Vinceremos edges stablemate in Davis Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Oldsmar, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Longshot Vinceremos, ridden by Edgar Prado, was able to nose out stablemate Harpoon to win Saturday's $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis is the opening leg of the Tampa Bay Downs Million Dollar Derby Bonus. The owners of any horse that wins the Davis, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby on Mar. 8 and Kentucky Derby on May 3 will collect a $1 million bonus.

Sent off at 12-1 in the eight-horse field, trainer Todd Pletcher's Vinceremos battled for the lead with 7-2 third pick Cousin Stephen as the field went up the backstretch. Trailing the field after a bad start was 9-5 co-favorite Noble Cornerstone.

As the field went around the final turn, Vinceremos was joined on the lead by Asserting Bear and Matador as co-favorite Harpoon, also trained by Pletcher, gained ground.

Down the stretch it was a four-horse battle to the wire. Vinceremos was able to nose out Harpoon with Cousin Stephen finishing third over Matador. Rounding out the order of finish was Asserting Bear, School On a Hill, Noble Cornerstone and Imaginethatmom.

The time for the Davis was 1:47.34 on a fast track.

Owned by WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing, Vinceremos registered his first stakes win in just his third career start. The victory was worth $120,000 to give the colt $153,600 in earnings.

Vinceremos finished second in his debut race at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 30 and broke his maiden Jan. 4 at the track. He was cross entered in Saturday's Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream.

Vinceremos paid $26.80, $7.40 and $4.80. Harpoon returned $4.60 and $3.40, and Cousin Stephen paid $3.40 to show.