Battle Hardened, with nary a win to his name in three lifetime starts before this weekend, and bet down from a morning line of 12/1 to odds of 9/2, unleashed a long grinding run to win the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Prospective and Reveron each took command of the race for a moment near the top of the stretch, but neither could hold off the winner, finishing second and third, respectively.
Prior to today's win, Battle Hardened came up empty in three tries against Maiden Special Weight company. His debut race occurred at Churchill Downs in October, where he finished 4th while running six furlongs. He improved a bunch when stretched out, finishing second in another Churchill MdSpWt in late November. His last effort came in December when he missed by a head at Gulfstream Park while going nine furlongs.
Battle Hardened is a three-year-old son of Giant's Causeway out of a Northern Fashion mare (Jen's Fashion) trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Julien Leparoux.
Payouts:
Win: 3-Battle Hardened ($11.00, $5.60, $4.40)
Place: 11-Prospective ($5.20, $3.60)
Show: 10-Reveron ($3.60)
$1.00 Exacta: $31.00
$0.50 Trifecta: $92.35
$0.10 Super: $256.13
$1.00 Daily Double: $15.20
Fractions below the jump...
Fractions:
1/4: 23.79
1/2: 47.81
3/4: 1:12.55
Mile: 1:38.00
Finish: 1:44.58
Internal Fractions:
1/4: 23.79
1/2: 24.02
3/4: 24.74
Mile: 25.45
Finish: 6.58