Brethren Turns It On In Sam F. Davis

Brethren arrived on the Kentucky Derby trail in style yesterday, capturing the $225,000 Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs by four lengths. The win instantly moves Brethren into the Derby picture, as he now sits 21st in the Kentucky Derby Graded Stakes Standings. You can watch the race replay here.

Brethren, winning his three-year-old and graded stakes debut, started from the outside stall in the 10 horse field and immediately moved to the front in the three-wide spot. Ribo Bobo would end up with the lead followed by Brethren in second out of the first turn in a quick first quarter of 23.75. Ribo Bobo and Brethren continued to run 1-2 along the backstretch and the pace slowed down as Ribo Bobo crossed the half mile pole in 48.20 going into the final turn. But it was in that final turn that Brethren turned on the style against this field, blowing past Ribo Bobo and carrying a five-length lead into the stretch. From there on it was a race for second place as Brethren kept his distance from the field to secure the victory. Too Experience was second and Watch Me Go was third.

Brethren will need a couple performances like this one in the future to secure his spot in the Derby, although it's unknown what he might do next. The next logical spot would be the Tampa Bay Derby in March, but Todd Pletcher may steer him away knowing that Uncle Mo will be making a start there. Last season, the 20th spot on the graded stakes earnings standings earned $230,000. Brethren would need another $110,000 in graded stakes earnings to secure that amount, so we may see him in at least two graded stakes races between now and the Derby. With the relative ease that Brethren won this race, he looks like a probable Derby starter.

Posted in: Triple Crown