Renegade gets the photo after sweeping the field in the Sam F Davis, Ben Baugh Photo
Ben Baugh
Mystic Lake Continues Magic in Minaret and Zany Gets Serious in Suncoast
OLDSMAR, FL — Repole Stable’s and Robert and Lawana Low’s Renegade stamped himself as a Classic contender with a victorious effort in the 1 1/16-mile $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 7, 2026, at Tampa Bay Downs.
It was the 46th running of the stakes race named after the track’s former president, and Renegade, a son of Into Mischief, left no doubt in anyone’s mind, after a torrent closing effort that saw him come from off the pace to win by 3 ¾-lengths.
The Todd Pletcher charge was ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz, Jr, the third of his three stakes victories on the day.
“Todd and his team have done a great job,” said Mike Repole, Renegade’s co-owner. “He got down to Florida, right after the Remsen, and really took a liking to Palm Beach Downs. He’s been training great. Todd sent me every work, it’s been awesome. I own the horse with the Lows. I’m happy to be partners with them. He’s a very special horse.”
Renegade had finished second to Paladin in both of his previous starts, at Aqueduct in the Remsen Stakes (Gr.2) on Dec. 6, 2025, and earlier in the year the bay colt was the runner up to the Gun Runner colt conditioned by Chad Brown In a maiden special weight contest, where Renegade was disqualified and placed second at Belmont at the Big A.
However, there was no stopping the Robert and Lawana Low bred colt in the Sam. F. Davis.
Renegade breezed at Palm Beach Downs on Jan. 31, 2026, working four furlongs in 48.87. The colt was purchased at the 2024 Keeneland Association Sept. Yearling Sale from the Taylor Made Sales Agency by Repole Stable for $975,000.
“I think distance and age is going to be his friend,” said Repole.
The dam of Renegade, Spice is Nice, is by the 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin. Bred by B Flay Thoroughbreds, campaigned by Robert and Lawana Low, and conditioned by Todd Pletcher, Spice is Nice won the 2021 Allaire DuPont Distaff Match Series Stakes (Gr. 3) at Pimlico.
Pelican Stakes
Pennsylvania-bred Concrete Glory, a durable campaigner, was making the 41st start of his career in the 42nd running of the $125,000 Pelican Stakes.
The 7-year-old dark bay gelding by Bodemeister is owned by Big Frank Stable, and was ridden to victory by the jockey who has been ranked first in victories the past nine years, 2017-2025, Irad Ortiz Jr., who scored a 2-length win in the Pelican, covering the six furlongs in 1:09.74. Saffie Joseph Jr. conditions Concrete Glory who he has a great affinity for because of his charismatic nature, and the feeling is mutual.
“He’s achieved so much,” said Joseph. “He’s a cool horse to be around to, like personality-wise. For his personality, he’s my favorite horse in the whole barn. I have lot better horses than him, but to see how he does things. He’s really cool to be around. He gives his all. When you hang around him, he’s so smart. He knows me. The barn knows he’s my favorite horse.”
Concrete Glory turned in a bullet work Jan. 30, 2026, breezing three furlongs, in 36.35. It was the fastest work of the 26 horses that worked that distance that day.
It was Concrete Glory’s first stakes win, having bankrolled $583,249, with 16 wins, eight seconds and two thirds, from 41 lifetime starts.
Concrete Glory initially earned black-type with a second-place effort in the six-furlong Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes on Feb. 22, 2025.
Carl L. Hess Jr. purchased Concrete Glory for $14,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2019 Mixed Sale from the consignment of Northview Stallion Station.
Suncoast Stakes
Repole Stable’s Zany was much the best in best in the 45th running of the $125,000 Suncoast Stakes, winning by 2 3/4-lengths under the confident handling of Irad Ortiz Jr., kicking clear in the stretch after racing off the pace early in the contest.
The Todd Pletcher filly began her sophomore campaign with a convincing victory, after closing out her juvenile year with a win in the Demoiselle Stakes (Gr. 2) at Aqueduct on Dec. 6, 2025, winning by 8 ½-lengths, where she was also piloted by Irad Ortiz Jr.
Zany broke her maiden at first asking, with another impressive score by 6 ½-lengths under Emisael Jaramillo at Gulfstream Park. The chestnut daughter of the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah turned in a bullet work at Palm Beach Downs on Jan. 31, 2026, covering a half mile, breezing in 47.97, the best time out of 30 horses at the distance.
Zany was purchased by Repole Stable for $350,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale from the Taylor Made Sales Agency. Zany’s dam, Mo’ Green, who was owned by D.J. Stable and who bred Zany, was conditioned by John Servis, and won the 2017 Top Flight Invitational Stakes (Gr.3).
Minaret Stakes
The 5-year-old mare Mystic Lake demonstrated her athletic prowess with a 7 ½ length score in the 45th running of the $125,000 Minaret Stakes. Saffie Joseph Jr. trained the winner, who is owned by the partnership of Miller Racing LLC, BAG Racing Stables, LLC, and Stefania Farms, LLC. Flavien Prat, the Eclipse Award winner as North America’s outstanding jockey, the past two years, piloted the Florida-bred to victory. She covered the six furlongs in 1:10.34. It was the 12th career victory for Mystic Lake, who has now earned $1,537,517.
“She’s a consistent mare. She’s five now and she started her 2026 campaign on a good note,” said Joseph Jr. “Hopefully, she keeps going forward from here.”
The mare breezed three furlongs at Palm Meadows on Jan. 30, 2026, in 38.60.
Mystic Lake is no stranger to winning stakes races at Tampa Bay Downs, with her initial stakes victory coming in the 2024 Gasparilla Stakes and 2 ½ months later, she would win the Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Stakes Fillies Stakes. The daughter of Mo Town broke her maiden at Woodbine on Sept. 9, 2023, while being campaigned by C2 Racing, LLC and Stefania Farms, LLC.
Her sophomore campaign proved to be one for the ages, winning the Miss Preakness Stakes (Gr. 3), Charles Town Oaks (Gr. 2) and the Sugar Swirl Stakes. However it was her 4-year-old campaign that really turned heads, as Mystic Lake won the Inside Information Stakes Presented by MyRaceHorse.com (Gr.2), and then managed to win four consecutive stakes with scores in the Memorial Day Sprint Stakes at Lone Star, Dashing Beauty Stakes at Delaware Park, the Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Charles Town and Liberty Bell Stakes at Parx Racing.
Mystic Lake is out of the unraced chestnut mare Salty Soul. Tom McCrocklin purchased Mystic Lake out of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company 2022 October Yearling Sale for $3,500. Turf Express Racing Properties purchased the horse from McCrocklin’s consignment at the OBS 2023 March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $130,000.
“She’s just a hard knocker, she’s got plenty of talent, she brings her game every time,” said McCrocklin. “She doesn’t need a particular racetrack. She’s traveled all over North America. At this point, she’s an old pro. She’s one of our Hall of Fame graduates that we’re proud of.”
One to watch
Icon Racing’s Kokomotion broke her maiden in the 9th race. The daughter of Quality Road is trained by D. Whitworth Beckham, and is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Zee Drop.
Tom McCrocklin purchased Zee Drop for $82,000 from the consignment of Timber Town at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale.
“I bought her for Little Red Feather,” said McCrocklin. “I believe she’s stakes placed (2nd in the 2020 Goldikova Stakes (Gr. 2). Now she’s the dam of what looks to be a very promising Quality Road 3-year-old.”
Kokomotion brought $22,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale. Icon Racing purchased the filly at the 2025 OBS Spring 2-Year-Olds Sale for $340,000 from De Meric Sales.
