In Due Time will bypass Florida Derby for a later Kentucky Derby prep

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In Due Time, the runner-up in an eventful running of the March 5 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, will bypass the April 2 Florida Derby in favor of a later Kentucky Derby prep, according to trainer Kelly Breen.

In Due Time has not breezed since the Fountain of Youth but will do so later this week at the Palm Meadows training center, said Breen.

“He came out of the Fountain of Youth a little tired,” said Breen. “His first couple races back this year, he was excellent, but this one took a little something out of him. If we give him the extra week, hopefully he’ll come around. That’s the main reason we’re not running in the Florida Derby.”

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Breen said In Due Time will most likely point instead to the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct or the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, both on April 9. The April 16 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland also would be a later option if needed.

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready to run, and it’s our job to try to figure out the right race for him,” said Breen.

Jockey Paco Lopez, who has ridden In Due Time in his last three starts, all at Gulfstream – a third in a Jan. 8 allowance, a Feb. 4 allowance victory, and the Fountain of Youth – is serving a 14-day suspension for his role in the Fountain of Youth spill, which occurred at the top of the stretch. The Gulfstream stewards did not disqualify In Due Time from second, which was worth 20 qualifying points toward the May 7 Kentucky Derby, but did eventually penalize Lopez.

Lopez took In Due Time between horses as the field approached the stretch, brushing with A. P.’s Secret to his outside. High Oak, ridden by Junior Alvarado, clipped heels with A. P.’s Secret and fell, while Galt leapt over the fallen High Oak and lost his rider, Joel Rosario. Both riders and both horses were fortunate to escape without serious injury, although Alvarado missed several days with a sore ankle.

Some observer thought Lopez may have caused the spill by being overly aggressive with In Due Time, but Breen did not blame him.

“I’ve watched the replay probably 200 times,” said Breen. “It was a split-second thing. … We were coming at them at a pretty good pace, and those horses to his outside appeared to have already been in trouble. That’s just my take of it. Everything happens in a fraction of a second. Obviously we’re all glad that nobody got overly hurt, no horses got hurt. Paco was riding to win the race and … he’s Paco. He’s an aggressive rider.”

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Lopez does not necessarily have the mount back on In Due Time for whichever race is decided, said Breen, “but he is in consideration.”

“We haven’t locked him in, said Breen. “It depends on where and when we run who’ll ride him.”

In Due Time, by Not This Time, was wholly owned by Edge Racing before Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds bought into the colt just prior to the Fountain of Youth. Edge Racing, a spinoff business from the popular My Racehorse partnerships, remains the majority owner, said Breen.