Kentucky Derby candidates Shivaree, Ete Indien, Sole Volante prep in Wednesday allowance

Three of the top 16 point earners for this year’s Kentucky Derby will be squaring off against one another Wednesday, not in a graded stakes at Belmont Park or Churchill Downs, but for a mere $55,000 purse going one mile under allowance conditions at Gulfstream Park.

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Shivaree (40 points) and Ete Indien (74 points), second and third behind Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28, and Sole Volante (30 points), runner-up in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7, were among the seven 3-year-olds entered in Wednesday’s ninth event. All three are using the race as a stepping-stone to one of the several upcoming Derby preps.

“It’s spectacular to have this quality of a race on a Wednesday in June at Gulfstream Park,” said vice president of racing Mike Lakow after closing entries Friday. “And I want to give a lot of credit to racing secretary Dave Bailey and his crew for being able to make the race go.”

Shivaree outran his 80-1 odds when second, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Tiz the Law, in the Florida Derby. He has worked four times since the outing, including six furlongs in 1:15.53 here May 30. His regular rider, Emisael Jaramillo, will again have the mount.

“It’s a good spot to get a race in him,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “It should set him up for one of the big races in July. He breezed good the other day. I’m still not sure what his best distance is, but as far as his family goes, a one-turn mile should fit him well. We thought about the Belmont Stakes, but coming off a bit of a break and with everything going on in the world right now, we figured it was in his best interests to stay home for one more and if he runs well Wednesday to look at either the Haskell or Blue Grass next.”

Sole Volante and Ete Indien are both trained by Patrick Biancone and had scheduled works over the turf at Palm Meadows postponed last Wednesday due to inclement weather.

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Sole Volante finished a late-running second in the Tampa Bay Derby, defeated 4 3/4 lengths by runaway winner King Guillermo. If all goes well, he could still come back in 10 days in the June 20 Belmont Stakes, according to Jay Stone, stable manager for principal owner Dean Reeves.

“Dean and Patrick talked it over and felt this was the best way to go,” Stone said. “Use this race as a prep for the Belmont coming off the three-month layoff like a workout, although he’s definitely in here to win if he can.”

Luca Panici, who won the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs aboard Sole Volante but lost the mount to Florent Geroux when sidelined due to injury prior to the Tampa Bay Derby, will be back in his regular seat on Sole Volante on Wednesday.

Ete Indien sandwiched his third-place finish in the Florida Derby and a second in the Holy Bull, also behind Tiz the Law, around a wire-to-wire win in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. Ete Indien is using this race as a likely prep for the Haskell at Monmouth on July 18. Geroux, who was aboard Ete Indien in both the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby, is named to ride.

“Florent is looking forward to coming back down there to ride Ete Indien on Wednesday if we can work out all the particulars under the circumstances with regards to the coronavirus situation,” Geroux’s agent, Doug Bredar, said Friday.