Gulfstream Park Derby: Best Plan Yet faces toughest test yet

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth are the immediate goals for the leading members of the new crop of 3-year-olds stabled locally this winter. But nine other members of the division will spend their third birthdays trying to earn their way into one or both of those races when they kick off the new year in Wednesday’s $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby.

The most accomplished member of the Gulfstream Park Derby field also is the most pedigree-rich of the group, Best Plan Yet. The Jacks or Better Farms homebred is a half-brother to the Grade 1 Forego winner Midas Eyes and to six-time stakes winners Bayou’s Lassie and Awesome Belle. A son of Hear No Evil, Best Plan Yet is undefeated at a mile or beyond, having captured the mile and 70-yard Foolish Pleasure and 1 1/16-mile In Reality Stakes, both at Calder, in his final two starts at 2.

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

Despite the colt’s impressive r é sum é , trainer Stanley Gold knows full well that Best Plan Yet will be facing his sternest test yet in the one-turn-mile Gulfstream Derby.

“I always thought he’d like two turns, and he ran big in those two stakes at Calder, but that’s not Gulfstream and it’s not against some of the horses we’re running against Wednesday,” Gold said. “This is what happens every year at this time. This is the acid test. This is where you find out how he’ll perform on the bigger stage, on a more national scene. But I’m optimistic. He’s got enough tactical speed that he doesn’t have to be way out of it, the post position is good going a one-turn mile, and we know the distance isn’t going to be a problem.”

Best Plan Yet will break from post 7 under regular rider Jeffrey Sanchez and should catch an honest pace to run at with speed types like Wildcat Red, Aarons Orient, Pablo Del Monte, and General a Rod in the lineup.

The remainder of the field comprises Gone as Wind, Enthrone, East Hall, and Grand Arrival.

Wildcat Red crossed the wire first in all three of his starts at 2, but was disqualified and placed second for bearing out in deep stretch of the Sunshine Millions Juvenile Sprint Preview. The Gulfstream Derby will be his first start beyond 6 1/2 furlongs.

“He has shown a lot of class, and I think he can be a good horse at a mile or beyond,” said trainer Jose Garafolo, who acknowledged the Holy Bull would be an option on Jan. 25 if Wildcat Red performs well Wednesday.

Aarons Orient lost all chance when he stumbled at the break and finished far back in the J.F. Lewis Stakes at Laurel to close out his 2-year-old campaign. That was his first start since joining trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn. He, too, will be stretching out to a mile for the first time in the Gulfstream Derby.

Gone as Wind is a lightly raced son of Smart Strike based at Calder with trainer Efren Loza Jr. Gone as Wind won his debut at Calder before finishing a troubled but impressive third behind potential Holy Bull prospects Coup de Grace and Hy Kodiak Warrior when stretching to a mile under allowance conditions here Dec. 15.

“I gave him time after his first start, so he should be all right coming back in just 16 days off his last race,” said Loza, who trained in his native Mexico for eight years before taking out his U.S. license last summer. “I think he’s very talented, won’t have any trouble getting the distance, and that he can beat these horses. If he does, then maybe we’ll bring him back in the Holy Bull.”

The Gulfstream Derby will share top billing on Wednesday’s program with the $100,000 Voodoo Dancer Stakes for 4-year-old fillies at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf. Tapicat will likely be favored to get back on the winning track for the first time since capturing the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs 10 months earlier.

The Voodoo Dancer field also includes Tokyo Time, who was narrowly beaten by Tapicat in a maiden race here last winter before going on to finish second in the Grade 3 Herecomsethebride later in the meet.