This week marks a pivotal moment on the path to the Kentucky Derby 2025, akin to a mid-season break in anticipation of the upcoming high-stakes races. The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday will be the final points prep before the win-and-you're-in series begins next week. Notable horses like undefeated Poster, along with others such as Owen Almighty and Treaty of Rome, are expected to compete. Additionally, the Suncoast Stakes for fillies, and graded stakes events at Oaklawn and Santa Anita, will also take place this weekend. While the Sam F. Davis has not produced a Kentucky Derby winner in its 45-year history, it has seen runners go on to significant victories in other prestigious races.

Sam F. Davis Stakes: A Crucial Test Before the Derby

The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs serves as a critical test for three-year-olds aiming for Kentucky Derby glory. This race, named after the late shipping magnate who managed the Gulf Coast track in the 1970s, is the last U.S. points prep event of the 2024-25 season that hasn't yet crowned a Derby winner. However, it has launched horses like Tapwrit and Knicks Go into subsequent triumphs in major races.

Poster, an undefeated contender for Godolphin and trainer Eoin Harty, brings his perfect 3-for-3 record to a fourth different racetrack. After scoring maiden and allowance wins on turf at Ellis Park and Keeneland, he transitioned to dirt and narrowly won the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct in December. Other notable entries include Owen Almighty, who was demoted from first to fifth in the Pasco due to jockey interference, and Treaty of Rome, coming off a neck loss in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park for Coolmore and Chad Brown. Each horse brings unique strengths and recent performances that promise an exciting race.

Suncoast Stakes and Beyond: Opportunities for Fillies and Veterans

While the boys prepare for the Sam F. Davis, the Suncoast Stakes offers a prime opportunity for three-year-old fillies to earn Kentucky Oaks points. La Cara, a homebred daughter of Street Sense trained by Mark Casse, returns from a three-month break with 13 Oaks qualifying points already under her belt. Italian Soiree, who has been off for four months, aims to drop in class after two off-the-board finishes in graded stakes on turf. Dancing Magic, fresh off a Gasparilla victory, rounds out the field with strong local form.

Beyond these events, seasoned campaigners like Corningstone and Loved will vie for supremacy in the Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn, while veterans such as Easter and There Goes Harvard look to rekindle their winning ways in the San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita. Corningstone, under Kenny McPeek, seeks to extend her winning streak following a recent Pippin Stakes victory. Loved, a Godolphin-owned six-year-old trained by Brendan Walsh, looks to build on her muddy triumph in the Falls City (G3). Meanwhile, Atitlan, a promising four-year-old, faces older horses for the first time in the San Marcos, bringing a blend of youth and talent to the competition.