Collaborate turns in solid work in prep for Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The lightly raced but extremely promising 3-year-old Collaborate served notice he could be a force to reckon with in the Grade 1 Florida Derby by bouncing out of his recent, one-sided maiden win with a strong work Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park.

Placed in company with the older, stakes-winning filly Sound Machine, Collaborate went four furlongs in 46.93, completing his final quarter in 22.84 going easily while kept nearest the rail throughout. He galloped out five-eighths slightly in front of his mate in 1:00.44.

“It was very good for his first work back, it went exactly the way we wanted,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Sound Machine got a little keen early on, getting in front of Collaborate, which put him in a spot to face a little adversity, which was good for him. The rider barely even let him gallop out, yet he still finished up really well. It was perfect.”

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Collaborate is coming off a 12 1/2-length maiden win going a mile here February 27, earning a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort along with an opportunity to jump on the Kentucky Derby trail in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby on March 27.

“He’ll come back with a pretty solid five-eighths next week with an extended gallop out,” Joseph said. “We’re asking him to do a lot, but he has the talent to overcome what we’re asking him to do. It also looks like the added distance is well within his reach since he has such a high cruising speed. He moves so effortlessly.”

As for Sound Machine, Joseph was pleased enough with her effort, matching strides with Collaborate for the most part Sunday, to perhaps give her a shot in Saturday’s Hurricane Bertie Stakes. The Hurricane Bertie was postponed a week when it failed to fill this past weekend.

Joseph also had every reason to rave about the work turned in by Mischevious Alex a short while later. The multiple Grade 3 winner posted a 58.28 clocking for five furlongs, breaking off several lengths behind Ny Traffic before wearing that one down at the wire, covering his final quarter in 22.80 while well within himself at the end. He galloped out six furlongs in an eye-catching 1:11.21. Mischevious Alex worked in blinkers Sunday after breezing without the equipment a week ago.

“This was his most serious work before the Carter,” said Joseph, in reference to Mischevious Alex’s next scheduled start in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct on April 3. “We let Ny Traffic set the tempo, because he’s more of a front-runner, and had Mischevious Alex come from behind. And I thought he was phenomenal this week. Ny Traffic is still rounding back into form, and I felt like this was his best work yet.”

Ny Traffic completed five furlongs in 58.89 per Daily Racing Form before galloping out six panels inside Mischevious Alex in 1:11.91. Joseph said he is still undecided as to when or where Ny Traffic might make his 2021 debut, although he indicated his return should come within the next several weeks. A New York-bred, Ny Traffic has not started since his disappointing ninth-place finish in the Preakness on October 3.