Hidden Scroll enters Florida Derby as 5-2 favorite

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Despite his fourth-place finish as the 6-5 choice in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 2, Hidden Scroll was pegged the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of 11 3-year-olds drawn Wednesday for the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 1 Florida Derby highlights a 14-race program Saturday that includes six other stakes and will offer a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool, with a carryover of more than $3 million if the jackpot is not hit Thursday or Friday.

The Florida Derby, which has produced 24 Kentucky Derby winners in its illustrious history, offers 170 qualifying points for the Derby, including 100 to the winner.

Hidden Scroll will break from the rail in his attempt to avenge his setback in the Fountain of Youth with a new rider, Javier Castellano, aboard. He’ll square off again with the top two finishers from the Fountain of Youth, Code of Honor (John Velazquez) and Bourbon War (Irad Ortiz Jr.), who drew posts 9 and 4. Code of Honor is the second choice at 3-1 in the morning line, with Bourbon War right behind at 7-2.

Key among the new faces in the Florida Derby lineup are Maximum Security (Luis Saez), a perfect 3 for 3 after winning his maiden under a $16,000 claiming tag earlier in the meet, and Harvey Wallbanger (Brian Hernandez Jr.), the surprise winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull on Feb. 2. The remainder of the lineup consists of outsiders Current (Manny Franco), Everfast (Chris Landeros), Hard Belle (Jose Batista), Bodexpress (Nik Juarez), Union’s Destiny (Leonel Reyes), and Garter and Tie (Ralph Nicks).

Current, a Grade 3 winner on turf who has limited experience on dirt, was a last-minute addition from trainer Todd Pletcher, who originally had mentioned the lightly raced Overdeliver as a potential Florida Derby starter.

Hidden Scroll had his best chance compromised in the Fountain of Youth when he engaged in a suicidal speed duel with trainer Jaime Mejia’s Gladiator King, who finished 11th and last, 33 lengths behind Code of Honor. Gladiator King returned to upset the six-furlong, Grade 3 Hutcheson here last Saturday. Mejia will send out another potential pace factor, Hard Belle, in the Florida Derby.

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Trainer Bill Mott said he had no concerns about drawing the rail with Hidden Scroll.

“It’s the shortest way home,” said Mott. “It looks like you know what they’re going to do right off the bat. You know the Mejia horse is probably going to the lead. It doesn’t make you do anything foolish just because you’re in the 1 hole; it doesn’t mean you have to drive him out of there. It will all boil down to the jock having to read the play going into the first turn.”

Another honest pace, which could include the speedy Maximum Security, would flatter the chances of stretch runners Code of Honor, Bourbon War, and Harvey Wallbanger.

“I think the late additions should add some pace, and that’s never going to hurt us,” said Mark Hennig, who trains Bourbon War. “I was happy to see Jaime in there. The post was perfect; it doesn’t put us in a position where you think you have to go. Just try to move over a little before you hit the turn.”

Ken McPeek was equally pleased with the makeup of the field and Harvey Wallbanger’s inside draw.

“He’s a come-from-behind horse, so the post doesn’t matter as much. He just needs to tuck in, and he’s already tucked in, so he won’t have to do much into the first turn,” said McPeek. “We decided on purpose to skip the Fountain of Youth to let him get a little bigger and stronger to help him get to the next level. We really just want to get points for the next race. We need to be third or fourth to punch our ticket [to the Kentucky Derby].”