When Naughty Rascal won the Pasco Stakes, it came via Owen Almighty’s disqualification. Very Bold was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third, and it was clear the top two were the two best.

It just so happens that they return for the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, with Very Bold in the mix as well. Owen Almighty was the 1-2 favorite against five others in the Pasco and is very likely the favorite again here. But among his nine rivals is the uncoupled stablemate John Hancock, who won his career debut by three lengths going gate to wire at 8-5 against nine overmatched rivals.

Brad Cox trains both Owen Almighty and John Hancock, and that kind of name recognition for a pair of colts shipping from Payson Park should help Naughty Rascal’s price. Throw in that Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat and Irad Ortiz Jr. are on the Cox duo and trainer Gerald Bennett is legging up Edwin Gonzalez, and the price is certain to be right on Naughty Rascal.

Of the Cox trainees, I prefer Owen Almighty. Based on Ragozin data, John Hancock is the slowest of Cox’s recent maiden winners who jumped into stakes. Neither Patch Adams nor Tappan Street ran poorly in their stakes debuts, but they didn’t step forward either. John Hancock will have to improve while stretching out and stepping up to win this.

Long-shot wise, Very Bold is worth a look if he goes off at a big price. He was 22.9-1 in the Pasco, and although no match for the top two did close well into a moderate pace. Being by Union Rags, the stretchout should benefit him. And although the lone two-turn try to date was terrible, that came on synthetic at Turfway, and Union Rags is very much a dirt sire.

Smoken Boy is the big wildcard here shipping in from Puerto Rico, where he won a race considered a Grade 1 there. All three of his efforts to date, which include a pair of wins, came on a track labeled as muddy. I need to see one.