Audible among four Florida Derby contenders putting in works

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saturday was a busy morning throughout the state of Florida for 3-year-olds pointing for the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 31. Four potential starters were on the work tabs at three different venues, including Holy Bull winner Audible, Fountain of Youth winner Promises Fulfilled, and Catholic Boy, the runner-up in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs this winter.

Audible went five furlongs in 1:01.50 in company with the Sunland Park Derby-bound Prince Lucky for trainer Todd Pletcher at the Palm Beach Downs training center. The work was the fourth for Audible, and his second going five furlongs, since his 5 1/2-length triumph in the Grade 2 Holy Bull on Feb. 3, a performance that is certain to make him the favorite in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

“Good solid work, good gallop out, looks like he’s maintaining his form,” said Pletcher of Audible’s work. “That was his final major work. We’ll probably come back with kind of a maintenance half-mile work next week.”

Promises Fulfilled, breezing for the first time since his wire-to-wire, 2 1/4-length upset in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth two weeks ago, turned in a maintenance half-mile in 48.23 seconds immediately after the second renovation break Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

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Promises Fulfilled broke off at the three-furlong pole and finished at the mile pole, which is common for trainer Dale Romans’s workers. He was well within himself the entire way, galloping out five furlongs, finishing midway on the clubhouse turn, in 1:00.99.

“That was a big deal [winning the Fountain of Youth],” Romans said. “He ran a beautiful race. He should be undefeated. He shouldn’t have lost the Jockey Club. He was just getting out so bad that day and fighting the jockey. He’s a real talent. At the end of the race the other day, he’s drawing off. Nobody was passing him on the gallop-out. I figure he can do anything.”

Romans also sent out Storm Runner several minutes later to work five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 1:01.11, galloping out strongly around the bend in 1:13.93 for six panels. Storm Runner finished a distant seventh after trying to rush up inside stablemate Promises Fulfilled and steadying back sharply near the five-furlong pole in the Fountain of Youth.

Romans said he plans to bring Storm Runner back in the Florida Derby.

“He had no chance in the Fountain of Youth, so we decided to give him another chance,” said Romans.

Catholic Boy, winner of the Grade 2 Remsen last year, has been stabled throughout the winter at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, Fla., where he worked five furlongs in 1:00, according to trainer Jonathan Thomas, followed by what he described as a “very healthy gallop-out.” Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. flew up to Ocala on Friday evening to be aboard Catholic Boy for the work. Ortiz, who rode Promises Fulfilled to victory in the Fountain of Youth, has opted to ride Catholic Boy instead in the Florida Derby.

“[Irad] seemed to be very happy with the way he went today,” said Thomas. “He did it well within himself. This horse has progressed well since Tampa. He’s put on weight, and his energy level is good. By design, I gave him an extra week of not breezing after the Sam Davis because the race came back a pretty healthy Ragozin number for him, a career best, and I didn’t have him completely cranked for the race either.”

Catholic Boy will ship to Gulfstream Park on Thursday and have his final Florida Derby breeze here next weekend.