Let’s Meet the Contenders for Saturday’s Grade 3 $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby, which goes as Race 11 on a stacked Tampa Bay Downs card.

#1 Lord Miles (Paco Lopez // Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Third in Gulfstream’s Mucho Macho Man Stakes to open 2023, he took a step backwards when sixth in the Grade 3 Holy Bull in February. That was his only start in blinkers, which will be removed for Saturday, and he comes in off a bullet workout that could signify a rebound.

#2 Classic Car Wash (Emisael Jaramillo // Mark Casse)
Rallying third-place finisher in the Sam F. Davis Stakes when snapping a 2-race winning streak. Jockey Jaramillo has been a mainstay in the saddle since December. Trainer Casse is a 2-time Tampa Bay Derby winner (2012 Prospective, 2021 Helium) and also sends out Champions Dream.

#3 Classic Legacy (Irad Ortiz Jr. // Bill Mott)
The half-brother to Pegasus World Cup winner Art Collector was a credible fourth in the Sam F. Davis in his first spin over the track. Ortiz takes the mount for the first time and this one is well-drawn with a versatile running style to take advantage. Mott has won this race twice (1997 Zede, 2019 Tacitus). Ortiz won it last year aboard Classic Causeway.

#4 Groveland (Daniel Centeno // Eoin Harty)
Clear-cut second in the Sam F. Davis with the race’s best gallop-out, he tops a whopping 7 returnees from the key local prep. Son of 2007 Tampa Bay Derby and eventual Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense. Jockey Centeno is a two-time winner of this race (2009 Musket Man, 2014 Ring Weekend).

#5 Mikey Bananas (Pablo Morales // Tim Hamm)
Three times placed in local allowance races at the current meet without a win, he’ll try to snap a 5-race losing streak as one of the race’s biggest longshots. Finished fifth and eighth in only prior stakes bids last year.

#6 Tapit Trice (Luis Saez // Todd Pletcher)
Exploded onto the scene with his 8-length allowance win at Gulfstream on February 4 as part of the Holy Bull Stakes Day undercard. $1.3 million auction buy broke his maiden at Aqueduct in December over Slip Mahoney, who since has a runner-up finish in the Gotham Stakes. Trainer Pletcher has a record 5 wins in the Tampa Bay Derby, most recently with Tapwrit in 2017 and will also saddle Shesterkin on Saturday.

#7 Freedom Road (Hector Diaz Jr. // Greg Sacco)
Allowance sprint winner at Tampa on January 21 to open his 3-year-old season, the stretch-out ensues for this son of Malibu Moon. He was third last year in the Laurel Futurity over a 1-turn mile and fifth in the Sapling at Monmouth in his only try around 2 turns. He’ll lose jockey Pablo Morales in the Tampa Bay Derby to Mikey Bananas.

#8 Dreaming of Kona (Scott Spieth // Aldana Spieth)
Promoted to victory in Gulfstream’s 1-turn mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes after suffering slight interference late in the race. His good fortune there did not transfer to Tampa’s Sam F. Davis Stakes when a tired and well-beaten seventh. As has been his norm, he comes into the race off another bullet workout. Races for a rare, husband-wife / jockey-trainer combination of Scott and Aldana Spieth.

#9 Shesterkin (Edgard Zayas // Todd Pletcher)
Runner-up to stablemate and Tampa Bay Derby rival Tapit Trice in a February 4 Gulfstream Park allowance mile. Was bet to 4-5 favoritism that day but will be the bigger price of the pair Saturday after an 8-length defeat. Will race with blinkers on for the first time. Note jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. jumps saddles to ride Classic Legacy. Trainer Pletcher has a record 5 wins in the Tampa Bay Derby, most recently with Tapwrit in 2017 and will also saddle Tapit Trice on Saturday.

#10 Champions Dream (Antonio Gallardo // Mark Casse)
Regally bred son of Triple Crown winner Justify and the brilliant filly Dancinginherdreams. Last year’s Grade 3 Nashua winner has had difficulty pairing up strong performances in succession. Forced the pace in the Sam F. Davis and retreated to last and was essentially eased. Trainer Casse is a 2-time Tampa Bay Derby winner (2012 Prospective, 2021 Helium) and also sends out Classic Car Wash.

#11 Zydeceaux (Samuel Marin // Ramon Minguet)
Ran so admirably from a tough post 11 draw in the Sam F. Davis, bulleting out to the lead and holding game until fading a bit late to be beaten 3-1/4 lengths in fifth. The 7-furlong Pasco Stakes winner has an affinity for the track and has been consistent in all 6 starts to date. Another post 11 draw does him no favors and the field here has some additional depth not seen in the Davis.

#12 Prairie Hawk (Samy Camacho // Saffie Joseph Jr.)
Son of Curlin spent much of the Sam F. Davis in make-up mode from a bad start, essentially firing his race in the middle portion and coming up empty in the stretch. Likely better than his ninth-place run that day, but post 12 will be a stout challenge for the 2-time local dirt route race winner. Jockey Camacho won this race in 2020 with King Guillermo.