War Pass to face six in Tampa Bay Derby

War Pass has never been headed in his five career starts (Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com) Undefeated champion WAR PASS (Cherokee Run), who registered a facile allowance score at Gulfstream Park in his three-year-old debut, will bid for his sixth straight victory in Saturday's $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Six rivals have signed up to face him in the 1 1/16-mile event, including the Barclay Tagg-trained BIG TRUCK (Hook and Ladder) and ATONED (Repent) from the Todd Pletcher barn. War Pass has captured all five of his races in front-running style for Hall of Famer Nick Zito. A sharp winner of the Champagne S. (G1) in his third career start, the dark bay clinched the divisional championship with a 4 3/4-length demolition job in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Zito then crafted a strategy to prepare War Pass for the Kentucky Derby (G1), and he has not deviated from it. The first step, a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream on February 24, went exactly according to plan, as War Pass drubbed a field of four overmatched opponents by 7 1/2 lengths. The next step, the Tampa Bay Derby, will serve as a prep for the April 5 Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct. On Saturday, War Pass will tote the top weight of 122 pounds, spotting six pounds to each of his challengers. Regular rider Cornelio Velasquez will guide the speedy colt from post 3.

Big Truck is coming off a strong runner-up effort in the February 16 Sam F.

Davis S. at this track and trip. After rallying in deep stretch, he fell short

by a half-length to Zito's Fierce Wind (Dixie Union). Tagg has always been high

on Big Truck, who was a decisive winner of the Bertram F. Bongard S. as a

juvenile. The bay posted a bullet move on Sunday, blitzing five furlongs in :59

3/5 at Gulfstream, and will try to spring an upset beneath Eibar Coa.

Atoned has not raced since his valiant second in the November 24 Remsen S.

(G2) at Aqueduct. Despite clipping heels and nearly going down on the first

turn, he recovered well enough to get back into position, opened up by three

lengths in midstretch, and was just collared late by the well-regarded Court

Vision (Gulch). The ultra-consistent Atoned had already distinguished himself in

stakes company, rolling to a three-length tally in the Continental Mile S. and

recording runner-up finishes in the Whirling Ash S. and Dover S. prior to his

Remsen adventure. John Velazquez figures to carve out a stalking trip aboard the

dark bay, who has drawn widest of all in post 7.

CIGAR MAN (Drewman), who was stakes-placed as a juvenile, will lead the post

parade beneath Ronald Allen Jr. Next will come Pasco S. runner-up GENTLEMAN

JAMES (Yankee Gentleman), David Amiss; War Pass; last-out allowance winner MAKE

ME ZACH (First Tour), Jose Rivera II; Sam F. Davis fourth DYNAMIC WAYNE

(Eltish), Pablo Morales; Big Truck; and Atoned.

The companion event for sophomore fillies, the $200,000

Florida

Oaks (G3), has attracted a field of eight. Multiple stakes victress CALICO

BAY (Three Wonders), who romped by eight lengths last time out in the fillies'

division of the OBS Championship S., ranks as the co-highweight with 122 pounds.

Two starts ago, the Bill Kaplan trainee finished fourth to Bsharpsonata (Pulpit)

in a deep renewal of the Tropical Park Oaks. Manoel Cruz has the return call.

Also shouldering 122 pounds is Tempted S. (G3) queen ELUSIVE LADY (Van

Nistelrooy). The gray was a distant second in the Demoiselle S. (G2) in her

juvenile finale, and she will try to rebound from a troubled last-of-nine

performance in the Old Hat S. (G2) in her 2008 bow. Velasquez has the riding

assignment.

Although Suncoast S. heroine Vaulcluse (A.P. Indy) is skipping this newly

elevated Grade 3 event, the fillies who completed the Suncoast superfecta will

renew rivalry. On that occasion, runner-up MY BABY BABY (Bernstein) was 6 3/4

lengths clear of third-placer NO USE DENYING (Maria's Mon), who had a mere head

to spare over DEE'S ROSE (Straight Man).

UNFOLDING WISH (Gilded Time) and AWESOME CHIC (Awesome Again), who traded

decisions in a pair of Tampa stakes earlier this meet, will clash again, while

recent maiden winner DATTTS R GIRL ADDY (Vindication) completes the field.

Although sophomores are featured on Tampa's Festival Day program, turf stars

will also be in action. Champion DREAMING OF ANNA (Rahy) and Grade 1 winner

LEAR'S PRINCESS (Lear Fan), who were separated by inches in the Endeavour S.

(G3) last time out, will return to the Tampa grass for the $175,000

Hillsborough S. (G3). Both fillies were making their four-year-old debuts in

the 1 1/16-mile Endeavour, where Dreaming of Anna set the pace and just held on

from a fast-finishing Lear's Princess.

On Saturday, the two will step to about 1 1/8 miles on the turf, and Lear's

Princess should relish the added ground. The weights are also tilted in her

favor, with Dreaming of Anna slated to carry the top weight of 122 pounds, and

Lear's Princess getting in with 118. Velasquez will be back aboard Dreaming of

Anna, and regular pilot Coa will be in the cockpit for Lear's Princess.

Four other distaffers will try to prevent the Hillsborough from becoming a

match race between Dreaming of Anna and Lear's Princess. Stakes victress MAY

NIGHT (Gulch), who just missed by a nose in the Dance Smartly S. (Can-G2) last

summer, is the most accomplished of the remaining quartet and will add blinkers

for Fred Seitz.

Among the sprinting set, defending champion LOOKINFORTHESECRET (Cimarron

Secret) will mount a title defense in the $75,000

Turf Dash

S. The Jamie Ness charge has compiled a four-race winning streak on the main

track, but that has not scared off the opposition. The five-furlong affair has

lured an overflow field of 11, including one also-eligible. The classy FORT

PRADO (El Prado [Ire]) and AROUND THE CAPE (Carson City) loom as prime

contenders, and they may hope that Lookinforthesecret will be inconvenienced by

being stuck out in post 10.