The Sam F. Davis was one of two Derby points races on the day. Out at Golden Gate Fields, Blackadder scored in the El Camino Real Derby. More on that in a moment.

Classic Causeway now has two wins from four career starts and earnings of $301,100. He concluded his 2021 campaign by finishing third in the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and then second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

In the Sam F. Davis, Classic Causeway, off as the 8-5 favorite in the 12-horse field, broke quickly to the early lead but soon was joined by 13-1 outsider Little Vic. Those two sped through a half-mile in 46.67 seconds and three quarters in 1:11.51.

“I was getting pushed by the speed horse, but my horse is fast, too,” winning rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. said. “He was traveling perfect and I didn’t want to take too much out of him and take him back too much.

“He broke good, so I just let him be free out there. I knew I had horse under me the whole time. Brian did a great job bringing him up to the race.”

In the lane Classic Causeway finished strongly to establish a winning margin of 3 ¾ lengths over the late-running Shipsational. Volcanic grabbed third, and Strike Hard, last early, was along for fourth. Those four received Derby points in a 10-4-2-1 format. Little Vic faded to seventh.

Classic Causeway paid $5.20 to win.

[Click here for our Triple Crown Video page with video of every North American points race.]

“He showed up today. We always thought he has obvious quality, and he took the step he needed to keep the dream alive,” Lynch said. “The way he won today, I don’t think he was taxed. He was geared down late, and I think he’ll really move forward off this race.”

Meanwhile, out at Golden Gate Fields, Blackadder benefited from the troubled start experienced by favored Mackinnon to defeat that rival by a neck under jockey Edwin Maldonado.

However, Blackadder is trained by Bob Baffert, who is ineligible to compete in the Kentucky Derby this year. As a result, Blackadder, a Quality Road colt owned by a bulky ownership group with eight separate entities, will receive zero Kentucky Derby points.

[Click here for our Triple Crown page with the latest news and info.]

Blackadder does receive an automatic bid to the Preakness.

Blackadder joins Messier, Newgrange, and Corniche as Baffert-trained runners who have won Derby points races towards the ’22 Derby.

After Mackinnon, longshots Del Mo and Il Bellator rounded out the superfecta in the El Camino Real.

Kentucky Derby Points