Kentucky Derby qualifying points will be on the line when the starting gate opens in the 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in Tampa, Fla. The winner of the Kentucky Derby prep race will receive 10 points toward the Run for the Roses. Second, third and fourth will earn four, two and one points, respectively. The Brian Lynch-trained Classic Causeway is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in the 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes odds. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Make It Big is second in the odds at 9-2 in the 12-horse 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes field, while the Dale Romans-trained Howling Time is next on the odds board at 5-1.
Post time for the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes 2022 is 4:54 p.m. ET. With a wide-open field of lightly-raced horses set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes picks.
A Saratoga Springs-based racing insider, a Beyer Speed Figure maker and a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas, Weir has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014.
Last year he was on fire. He hit the exacta in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, Tampa Bay Derby and Peter Pan Stakes, the trifecta in the Risen Star Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes and Pennsylvania Derby and the superfecta in the Belmont Stakes, with the Tampa Bay score returning $1,414. Those were just some of his scores in 2021.
And two weeks ago he nailed the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup.
Now, he has handicapped the 2022 Sam F. Davis field, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can only see them here.
Top 2022 Sam F. Davis predictions
One surprise: Weir is bullish on Kitten Mischief, who is a 12-1 long shot. Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Kitten Mischief has started just twice, winning once. He is coming off a second in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 9.
Both of his races were at one mile and around one turn, but this son of Into Mischief out of a Kitten's Joy mare is bred to excel at longer distances. "He has a lot to prove, but I suspect he will appreciate the two turns," Weir tells SportsLine. Weir will be using Kitten Mischief prominently in his wagers.
How to make 2022 Sam F. Davis picks, bets
Weir's top pick is a horse who is coming off "two pretty good efforts." He also is high on another double-digit long shot who "should have every opportunity to run late." Weir is including these horses in his 2022 Sam F. Davis Stakes bets, and so should you. He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.
So what horse wins the Sam F. Davis Stakes 2022? What double-digit long shot is a must-back? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Sam F. Davis Stakes odds 2022 below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Sam F. Davis Stakes.
2022 Sam F. Davis Cup odds, contenders, horses, lineup
| Horse | Odds | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mr Rum Runner | 20-1 |
| 2 | Unpredictable Boy | 20-1 |
| 3 | Classic Causeway | 3-1 |
| 4 | Golden Glider | 12-1 |
| 5 | God of Love | 10-1 |
| 6 | Trademark | 15-1 |
| 7 | Make It Big | 9-2 |
| 8 | Shipsational | 6-1 |
| 9 | Howling Time | 5-1 |
| 10 | Volcanic | 12-1 |
| 11 | Strike Hard | 6-1 |
| 12 | Kitten Mischief | 12-1 |
| Also eligible: | ||
| 13 | Little Vic | 15-1 |
