By Alan Carasso
Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low's Renegade (Into Mischief) entered Saturday's Sam F. Davis as a high-profile, three-start maiden. After 8 1/2 furlongs in the diminishing Oldsmar daylight, the impeccably bred colt emerged as a leading Classics contender, as he turned in an irresistible late rally to score convincingly and give trainer Todd Pletcher a record-extending eighth success in the race.
Carrying the Repole colors, the last-out GII Remsen Stakes runner-up was content to drop out to near the tail of the field as longshot Wayne's Law (Tiz the Law) made the running in advance of Game for It (Known Agenda), with the well-backed Confessional (Essential Quality) in the perfect spot if good enough.
In what might have been the race-winning move, Renegade was steered toward the outside and into the clear with about a half-mile to travel and had plenty of clear racetrack to deliver his challenge. Renegade worked his way into the race nicely despite conceding a fair amount of ground, confronted Wayne's Law under a full head of steam approaching the final furlong and pulled clear to score and earn 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Wayne's Law held gamely for second in advance of the maiden The Puma (Essential Quality), who sat a two-path trip not far from the front, was disappointed for a run in upper stretch and got home well to round out the trifecta.
A distant debut third to 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard It's Our Time (Not This Time) sprinting at Saratoga Aug. 16, Renegade came to win a one-mile Aqueduct allowance Oct. 17, but was ruled to have interfered enough with Paladin (Gun Runner) to have his number taken down. The two squared off again in the Remsen, where the result was more decisively in favor of Paladin. With Saturday's win, Renegade suggested there may not be much between the two of them after all.
A 189th career black-type winner for the all-conquering Into Mischief, Renegade is the 46th to strike at stakes level out of a daughter of Curlin. A daughter of GI Humana Distaff Stakes heroine Dame Dorothy, Spice Is Nice was a $1.05-million Keeneland September yearling purchase by the Lows and her four career victories included the GIII Allaire DuPont Distaff in 2021. Renegade was purchased for $975,000 at Keeneland September by Team Repole and the Lows were happy to stay in for part. The cross of Into Mischief over Curlin has yielded 18 winners from 22 starters and now three stakes scorers.
Spice Is Nice can also claim a 2-year-old filly by the late Uncle Mo, a yearling filly by Justify and was most recently bred to Not This Time.
SAM F. DAVIS S., $210,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-7, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.54, ft.
1–RENEGADE, 122, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Spice Is Nice (GSW, $259,688), by Curlin
2nd Dam: Dame Dorothy, by Bernardini
3rd Dam: Vole Vole Monamour, by Woodman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($975,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Robert & Lawana Low & Repole Stable; B-Robert & Lawana Low (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz Jr. $120,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-1-2-1, $199,000.
2–Wayne's Law, 122, c, 3, Tiz the Law–Mollie Merisa, by Harlan's Holiday. ($22,000 RNA Ylg '24 OBSWIN; $25,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Baalbek Corp; B-Margaret McFarland (FL); T-Amador Merei Sanchez. $50,000.
3–The Puma, 122, c, 3, Essential Quality–Eve of War, by Declaration of War. 1ST BLACK TYPE. ($95,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-OGMA Investments LLC, JR Ranch & High Step Racing LLC; B-Hidden Brook Farm & Brian Kahn (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado. $20,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 48.20, 2.60.
Also Ran: Game for It, Epic Desire, Ocelli, Confessional, Dr. Kapur, Max Capacity. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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