Brown may have another Derby prospect

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla - A year ago about this time, trainer Chad Brown was thinking Florida Derby and even Kentucky Derby with a promising 3-year-old named Tiz the One. A son of Tiznow, Tiz the One opened his career here with two impressive victories, the second a one-mile entry level allowance win for which he earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure. Unfortunately, a series of injuries has kept Tiz the One sidelined ever since.

On Sunday, Brown began thinking Derby thoughts once again after his Free Entry won a similar first-level allowance race at a mile by 1 3/4 lengths. The win was the second in three weeks for Free Entry, a Tale of the Cat colt who, like Tiz the One, is owned by Gary and Mary West and was ridden to victory by Alan Garcia.

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“You never know when a sprinter stretches out like that for the first time,” Brown said immediately after the race on Sunday. “But Alan said he had to ride him along and that he wouldn’t find the bridle going short and that he felt he’d relax better and handle things easier the further he went.”

Brown said he hopes things turn out a lot better for Free Entry this spring than they did for Tiz the One.

“Tiz the One was almost ready to run back when he came up with some hind end issues last year,” Brown recalled. “Then he developed foot problems. We’re going to take it easy with Free Entry. He’s had two races in three weeks now, so the Fountain of Youth comes up too quick. I’ll talk things over with Ben Glass, the racing manager for the Wests, but I’d like to find something for him in about five weeks.”

Brown also didn’t rule out the $1 million Florida Derby on April 3 as a possible target later this spring.

“We’ll consider a lot of different options but he is two for two over the track so that would certainly leave the Florida Derby out on the table,” said Brown.