Florida Derby: Favorites draw well, but Shipsational's hopes sink
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A field of 11 3-year-olds was drawn Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, featuring leading prospects White Abarrio, Simplification, Classic Causeway, and Charge It.
Conspicuous by his absence from the draw for the 1 1/8-mile race was Shipsational, who was pointing for the Florida Derby since his third-place finish behind Classic Causeway in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. Trainer Eddie Barker said immediately after the draw that Shipsational had suffered a minor lesion in his suspensory ligament and is now off the Kentucky Derby trail.
“We discovered last night he had inflammation in his right ankle, and although he checked out 100 percent sound, an ultra-sound revealed the nature of his injury this morning,” a disappointed Barker said. “Although the injury is very minor – it would normally only require a blister and 60 days of rest – this horse is too valuable to us, so we’re going to give him all the time needed to make sure he heals properly. Hopefully we can have him back bigger and stronger than ever for Saratoga. I’ve been in the game a long time and know you need thick skin to be in the business. But this is really a tough one.”
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The post position draw for the Florida Derby was kind to the leading contenders considering the short run to the first turn in 1 1/8-mile races at Gulfstream Park. None of the four morning-line favorites drew outside post 7, which is where Holy Bull winner White Abarrio will break. He was established as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind 5-2 favorite Simplication, who rebounded from his second-place finish in the Holy Bull to dominate the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth under Jose Ortiz four weeks later. Simplification, who has trained extremely well since the Fountain of Youth, drew post 3 with Ortiz again named to ride. Tyler Gaffalione takes his regular seat astride White Abarrio.
Both multiple graded stakes winner Classic Causeway, the likely pacesetter, and last-out maiden breaker Charge It were set at 7-2 in the morning line. Classic Causeway, who was rerouted to the Florida Derby over the weekend after originally having the Blue Grass penciled in by trainer Brian Lynch for his final Kentucky Derby prep, will begin from post 2 under Irad Ortiz Jr. Charge It, with only two starts including a maiden win on his résumé, drew post 6 with Luis Saez the pilot.
The remainder of the field, from the rail out, is Strike Hard (Junior Alvarado to ride), King of Truth (Jose Morelos), Pappacap (Edwin Gonzalez), Cajun’s Magic (Jesus Rios), O Captain (Joel Rosario), Clapton (Emisael Jaramillo), and Steal Sunshine (Jose Reyes).
White Abarrio had his final work for the Florida Derby postponed 48 hours until Tuesday morning, but looked sharp blowing out three furlongs in 34.89 before galloping out a half-mile in 47.12, much to the satisfaction of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
King of Truth, a surprise entrant with only a single victory in six starts and who has competed on turf and the Tapeta surface in his last two starts, blew out three furlongs over the main track in 36.85 here on Wednesday, just hours before the draw.