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Downs event is measuring stick

Any Given Saturday could find Derby potential today in stakes race.

By DON JENSEN Times Correspondent
Published February 17, 2007

OLDSMAR - Driving in the Bluegrass State was treacherous last week. A wintry mix of snow and ice-coated highways, leaving motorists on edge.

If Doug Cauthen had any concerns about his ride to and from work, he didn't let it show. The president and CEO of WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., surveyed another road, the one leading to the Kentucky Derby.

The journey begins today for Any Given Saturday, who attempts to become the latest from WinStar to win the $150,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Any Given Saturday makes his seasonal debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in the marquee race on Festival Preview Day, a 11/16-mile test for 3-year-olds on the main track. The lightly raced dark bay colt by Distorted Humor is considered one of the nation's top horses in his age class and among 32 Triple Crown nominations for Pletcher. John Velazquez has the riding assignment.

"Todd is excited about this horse and anxious to see what he does," said Cauthen, younger brother of Hall of Fame member and Triple Crown-winning jockey Steve Cauthen. "He seems to be real versatile with a lot of gears, one of the greatest things a jockey can ask for. He can get you to where you want to be whenever you need to."

Any Given Saturday will be starting for the first time in 77 days. He has been in South Florida since finishing second in the Grade II $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 25, a half-length behind Tiz Wonderful at Churchill Downs in Louisville. That was his lone defeat in three career starts. He broke his maiden at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., winning a 51/2-furlong race by a nose on Sept. 15, followed by a 3-length victory in a 11/16-mile allowance test Oct. 16 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. Both victories came on Polytrack surfaces with Julien Leparoux in the irons.

The Kentucky homebred has shown plenty of moxie. He drew outside posts in both wins, and was forced to race at least five wide each time while coming from off the pace. In the Kentucky Jockey Club, Any Given Saturday started from the No. 8 post, raced four wide and challenged the leaders. But he drifted in the stretch when struck by Rafael Bejarano's whip and lost ground to Tiz Wonderful in the 11/16-mile race.

Any Given Saturday has earnings of $89,213. He prepped for the Sam F. Davis at Palm Beach Downs, where he breezed 5 furlongs in 1 minute, 2 seconds on Sunday.

Cauthen said Any Given Saturday has been a farm favorite since he was foaled at WinStar, where his sire stands.

"He is the first Distorted Humor colt that we've bred and kept," Cauthen said. "We're excited about him. He is big, strong and strapping with good looks and a good attitude. He's got a great frame that should fill out and hopefully allow him to handle the campaign that is ahead with so many good horses like Nobiz Like Shobiz in the mix. He is learning things at a normal pace but needs to keep improving."

Distorted Humor is one of the industry's top stallions with a No. 6 ranking in 2006 and No. 2 in 2005. He carries a $225,000 stud fee. Distorted Humor's demand skyrocketed after one of his offspring, Funny Cide, won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Any Given Saturday is trying to become the second WinStar colt to use the Sam F. Davis as a stepping-stone to greater things. In 2006, Bluegrass Cat followed his win in the Sam F. Davis with a Haskell Invitational victory and second-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Travers Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby. He was retired to stud after the Travers when it was discovered the Storm Cat colt had a fractured right hind leg pastern bone.

Bluegrass Cat stands at WinStar with a $50,000 stud fee. "Bluegrass Cat is booked solid," Cauthen said. "He was the culmination of a dream we had. Now we have to wait and see if we can do it again, the good Lord willing."

Like Bluegrass Cat, Any Given Saturday has a dam by A.P. Indy, Weekend in Indy.

Cauthen said Any Given Saturday might also race in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 17.

"It's a definite possibility," he said. "Todd and Elliott (Walden, WinStar vice president) have a game plan. We take one race at a time."

[Last modified February 17, 2007, 01:55:35]