Fast work persuades Lynch to run Classic Causeway in Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The $1 million Florida Derby got a little more interesting over the weekend when trainer Brian Lynch confirmed he will redirect Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway to the Grade 1 fixture on Saturday rather than await the Blue Grass at Keeneland the following week as originally planned.

Lynch pretty much finalized that decision after watching Classic Causeway work a near-bullet half-mile, clocked by Daily Racing Form in 46.80 seconds, at his winter headquarters at the Palm Meadows training center on Saturday. The work was the first for the homebred son of Giant’s Causeway since his wire-to-wire 2 1/2-length victory over Grantham in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 12.

“There are a combination of reasons that would make me lean towards running him in the Florida Derby rather than the Blue Grass,” Lynch said. “First of all, he came out of his last race so well. His work this morning showed us that. And logistically, it seems like the right thing to do. The race is right down the road rather than having to send him to Kentucky where there are some concerns regarding the weather at this time of year, which could cause us to possibly miss some training. He’s had a good winter in Florida, so we might as well play out the string down here right to the end.”

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Irad Ortiz Jr., who has ridden Classic Causeway to victory in both the Tampa Bay Derby and Grade 3 Sam F. Davis, will be aboard once again in the Florida Derby.

Classic Causeway is one of at least nine 3-year-olds expected to be entered in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby when the race is drawn here at 1 p.m. Wednesday. He would join Holy Bull winner White Abarrio, Fountain of Youth winner Simplification, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Pappacap, Charge It, Shipsational, Steal Sunshine, O Captain, and Strike Hard. White Abarrio’s stablemate Skippylongstocking was still being considered for the race Monday along with Clapton and possibly Cajun’s Magic.

The majority of the Florida Derby contenders turned in their final work for the race in Florida on Saturday.

Simplification continues to impress in the morning since his victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. He breezed an easy five furlongs in 59.91 before galloping out with plenty of energy, getting six panels in 1:13.53 and easing up a mile in 1:41.39 after the first renovation break here Saturday. Jockey Leonel Reyes was aboard Simplification for the work, deputizing for regular rider Jose Ortiz who was in Dubai. Ortiz has the call again in the Florida Derby.

Other Florida Derby candidates to work Saturday included Shipsational, five furlongs in 1:02 at Tampa Bay Downs; Steal Sunshine, five furlongs in 1:00.75 and out three-quarters in 1:13.93 from the gate at Gulfstream Park; Charge It, four furlongs in 48.30 and out in 1:00.92 in company with Fearless at Palm Beach Downs; Pappacap, four furlongs in 47.80 at the Classic Mile Training Center in Ocala; Strike Hard, five furlongs in 1:01.45 at Gulfstream; and Skippylongstocking, three-eighths in 35 at Palm Meadows.

White Abarrio, who has not started since his easy 4 1/2-length victory over Simplification in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on Feb. 5, missed a scheduled work here Sunday. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said White Abarrio is slated to have his final Florida Derby work on Tuesday morning instead.

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Trainer Matt Williams said Monday he was planning to start Strike Hard in the Florida Derby after missing the Tampa Bay Derby due to a temperature his horse contracted the morning before the race. Strike Hard finished a late- and wide-running fourth behind Classic Causeway in his most recent start in the Sam F. Davis on Feb. 12 at Tampa. He finished second to Simplification in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man in his 3-year-old debut.

“He missed about five days of training after he got sick, but he worked well here last weekend so we’re going to give it a shot,” Williams said. “He’s already finished second to both White Abarrio and Simplification, and I feel if we get a little more pace, which we should now with Classic Causeway going into the race, I think he has a chance to be a factor.”

Junior Alvarado, who won an allowance race aboard Strike Hard at 2, will have the mount.