Expert Pick of the Week: 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes

Feb 06, 2025 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Treaty of Rome wins at Aqueduct.

Treaty of Rome wins at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

A well-matched field of 10 sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay dirt in Saturday’s $250,000 Sam F. Davis S. (G3). The 2025 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series event will reward the top five across the wire with qualifying points towards the Run for the Roses on a 20-10-6-4-2 structure.

The Chad Brown-trained Treaty of Rome has shown improvement with each lifetime run to date and will look to continue his ascension while making his graded stakes debut on Saturday. By Uncle Mo, the full-brother to Grade 3 heroine Donna Veloce ran third while going six furlongs at Aqueduct in October, prior to graduating second time out in a one-mile tilt at the same venue on December 7.

In his latest performance, the Kentucky-bred was courageous in defeat in the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park while finishing well clear of his nearest foe in second, and he has posted a trio of morning drills in the interim. The bay colt received a nice post draw near the fence to help him save ground in the early stages of the race, and I expect him to show very good late energy in his initial run going two turns. Dylan Davis retains the mount atop the leading selection.

Godolphin homebred Poster was 3-for-3 in his juvenile campaign led by an eye-catching score in the Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct to cap 2024. Trained by Eoin Harty, the chestnut son of Munnings passed both the dirt and distance tests in the Empire State in December, and he seems to be coming up to the Sam F. Davis in good shape evidenced by his bullet morning drill at Tampa on February 2. The versatile colt picks up strong local pilot Antonio Gallardo for his seasonal debut.

Iroquois S. (G3) runner-up Owen Almighty crossed the wire in first in the local Pasco S. last time out, and while he was ultimately disqualified and placed fifth in the race, I still feel that it was a very good prep run for the Brian Lynch pupil. The $350,000 son of Speightstown flashed a lot of potential as a two-year-old and seems poised to challenge for the top spot with his best showing on Saturday. Irad Ortiz, Jr. retaining the ride is a major bonus, too.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #2 Treaty of Rome on top of #6 Owen Almighty and #7 Poster in the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes is the Best Bet of the Week.

  • Ticket Info

    Sign up for race updates and more

FOLLOW FOR UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVES

Missed something? Catch up on past Kentucky Derby news