Breen rolling with the punches as he prepares As Seen On Tv for the Florida Derby
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Things could be worse in the world of racing, Kelly Breen was saying Monday as he prepared As Seen On Tv for an upset attempt in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
“A lot worse,” he said.
With additional precautionary measures in place at Gulfstream Park because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, “we’ve got to have the horse down there by Wednesday,” Breen said from his winter base some 45 miles north at the Palm Meadows training center. “It stretches our help even thinner, and potentially it further exposes them and myself. But it is what it is, and we’re all going to get through this. There are people out there with much bigger problems than ours.”
As Seen On Tv figures as one of the longer shots Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Florida Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race. At least nine 3-year-olds had been confirmed as of Monday, led by Tiz the Law, Ete Indien, Independence Hall, and Gouverneur Morris. A total of 170 qualifying points (100-40-20-10) toward the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby are at stake.
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As Seen On Tv, a Florida-bred colt by Lookin At Lucky, will be making his third start of the championship meet. He was defeated by Chance It in a tight photo in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man, then was third of 10 behind Ete Indien and Candy Tycoon in the Feb. 29 Fountain of Youth.
Breen had intended to send As Seen On Tv last week to a different points race, the Sunland Derby in New Mexico, but that race, along with a handful of other Kentucky Derby preps, have been canceled because of the coronavirus situation.
“We could have backed off on him a little and regrouped, but our running Saturday has everything to do with the horse,” Breen said. “He’s ready, the race is in our back yard, and it’s still worth $750,000. It’s full speed ahead.”
Breen gives As Seen On Tv a legitimate chance to make his presence felt. He said Chance It and As Seen On Tv “both seemed like they bounced,” or regressed, out of the Mucho Macho Man. Chance It ran fifth as the second choice in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby in his only subsequent start.
“They both ran extremely hard that day,” said Breen. “In the Fountain of Youth, our horse got a very good learning experience. It was his first start around two turns and he took a lot of dirt, a whole lot. At the quarter pole, he was still running, passing horses. Hopefully he’ll be forwardly placed Saturday and he’ll get a clear run and a chance to show what he can do.”