Add Loooch longshots to Florida Derby field
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The prospective lineup for the $1 million Florida Derby on April 2 grew to at least six this week with the addition of longshot stablemates Sawyers Mickey and Ifyousnoozeyoulose. The pair will join a field led by Mohaymen and Nyquist, the two division leaders and favorites for the 2016 Kentucky Derby.
Sawyers Mickey and Ifyousnoozeyoulose are both owned by Ron Paolucci’s Loooch Racing, which has won some big races with longshots. In 2013, Loooch Racing won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with the 32-1 Ria Antonia following the disqualification of first-place finisher She’s a Tiger. Ria Antonia never won again, although she ran against the best of her division at 3 in the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff and faced males in the Preakness. Paolucci also won the 2015 Sunshine Millions Classic with the 20-1 Sr. Quisqueyano, whom he had claimed with trainer Peter Walder for $62,500 out of his previous start.
Ifyousnoozeyoulose is another horse Paolucci and Walder picked up through the claim box, haltering the son of Wilburn for $50,000 here on Feb. 4. Ifyousnoozeyoulose won his maiden that day by 4 1/4 lengths before returning to finish far back in a $50,000 starter race three weeks later. Sawyers Mickey is still a maiden after seven starts but did finish third last out in the Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park. He is trained by Tom Amoss, who sent the horse to Walder earlier in the week.
“Ron has no delusions of grandeur, of beating the two favorites in the Florida Derby,”said Walder. “But he does know that third place is up for grabs in this race, and that’s worth a lot of money and also Kentucky Derby points. Right now, there seems to be a lack of speed in the race, so the plan is to send Ifyousnoozeyoulose to the lead and hope the other one comes running at the end. One thing about Ron, he believes in his horses, and he’s struck lightning a couple of times already. Sooner or later, he’s going to hit again.”
Walder said Paolucci has a 3-year-old filly, Double Entendre, under consideration for the Gulfstream Park Oaks. Double Entendre was purchased privately by Looch Racing after winning her only start, a maiden special weight race at Sam Houston, by eight lengths Feb. 29.
“Right now, who knows how good she could be?” said Walder. “I just wish I had a couple of more weeks to get her ready for the race.”