John Hancock turns back Owen Almighty, establishes new stakes record in Sam F. Davis; La Cara draws off in Suncoast

Feb 08, 2025 James Scully

John Hancock wins the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.

John Hancock wins the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. (Photo by SV Photo)

At Tampa Bay Downs, John Hancock and La Cara recorded frontrunning wins in the Sam F. Davis S. and Suncoast to earn points toward respective berths in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Saturday. John Hancock withstood a serious challenge from Owen Almighty to prevail in the Sam F. Davis, establishing a new stakes record when completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.27, and La Cara led all the way to score by more than six lengths in the Suncoast.

A convincing first-out maiden winner at Tampa on Jan. 8, John Hancock courageously joined the Kentucky Derby picture in the Davis, establishing fast opening splits in :22.75, :46.23, and 1:10.49 while being pressured by Owen Almighty, who appeared to stick a head in front between calls after straightening into the stretch. John Hancock fought back along the inside to repel the challenge, gaining the upper hand late to win by a half-length under the wire, and he eclipsed Flameaway’s previous stakes mark (1:42.44) in 2018.

Flavien Prat was up for Brad Cox on the son of Constitution, who is owned by China Horse Club and breeder WinStar Farm, and the chestnut colt made a big statement while stretching to two turns in his first stakes appearance and second start. John Hancock looks very promising heading into the spring, and he’s out of the Freud mare Scribbling Sarah, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Speech, who was third in the 2020 Kentucky Oaks.

A slight 5-2 favorite in the Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series race, which awarded points on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers, John Hancock edged 2.60-1 second choice Owen Almighty, who was stretching to two turns after finishing first but being disqualified in the Jan. 11 Pasco S. at Tampa. Owen Almighty also finished second in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs last fall, and his prospects for longer distances don't appear favorable.

Remsen (G2) winner and 9-2 third choice Poster, who closed belatedly from last in the 10-horse field during the opening stages, finished another 2 1/4 lengths back in third. Camp Hale and Very Bold completed the top five, and Naughty Rascal, Dr Ruben M, Smoken Boy, Treaty of Rome, and Gateskeeper completed the order.

In the Suncoast, Tracy Farmer’s homebred La Cara opened her three-year-old season with a stylish performance, breaking on top and dictating early fractions in :24.03 and :47.08 on a short lead before beginning to draw off on the far turn. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Street Sense continued to widen her advantage in the stretch, eventually scoring by 6 1/4 lengths under wraps, and completed a mile and 40 yards in 1:38.51. Dylan Davis picked up the mount on the bay filly.

The complexion of the race changed when 2.40-1 favorite Her Laugh, a dominant gate-to-wire winner of the Dec. 21 Untapable S. at Fair Grounds, missed the break, getting away last of eight after throwing her head in the air when the gates opened. She rallied gallantly from far back to be second, 1 1/4 lengths better than Deloraine in third. Italian Soiree came next in fourth and was followed by Dancing Magic, Cloe, Queen in the Deck, and Junta.

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks Challenge series event awarded points on the same basis as the Davis, and La Cara moved toward the top of the Leaderboard with a 33-point total, picking up 10 points for a win in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs last September and three points for a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

La Cara was off as the 7-2 third choice in the Suncoast, and her career record now reads 7-3-1-0. The Kentucky-bred filly is out of the Bernardini mare Cata Caterina, a full-sister to Grade 1 winners To Honor and Serve and Angela Renee.

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