The Davis Stakes (Grade 3) (KYD)- $250.000 Purse
TAM- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 10, 2018
For most of the race, Stormin Cobra was at the back of the pack, and did not seem like he was about to win, despite being made the post-time favorite for the event. Then, like his name would imply, he came storming on through and pounced on the lead like a cobra in the stretch. He’s an up and coming colt, but he has really taken a liking for running more then a mile. The $80.000 private sales purchase in November is looking like quite a find for Mo Mentum Farm, who wins the race for the first time in his career. The winning jockey was V Espinoza, who also gets his first Davis win. Interesting V Espinoza note: the jockey only has three wins in 2018 so far (as of press time). But he’s made two of them count, coming here, and then last week in the Las Virgenes with Ivanka. Congratulations to the winners ! The time of the win was 1:42.02, a little slower then past years, but it was all that was needed. Let’s take a look at it!
(1/4 Mile- :23.06)- From his outside post position, Lg The Menace makes an aggressive push to get out to the lead for Jkk Racing Stables, and he is able to accomplish this task and lead the way into the opening turn. Unfortunately, this also lead to a wide entry of the turn, and he was not able to get over to the rail as quickly as he may have liked. Mister Force (Brave) also broke well from the ninth post, and that kept Lg The Menace from getting to the rail quickly. Mister Force was a little better at this task, and settled in a length back, while my pre race selection, Newsnight, from Sir Daniel Martin, looked to prove outside post doubters wrong and ran even with Mister Force. Cheapsnake (John Henry) was fourth and trailing by three and a half, and he had Living Healthy (First Class Stable) and Yanoro (Blushing Meadows) beside him. One more length back came the next threesome, consisting of Creep City II (D J C Racing Stables), Stormin Cobra (Mo Mentum Farm), and Maniaco del Controll (Threshold). Audioslave (Alydar Stables) was close by as well. At the back were Lane Frost (Sanny Village) and Thrilling Mist (Crocker Ggs). Eight lengths separated first from last at this point.
(½ Mile- :46.35)- Down the backstretch, Lg The Menace continues to pace the field, and now pulls ahead by two lengths as neither Mister Force nor Newsnight show an interest in getting up there and challenging him. Yanoro was a forward mover here. He had the three-wide lane moving into the turn, with the clear daylight ahead of him, D E Centeno, moved him forward and into now a three-way battle for second. Things were beginning to get very tight within the back as Audioslave moved forward on the rail somewhat as well, to get close to Cheapsnake. Creep City II was also looking for room up the middle. Our eventual winner, Stormin Cobra had the potential to get boxed in pretty good here, and needed Living Healthy to move up, or for Maniaco del Controll to either advance or drop off. Lane Frost, our eventual runner up, now trailed the field, though at the same time, having no one around him may not have been a bad thing as we moved into the turn.
(Top of Stretch- 1.5 To Go)– At the top of the stretch, we had no idea who was about to win this race. Lg The Menace was still in the lead, but was caught, and did not look as though he was going to hold onto it much longer. At this point, I thought Yanoro looked very good, as he had a clear lane throughout and seemed poised to take control of the race in the stretch if he had the legs underneath him. Newsnight was battling for the lead here as well, and was also in good position. Behind these three, you knew something was about to happen, it was just not clear what it would be, exactly. There was large fanning out of the field into the top of the stretch, something that we saw coming. Lane Frost, who had been at the back, made the widest move of them all, but if he could make it stick in that lane, he seemed to have a good shot. Stormin Cobra got what he needed to happen, as Living Healthy was good enough in the stretch for him to prepare an outside move of that one when Maniaco del Controll began to show signs of weakening. Living Healthy, Cheapsnake, and Mister Force all had clear lanes in front of them, as well. You could cover this field with a blanket almost at this point, and the race was now a dash to the wire.
(Finish- 1:42.02)- If the race ended with 0.7F to go, we would have had a 7-way photo for the win. Somehow, someway, Stormin Cobra found a seam and was not afraid to take the smallest of lanes that was in front of him. Yanoro probably could have blocked this lane, but was unable too, and Stormin Cobra came stormin on through. Lane Frost was in great stride on the outside, and in the dying moments of this race, these two had emerged as the top two, with Stormin Cobra holding off Lane Frost, but a result that both trainers should be thrilled with. After them, the field was separated by a length between third and tenth, and just one more to the last two horses. Don’t think there is anyone in this field who should be hanging their head, quite frankly, and all of them earned a March prep race, in my opinion. For third, it was Yanoro slightly over Living Healthy, who was barely ahead of Thrilling Mist, then Cheapsnake. Lg The Menace was a very close 7th, imagine if he wasn’t wide in the opening turn, could have been the difference 3rd and 7th for him. Audioslave and Newsnight dead heat for 8th, but they were strong here too. Tenth place Creep City II never had a clear trip. If he did, maybe he was third. Mister Force was close by in 11th, and even Maniaco del Controll ran well, after all he was in outer lane nearly all the way.
About The Winner- Stormin Cobra, trained by Mo Mentum Farm, and ridden by V Espinoza, is a three year old colt by Snakie and out of the late Its Stormy. He was bred in California as a yearling by Team 7 Illusions, and acquired by Mo Mentum Farm, via Allinthegate, for $80.000 in private sales in late November. Congratulations to the connections! The win is Stormin Cobra’s third in seven starts, his second stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $203.950.
Track: Fast
Time: :23 :461 1:101 1:42
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 4 – 7 Paid 159.40
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 7 – 8 Paid 1,128.90
Scratched: Secret To Success, Wild Fame
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
