey Jose Ortiz riding again. Trainer Chad Brown could have a Derby sleeper, since Money Supply has not raced as a 2-year-old and has Candy Ride breeding.
Watch for more betting strategies in this race and on the Road to the Kentucky Derby races.
