By Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt

The $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), Tampa Bay Downs – Race 11

The Tampa Bay Derby drew a full field of twelve 3-year-olds that will compete on the Kentucky Derby trail for qualifying points of 50-20-15-10-5 that are available to the top five finishers. (6) Tapit Trice will make his first start in a stakes race following two impressive victories in a maiden at Aqueduct and an allowance at Gulfstream for Todd Pletcher. His last two speed figures are better than all of the other horses in the field. His allowance win by eight lengths is much faster than the others. (9) Shesterkin is a stablemate of the top choice and finished second behind him in that allowance race. The speed figure from his maiden win at Gulfstream is better than the rest of the field except for Tapit Trice. He will get blinkers on for the first time. Pletcher won the Tampa Derby five times already. (4) Groveland was second in the Sam F. Davis (G3) last time beating five of the horses in this field. (1) Lord Miles takes the blinkers off and after trying them for the first time in the Holy Bull (G3) which resulted in a poor effort. He was a debut maiden winner and then finished a close third in the Mucho Macho Man with a strong late rally.

Betting strategy:  Exacta box: 1, 4, 6, 9. Trifecta box: 1, 4, 6, 9.