The Puma delivered an upset victory in the Tampa Bay Derby, cementing his place in the Kentucky Derby field. In doing so, he earned 50 qualifying points to add to the six he had already accumulated, vaulting him into the top five of the standings.

Entering the race still in search of his first career victory, The Puma was not the obvious choice on paper but had shown flashes of ability in his previous starts. He finished second to Chief Wallabee in his debut at Gulfstream Park before running third in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, setting the stage for a potential breakthrough performance.

That breakthrough came under difficult circumstances, as The Puma was forced to race wide throughout the Tampa Bay Derby, traveling four to five paths off the rail for much of the race. Despite the ground loss, he steadily advanced on the far turn while the pace, set by Redland Rebels through fractions of :23.07, :46.68, and 1:11.27, began to take its toll on the leaders.

Turning for home, The Puma still had work to do but continued to close with a sustained run on the outside. Further Ado, who enjoyed a more favorable stalking trip, appeared to have the advantage late, while Canaletto also loomed as a contender after a wide journey of his own. Neither, however, could match the finishing kick of The Puma, who surged past both in the final sixteenth to win by three-quarters of a length.

The final time of 1:43.23 only told part of the story, as the wide trip and late acceleration suggested a performance stronger than the margin indicated. It marked the first career victory for the colt but also his most complete effort to date, combining stamina, determination, and the ability to overcome adversity.

Trained by Gustavo Delgado and ridden by Javier Castellano, the same connections who captured the Kentucky Derby with Mage in 2023, The Puma now gives his team another legitimate opportunity on racing’s biggest stage. The colt’s pedigree also supports further improvement, as a son of Essential Quality, a champion at two and three who excelled at longer distances.

Historically, the Tampa Bay Derby has produced only produced one Kentucky Derby winner, coming nearly 20 years ago when Calivn Borel rode Street Sense to cictory. However, the connectons will look to capture lightining in a bottle twice in four years similar to what Doug O'Neill and Reddam racing did with I'll have another and Nyquist in 2012 and 2016

With one more prep likely before the Kentucky Derby, The Puma now transitions from an improving prospect to a horse firmly in the conversation. If he goes on to win the Arkansas Derby (where indications likely point next), The Puma will likely end the Derby trail atop the points rankings.