Over the last few years, both the Davis and the Derby have gained prestige on the road to the Triple Crown. In 2007 Any Given Saturday won the Sam F. Davis and later would win the Haskell Invitational, Street Sense won the Tampa Bay Derby on his way to claiming the Kentucky Derby.
Local winner Musket Man will go after his second straight victory at the track. The colt captured last month's Pasco Stakes for owners Eric Fein and Vic Carlson.
Trained by Derek Ryan, Musket Man will be reunited with jockey Jose Lezcano on Saturday and start from post nine. Undefeated in three career races, Musket Man had Lezcano in the saddle for his first two starts, with Luis Gonzalez aboard for the Pasco.
Musket Man began his career with wins at Belmont Park and Philadelphia Park and has earned $87,600.
General Quarters, runner-up in Tampa's Inaugural and Pasco Stakes, has drawn post two with James Lopez getting the ride. Lopez was aboard for both second place finishes, which were each by a length.
The gray colt is owned by Thomas McCarthy and trained by Mark Miller. With just one win in eight career starts General Quarters has banked $47,735.
Set to make his fifth consecutive start in a stakes race will be Medaglia d'Onore, a son of 2002 Traver Stakes champ Medaglia d'Oro. The colt will start from the inside post with jockey Daniel Centeno.
Medaglia d'Onore is coming off a fifth place finish to Musket Man in the Pasco under Centeno. Trained by Jamie Sanders, the three-year-old is owned by Paul Giacopelli and Donnie Kelly.
Here is the complete first in post position order for the Sam F. Davis: Medaglia d'Onore, Daniel Centeno; General Quarters, James Lopez; Player's List, Arienne Cox; Mitchell Park, Luis Gonzalez; Atomic Rain, John Velazquez; Cliffy's Future, Pascacio Lopez; Free Country, Kent Desormeaux; A. P. Cardinal, Joe Bravo; Musket Man, Jose Lezcano; Sumo, Rene Douglas and Top Seed, Ronald Allen, Jr.
The Sam F. Davis Stakes has a scheduled post-time of 4:48 p.m. (et).
