Florida Derby: Dialed In scheduled for five-furlong workout
Trainer Nick Zito said his top Kentucky Derby prospect Dialed In will have his final major work for the Grade 1 Florida Derby sometime next week.
Mike WelschMar 16, 2011
Trainer Nick Zito said his top Kentucky Derby prospect Dialed In will have his final major work for the Grade 1 Florida Derby sometime next week.
No firm plans have been set, but Willcox Inn tentatively is being pointed to the Blue Grass Stakes on Keeneland’s Polytrack, over which he finished third in the Breeders’ Futurity in October.
A couple weeks ago the Fair Grounds racing office was anticipating a large field, maybe 10 or 11 horses, for the $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 26, but recent defections from the race have pushed the projected number of starters down to barely half that number.
The tempo of Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-olds will quicken Saturday, when speedsters The Factor and Sway Away invade from Southern California for the Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel. But awaiting them is J P’s Gusto, a former California resident who is proven at the pace of racing out west.
Garrett Gomez has picked up the mount on To Honor and Serve for the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 3. John Velazquez had ridden To Honor and Serve in his first start of the year, a third-place finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, but Velazquez is also the regular rider for Uncle Mo.
Sweet Ducky on Tuesday was purchased by Ramzan Kadyrov, the controversial president of Chechnya, in order to run in the United Arab Emirates Derby on March 26.
Archarcharch was 14-1 last month when he darted to a one-length win over favorite J P’s Gusto and second choice Elite Alex in the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest at Oaklawn. And he could be in the 10-1 range Saturday in the Rebel Stakes as both of those horses had troubled trips, and the Rebel will pick up Southern California steamers The Factor and Sway Away.
Watch Me Go, the Tampa Bay Derby winner, was not an original nominee to the Triple Crown for a $600 fee in January. But his trainer, Kathleen O'Connell, said he was nominated for the late fee of $6,000 on Sunday.
Positive Response has won five of eight, and he took the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes by seven lengths in his most recent start. Yet, the Pomeroy gelding hasn’t elicited much of a positive response in the media. He is infrequently mentioned among even the secondary Kentucky Derby prospects
Mike Repole watched the replay of the Timely Writer Stakes for about the 15th time while surrounded by family and nearly 50 friends in his suite located high atop the grandstand here early Saturday evening. And his Uncle Mo looked just as impressive winning the race the 15th time around as he did the first.