Tom Pedulla offers five takeaways from the $400,000, Grade 2 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs and the $300,000 Beholder Mile Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday as well as other developments.

TEACHING MOMENT: Domestic Product earned 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points – boosting his total to 60 overall – but just as important to trainer Chad Brown were the lessons he learned while fending off No More Time by a furious neck in the Tampa Bay Derby. He was masterfully ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione. “I think this race will serve him well moving forward,” Brown said. “That’s why I wanted to run him here because he needed a race like this for a little more experience and a little more seasoning.” Domestic Product was making only his second start this season after placing second to Hades in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The son of Practical Joke has five lifetime starts with one prep remaining before the Kentucky Derby.

No More Time (Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo)

GETTING A BREATHER: Plans are made to be changed in racing, but trainer Jose D’Angelo intends to take an uncommon path to the Derby with Iowa-bred No More Time. After the Not This Time colt just missed and settled for second in the Tampa Bay Derby, leaving him with 45 qualifying points, D’Angelo made the surprising announcement that he will very likely train the sophomore up to the first Saturday in May. “We have eight weeks before the Kentucky Derby and I’d probably like to bring him into it fresh and arrive [at Churchill Downs] early,” the trainer said, adding, “He’s not a big horse, so we have to be smart how we handle him.”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Steve Gaffalione earned a major victory when he won the Tampa Bay Derby aboard Storm Predictions in 1989. His son, Tyler, wasted no time matching him. Competing for the first time in the important Kentucky Derby prep, Tyler delivered a flawless ride astride Domestic Product to deliver a narrow victory in a race that allowed no margin for error. Never one to boast, Tyler gave all of the credit to his mount. “My horse was very responsive and he did the job well,” he said. “That’s the thing I was most proud of coming into the stretch.”

Sweet Azteca (Eclipse Sportswire)

RISING STAR: Sweet Azteca, making only her fourth career start and attempting two turns for the first time, held off favored Adare Manor by three-quarters of a length in the Beholder Mile. The winner is trained by Michael McCarthy and was ridden by Flavien Prat in a front-running score. She was bred and is owned by Pamela Zeilbarth. What could be next for the 4-year-old daughter of Sharp Azteca? “We’ll let her tell us when to get rolling again,” McCarthy said. “But she may end up in Kentucky and race on Derby weekend. There are some pretty lucrative races back there.”

ONE TO WATCH: Remember the name – Vlahos. The 3-year-old made an auspicious debut Saturday at Santa Anita, leading at every call and dominating a 6 ½-furlong contest by 4 ½ lengths for trainer Luis Mendez and jockey-turned-passenger Edwin Maldonado. The ridgling was sired by Kantharos. He covered the distance in 1:15.75 and was awarded a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure and a 103 Equibase Speed Figure. Assistant trainer Hector Rangel told the Santa Anita notes team that the phone already was ringing with offers to buy all or part of Vlahos.