Stretching out to two turns for Saturday's Sam F. Davis Stakes, downgraded to listed status but still offering 20 points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s John Hancock (c, 3, Constitution–Scribbling Sarah, by Freud) would not be denied in the early march to the First Saturday in May.
The chestnut earned a solid 81 Beyer Speed Figure in leading every step of the way to break his maiden at first asking over three-quarters of a mile locally on Jan. 8 and was accordingly sent off the slight 5-2 post-time favorite over Owen Almighty (Speightstown), who was demoted from a victory in the Jan. 11 Pasco Stakes.
Sent straight into the lead by Prat, the homebred colt was not allowed an easy time of things, as Owen Almighty forced the issue through taxing fractions of :22.75 for the quarter and :46.23 for the half. Despite having to go hard, it was John Hancock who seemed to be doing slightly the better work and even as the three-quarters went up in 1:10.49, was clinging narrowly to the lead as heads were turned for home. Shoulder to shoulder with Owen Almighty into the final furlong, John Hancock looked to drop at least a head behind, but was back in front a sixteenth from home and took it by a half-length in stakes-record time. Poster (Munnings) closed off nicely with a sustained rally for third, just ahead of Camp Hale (Mo Town).
With his 20 point pick up here, John Hancock currently sits in seven on the Derby leaderboard, though third through eighth are all tied with the same number of qualifying points. Poster is in 11th with 16, tied with 'TDN Rising Star' GSW & GISP Getaway Car (Curlin), and Owen Almighty takes the 13th spot while tied with 'TDN Rising Star' Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) with 15.
Pedigree Note:
John Hancock hails from a fast family as his half-sister GISW Speech (Mr Speaker) lowered the track record at Keeneland for 1 1/16-miles to 1:41.26 in July 2020–Horse of the Year MGISW Knicks Go (Paynter) lowered it again a few months later in October–before going on to run third in the GI Kentucky Oaks held in September that year. The most recent to the races for his dam Scribbling Sarah, the victor is her second to garner black-type and third to get a picture taken. Next in line for a start is the 2-year-old full-brother named Federal Reserve, and the mare has a yearling filly by Gun Runner in the wings. She is due to Flightline for 2025.
Like her mother, Speech too had a Gun Runner filly, only hers was delivered in Japan after she changed hands in a private sale to Shadai Farm. Named Stir Heart (Jpn), she has started twice, most recently Jan. 18 at Chukyo. Speech has since produced a 2-year-old filly by Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn), a yearling filly by Saturnalia (Jpn), and is due to the sensational Equinox (Jpn) in 2025.
On the American side, this is the extended female family of fan favorite MGSW Rated R Superstar (Kodiak Kowboy) and MGISW Carson's Run (Cupid).
Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
SAM F. DAVIS S., $200,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-8, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:42.27, ft.
1–JOHN HANCOCK, 120, c, 3, by Constitution
1st Dam: Scribbling Sarah, by Freud
2nd Dam: Plinking, by Talkin Man
3rd Dam: Holy Wish, by Lord At War (Arg)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,560. *1/2 to Speech (Mr Speaker), GISW, $497,090.
2–Owen Almighty, 120, c, 3, Speightstown–Tempers Rising, by Bayern. ($360,000 Wlg '22 KEENOV; $350,000 Ylg '23 FTSAUG). O-Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC; B-Mark Stanley (KY); T-Brian A. Lynch. $40,000.
3–Poster, 124, c, 3, Munnings–Pin Up, by Tapit. 'TDN Rising Star.' O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Eoin G. Harty. $20,000. Margins: HF, 2 1/4, NK. Odds: 2.50, 2.60, 4.60.
Also Ran: Camp Hale, Very Bold, Naughty Rascal, Dr Ruben M, Smoken Boy, Treaty of Rome, Gateskeeper.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
WOW JOHN HANCOCK ($7.00) IS SO GAME!!
He out-dueled Owen Almighty in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at @TampaBayDownsFL for 20 @KentuckyDerby Points. The son of Constitution (@WinStarFarm) set a new stakes record under Flavien Prat for trainer @bradcoxracing and owner WinStar Farm. pic.twitter.com/6GQpLPXXwQ
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 8, 2025
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