Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview.com

The Tampa Bay Derby highlights the 2010 debut of Super Saver (2-1) who ended his 2009 campaign with an impressive win on Nov. 28 in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. The son of Maria’s Mon pulled off to win the mile-and-a-sixteenth race by five lengths. Not only was it a route race, but it was over the surface that is home to the Kentucky Derby.

He has been high on many Derby lists even though he hasn’t raced in more than three months. But he is one of Todd Pletcher’s ‘Cadet Corps’ that has the trainer holding a very solid hand as the First Saturday in May approaches.

Bringing him back over the heavy surface at Tampa Bay may be by design to toughen the colt up, or it may be out of necessity as Pletcher tries to keep all his Derby-bound charges (Aikenite, Connemara, Discreetly Mine, Eskendereya and Rule) apart until they reach Louisville, Ky.

Super Saver also picks up a different jockey in Ramon Dominguez, because Calvin Borel who rode him in the Kentucky Jockey Club has a date with Rachel Alexandra on Saturday in New Orleans. Dominguez was on the colt when he broke his maiden over a sloppy track on Sept. 11 at Belmont Park.

The main challenges will come from Odysseus (7-2), Schoolyard Dreams (3-1) and Uptowncharlybrown (5-2). Odysseus (Malibu Moon) is another highly regarded colt, but needs graded money to even think about May 1. He is trained by Tom Albertrani and has two wins out of three lifetime starts. He broke his maiden on Jan. 14 at Gulfstream Park and then was shipped across Florida to win an optional-claimer by 15 lengths on Feb. 17 at Tampa.

Schoolyard Dreams (Stephen Got Even) ran second to Rule in the Sam F. Davis on Feb. 13 at Tampa Bay and has two wins, a second and a third in four lifetime races. Jeremy Rose picks up the mount and he’s trained by Derek Ryan. The trainer won the Tampa Bay Derby last year with Musket Man.

Uptowncharlybrown (Limehouse) was unbeaten in two lifetime starts and then ran into Rule in the Sam F. Davis where he was third. Daniel Centeno keeps the ride and Alan Seewald is the trainer.

The rest of the seven-horse field:  Tuvia’s Force (12-1) who is trained by Nick Zito and will be ridden by Jose Lezcano; Gleam of Hope (15-1), trained by Tony Reinstelder and ridden by Willie Martinez; and Slammy Boy (20-1), trained by Tony Reinstelder and ridden by Victor Lebron.

Super Saver’s works, which all have been at Palm Meadows, tell me that Pletcher doesn’t have the colt cranked up for a gut-wrenching effort. Unless Super Saver is an exceptional colt, I would look for another to win. That may well be Odysseus whose Feb. 17 win was at a mile-and-a-sixteenth. Also, if Super Saver goes off at even money or less, you’d probably be wasting your money.

I also would give Schoolyard Dreams and Uptowncharlybrown a good look. The Sam F. Davis was Uptowncharlybrown’s first route race and he could be tougher the second time. Schoolyard Dreams definitely will be in the money, so he’s useable.

I would put Odysseus on top and use the other three underneath. If Super Saver walks away with this, Pletcher’s world will only get sweeter.