Derby preps on the horizon for south Florida sophomores
At the moment, the strength of the newly turned 3-year-old division appears to reside in California in the form of Texas Red, American Pharoah, and Dortmund.
But every racing fan knows things can change very quickly on the road to the Kentucky Derby, which is set for a 141st running May 2 at Churchill Downs. And considering that eight of the last 14 Derby winners have wintered in south Florida, top Derby contenders emerge more often than not from Gulfstream Park and the handful of training facilities in the region.
As usual, there are three major Derby preps on the Gulfstream schedule this year: the $400,000 Holy Bull on Jan. 24, the $400,000 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 21, and the $1 million Florida Derby on March 28. The first two are run at 1 1/16 miles, with the Florida Derby a half-furlong longer.
As the Kentucky Derby chase unfolds, there is always the possibility that a major prospect will suddenly surface from a maiden or allowance race, but for now, the most accomplished 3-year-olds are with Todd Pletcher at Palm Beach Downs and Kiaran McLaughlin at the Palm Meadows training center.
Pletcher said this week he was unsure how many 3-year-olds he will nominate to the 2015 Triple Crown before the first deadline Jan. 17, “but I’m sure it will be more than necessary. You just hate to miss one if they happen to come around.” Pletcher had a record 41 nominees in 2014.
The top Pletcher prospects are Daredevil and Carpe Diem, both of whom came into his barn “two or three weeks ago and have been back galloping. I haven’t really discussed specific races with the owners for either one, although maybe the Swale [at seven furlongs Feb. 28] would be a target for Daredevil. I’d like to get one race for Carpe Diem before his major prep. Last year, we were saying the Blue Grass [April 4 at Keeneland] would make sense after he won the Breeders’ Futurity.”
Pletcher, whose lone Derby victory in 40 starters came with Super Saver in 2010, said Competitive Edge, who underwent surgery last fall for a hairline fracture in his left foreleg, is “doing great” and is “maybe a week or so away from his first breeze back,” while Blofeld is scheduled to arrive from Glencrest Farm in Kentucky later this month.
McLaughlin, who lost a top Derby threat last year when Cairo Prince was injured in April, has at least four Derby hopefuls in his barn. He said Frosted will run in the Holy Bull, and Imperia either will join him or wait for the Fountain of Youth or even the Risen Star at Fair Grounds. Ocean Knight will run next in a Gulfstream allowance or the Jan. 31 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, and Mawthooq was scheduled to run Saturday in the Mucho Macho Man (formerly the Gulfstream Park Derby).
Also at Palm Meadows, Chad Brown has yet to breeze Leave the Light On since the colt won the Nov. 29 Remsen, so the Holy Bull most likely is out, with the Fountain of Youth more attainable.
Another Palm Meadows trainer, Tom Albertrani, was scheduled to run Ready for Rye in the Mucho Macho Man, while First Down has been maintaining a similar work schedule and could run next in a first-level allowance or the Holy Bull.
Other south Florida 3-year-olds with big Beyer Speed Figures who have won at a mile or longer include Bluegrass Singer, Souper Colossal, and Island Town.
| TOP BEYERS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA-BASED 3YOS OF 2015 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HORSE | BEYER | DATE | CLASS | DIST. | TRACK | TRAINER |
| Daredevil | 107 | Oct. 4 | stakes | 1 mile | Bel | T.Pletcher |
| Daredevil | 96 | Sept. 13 | MSW | 6f | Bel | T.Pletcher |
| R Limo Joe | 97 | Dec. 19 | MSW | 5.5f | GP | K.Ziadie |
| Ready for Rye | 96 | Oct. 11 | MSW | 6f | Bel | T.Albertrani |
| Blofeld | 94 | Oct. 5 | stakes | 6f | Bel | T.Pletcher |
| Imperia | 94 | Nov. 29 | stakes | 1 1/16m | CD | K.McLaughlin |
| Carpe Diem | 93 | Nov. 1 | stakes | 1 1/16m | SA | T.Pletcher |
| Ocean Knight | 93 | Dec. 13 | MSW | 6f | Aqu | K.McLaughlin |
| Blofeld | 93 | Nov. 2 | stakes | 1 mile | Aqu | T.Pletcher |
| J S Bach | 92 | Dec. 19 | MSW | 5.5f | GP | T.Pletcher |
| Carpe Diem | 91 | Oct. 4 | stakes | 1 1/16m | Kee | T.Pletcher |
| Bluegrass Singer | 90 | Dec. 17 | AOC | 1 mile | GP | M.Vitali |
| Competitive Edge | 90 | Sept. 1 | stakes | 7f | Sar | T.Pletcher |
| Competitive Edge | 90 | July 26 | MSW | 6f | Sar | T.Pletcher |
| Leave the Light On | 90 | Nov. 29 | stakes | 1 1/8m | Aqu | C.Brown |
| Frosted | 89 | Nov. 29 | stakes | 1 1/8m | Aqu | K.McLaughlin |
| Frosted | 89 | Oct. 30 | MSW | 1 mile | Aqu | K.McLaughlin |
| W V Jetsetter | 89 | Nov. 15 | r-stks. | 6f | Ret | G.Weaver |
| X Y Jet | 88 | Dec. 27 | stakes | 7f | Tam | J.Navarro |
| Blofeld | 88 | Aug. 14 | MSW | 5f | Sar | T.Pletcher |
| Souper Colossal | 87 | Aug. 31 | stakes | 1 mile | Mth | E.Plesa |
| First Down | 86 | Sept. 20 | MSW | 6.5f | Bel | T.Albertrani |
| Island Town | 86 | Oct. 26 | MSW | 1 mile | CD | I.Wilkes |
| (dirt Beyers only; active horses only) | ||||||
| SOUTH FLORIDA-BASED DERBY WINNERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS BASED IN SOUTH FLORIDA SINCE 2000 | ||||||
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | ||||
| 2013 | Orb | S. McGaughey | ||||
| 2011 | Animal Kingdom | G.Motion | ||||
| 2010 | Super Saver | T.Pletcher | ||||
| 2008 | Big Brown | R.Dutrow Jr. | ||||
| 2007 | Street Sense | C.Nafzger | ||||
| 2006 | Barbaro | M.Matz | ||||
| 2003 | Funny Cide | B.Tagg | ||||
| 2001 | Monarchos | J.T.Ward Jr. | ||||