NEWS
Fierce Wind fends off foe to win Sam F. Davis
Posted: Saturday, February 16, 2008 6:29 PM
FIERCE WIND (inside)
Tom Cooley photo
by Mike Curry
Fierce Wind charged to the lead entering the stretch of his stakes debut and held off fast-closing Big Truck to prevail by a half-length in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Dixie Union colt, who entered off a 5 1/4-length romp in an allowance race on January 21 at Gulfstream Park, settled into an ideal stalking position in fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis as Honey Honey Honey set a moderate pace.
Trained by Nick Zito for owner Four Roses Thoroughbreds, Fierce Wind made his bid under Cornelio Velasquez on the far turn as did 6-to-5 favorite Z Humor. Both Fierce Wind and Z Humor reeled in Honey Honey Honey approaching the stretch, but Fierce Wind quickly accelerated clear from the favorite.
"[In this race] I stayed in good position, and watched Garrett Gomez's horse [Z Humor], but he stopped at the quarter pole," Velasquez said. "The other horse [Big Truck] came at the end, but I had a lot of horse."
Hutcheson Stakes (G2) winner Smooth Air rallied belatedly after encountering traffic trouble in the stretch and stakes winner Big Truck closed gamely on the outside after racing in seventh then sixth early in the race.
Big Truck sliced into Fierce Wind’s lead in the final sixteenth, but the victor held off the challenge despite drifting out to prevail in 1:44.13 on a track rated as fast.
Big Truck was three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Smooth Air.
Z Humor, making his first start since finishing in a dead heat for first with Turf War in the Boyd Gaming’s Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3) on December 7, flattened out in the stretch and finished fifth in the eight-horse field.
"Two turns is always a plus when you've got tactical speed," said Tim Poole, an assistant to Zito. "You've got a horse that can get to the first turn and get position. Cornelio did an excellent job of getting him there today."
Fierce Wind was unplaced in each of his first two career starts but demonstrated significant improvement when stretching out to one mile and 70 yards in his third start, powering clear to a 10 1/4-length score on December 16 at Calder Race Course. He improved to three wins in five starts and boosted his bankroll to $146,200.
Bred in Kentucky by William S. Farish, Hilbert Thoroughbreds, and Menard Thoroughbreds, Fierce Wind is out of multiple stakes producer Post Parade, by A.P. Indy.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
