Gulfstream Park

Mike Welsch's top 3-year-olds at Gulfstream on March 2

Mike Welsch|Mar 02, 2015

Itsaknockout battles Upstart in the Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston Itsaknockout (left) battles Upstart in the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream Park. Upstart was disqualified from 1st, and Itsaknockout was awarded the win.

Top 3-year-old males

1 – UPSTART
Trainer: Rick Violette Jr.
Pedigree: Flatter-Party Silks, by Touch Gold
Last race: Finished 1st but was disqualified and placed 2nd in Fountain of Youth on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 95/106
Target race: Florida Derby, March 28 at Gulfstream; or Wood Memorial, April 4 at Aqueduct
Comment: Although disqualified from victory via a controversial stewards’ decision, he was easily best in the Fountain of Youth finishing nearly three lengths clear of Itsaknockout, and on the strength of that effort, and the big Beyer Speed Figure he earned for winning the Holy Bull, he remains top dog in the local 3-year-old division.

2 – ITSAKNOCKOUT
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Lemon Drop Kid-Stormy B, by Cherokee Run
Last race: Finished 2nd but was placed 1st in Fountain of Youth on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 90/90
Target race: Florida Derby, March 28 at Gulfstream
Comment: This lightly raced but steadily improving 3-year-old successfully handled the jump from optional claimer to Grade 2 company with his victory, via disqualification, in the Fountain of Youth, thus all but assuring him a berth in the starting gate for this year’s Kentucky Derby.

:: TOP 3-YEAR-OLDS: Aqueduct | Fair Grounds | Oaklawn | Santa Anita

3 – CARPE DIEM
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Giant’s Causeway-Rebridled Dreams, by Unbridled’s Song
Last race: 2nd in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 93/93
Target race: Tampa Bay Derby, March 7 at Tampa Bay Downs
Comment: Training forwardly for his return, he should get better the farther he goes. He takes an easier route off the layoff shipping to Tampa, rather than facing the tougher and more seasoned group of 3-year-olds that ran in the Fountain of Youth or who are pointing for the Florida Derby.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

4 – KHOZAN
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Distorted Humor-Delta Princess, by A.P. Indy
Last race: 1st in optional-claiming race on Feb. 22 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 90/103
Target race: Florida Derby, March 28 at Gulfstream
Comment: Royal Delta’s baby brother regressed from a Beyer standpoint, as to be expected, but passed another test when stretching to a mile to trounce an overmatched field of optional-claimng horses in his second start but will have only one opportunity to earn enough qualifying points to make the Derby lineup, that coming against much more seasoned opposition in the Florida Derby.

5 – DAREDEVIL
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: More Than Ready-Chasethewildwind, by Forty Niner
Last race: 11th in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 1 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 57/107
Target race: Swale, March 7 at Gulfstream
Comment: He didn’t have much of a trip in the Breeders’ Cup but did handle Upstart with relative ease when pair met in the Champagne. He had his 3-year-old debut delayed a week due to Saturday’s postponement of the Swale.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Top 3-year-old fillies
1 – LADY ELI
Trainer: Chad Brown
Pedigree: Divine Park-Sacre Coeur, by Saint Ballado
Last race: 1st in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct.31 at Santa Anita
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 96/96
Target race: Undecided
Comment: This turf specialist may be the most talented 3-year-old in the country. She was given a good freshening following her undefeated 2-year-old campaign and is still a long way from returning to the races. Whether she tries the dirt at some point this season remains unclear.

2 – BIRDATTHEWIRE
Trainer: Dale Romans
Pedigree: Summer Bird-My Limit, by Wagon Limit
Last race: 2nd in Davona Dale on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 88/88
Target race: Gulfstream Park Oaks, March 28 at Gulfstream
Comment: She improved from a Beyer standpoint despite coming up a neck short in the Davona Dale and figures to only get better when back to two turns in her next start.

3 – ANGELA RENEE
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Bernardini-Pilfer, by Deputy Minister
Last race: 4th in Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 21 at Fair Grounds
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 85/87
Target race: Undecided
Comment: This Grade 1 winner didn’t get the best of trips while looking like a filly perhaps in need of a race when finishing fourth making her 3-year-old debut in the Rachel Alexandra.

4 – ESKENFORMONEY
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: Eskendreya-But for Money, by Not For Love
Last race: 3rd in Davona Dale on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 87/87
Target race: Gulfstream Park Oaks, March 28 at Gulfstream
Comment: She earned yet another career-best Beyer while proving she belonged in graded company with her third-place finish in the Davona Dale, and she is another who has already shown she can handle two turns.

5 – EKATI’S PHAETON
Trainer: Bill Kaplan
Pedigree: Tale of Ekati-Seventh Veil, by Capote
Last race: 1st in Davona Dale on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream
Last Beyer/Best Beyer: 88/88
Target race: Gulfstream Oaks, March 28 at Gulfstream
Comment: Outran her odds and did so in game fashion over a deep track making all the pace then turning back bids from Birdatthewire and Eskenformoney to win the Davona Dale but unlike that pair, must still prove her mettle around two turns.

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