War Pass To Race in Tampa Bay Derby on March 15

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Undefeated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion War Pass and one of the leading 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders will be competing against six other horses in the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) at Tampa Bay Downs on March 15, Saturday.

The Tampa Bay Derby is one of the major 2008 Kentucky Derby prep races. Last year, Street Sense became the first Tampa Bay Derby winner to win the Kentucky Derby.

Three-year-old horses racing in the Tampa Bay Derby this Saturday with jockeys, weight and morning line odds:

Cigar Man ridden by jockey Ronald Dale Allen, Jr. carries 116 lbs. with odds of 20-1

Gentleman James ridden by jockey David Amiss, 116 lbs., 20-1

War Pass ridden by jockey Cornelio Velasquez, 122 lbs., 1-2

Make Me Zach ridden by jockey Jose Alberto Rivera II, 116 lbs., 20-1

Dynamic Wayne ridden by jockey Pablo Morales, 116 lbs., 12-1

Big Truck ridden by jockey Eibar Coa, 116 lbs., 9-2

Atoned ridden by jockey John Velazquez, 116 lbs., 5-1

Robert LaPenta’s War Pass is the predictable 1-2 favorite in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby. The Nick Zito trainee is holding a career record of 5 wins in 5 starts. War Pass was the clear winner in his last start in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park February 24. Prior to that, War Pass won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Monmouth Park and the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, home of the 2008 Belmont Stakes. The Cherokee Run colt is looking to remain undefeated. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez will be taking the mount in the Tampa Bay Derby this Saturday.

Horse trainer Todd Pletcher will be sending Atoned in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby. Dogwood Stable’s Atoned is coming off a second place finish behind Court Vision in Aqueduct’s Remsen Stakes (gr. II) last November 24. The Kentucky Derby hopeful Atoned will be ridden by jockey John Velazquez this Saturday.

Barclay Tagg’s Big Truck was runner-up to Fierce Wind in the Sam F. Davis Stakes February 16 at Tampa Bay Downs. The Hook and Ladder colt is yet to win a race for owner Eric Fein since September of last year, when he scored in the 7-furlong Bertram F. Bongard Stakes at Belmont Park. He was 4th in the Remsen Stakes and 5th behind Smooth Air in Gulfstream Park’s Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) in January.

The Tampa Bay Derby is scheduled as the 12th race in Tampa Bay Downs’ Festival Day horse racing program on March 15. Estimated post time is 5:50 pm EST.

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