The road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Saturday with the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes down at Tampa Bay Downs. Renowned trainer Jose D'Angelo won this Kentucky Derby prep race in 2024 with No More Time and has reunited with jockey Paco Lopez for the Sam F. Davis Stakes 2025. This year's entry is Smoken Boy, who will be making his debut on American soil. The Puerto Rican colt is a 20-1 long shot to win in the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes odds, but could D'Angelo and Lopez help him cruise to victory?
Post time for Saturday's race is 5:14 p.m. ET. Owen Almighty is the 2-1 morning-line favorite among the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes horses. The top five Sam F. Davis Stakes favorites are rounded out by John Hancock (3-1), Poster (4-1), Treaty of Rome (6-1) and Naughty Rascal (6-1). With several accomplished horses set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what SportsLine writer Gene Menez has to say before making any Sam F. Davis Stakes picks or horse racing predictions.
A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI's handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.
In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet.
In May of last year, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. Last November, he crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders' Cup Saturday for a $5,303 score.
For Saturday, Menez has handicapped the 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes field, made his picks and constructed his best bets. You can head to SportsLine now to see them.
Top 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes predictions
One surprise: Menez is fading Owen Almighty, even though he is the top favorite at 2-1. The expert admits he thinks this two-year-old colt is worth keeping an eye on in the 2025 Kentucky Derby prep races. However, he has some reservations about how he will finish at the Sam F. Davis Stakes 2025.
Owen Almighty is coming off of a fifth-place finish in January in the Pasco Stakes, which also took place at Tampa Bay Downs. The young horse crossed the finish line first, but was disqualified from winning due to interference. He appeared to do well with the speed in that race, but Menez isn't sure if Owen Almighty can keep that up in his first race with two turns. You can see all of Menez's 2025 Pegasus World Cup bets here.
How to make 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes picks
Moreover, Menez's top pick is a horse who "figures to have a hot early pace." He also is high on a double-digit longshot who is "projected to get to the front." Menez is including these horses in his 2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes bets, and so should you. He's sharing what horses to back at SportsLine.
So what horse wins the Sam F. Davis Stakes 2025? And how has Menez constructed his wagers? Visit SportsLine to see Menez's picks for the Sam F. Davis Stakes, all from the expert who gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby and crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders' Cup Saturday for $5,303, and find out.
2025 Sam F. Davis Stakes odds, contenders, post positions
| Horse | Odds | Picks |
| Camp Hale | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Treaty of Rome | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| John Hancock | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Dr. Ruben M | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Gateskeeper | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Owen Almighty | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Poster | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Naughty Rascal | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Smoken Boy | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Very Bold | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
