Seven confirmed for Florida Derby, with Practical Joke on the fence

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The field for Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park was all but finalized last Saturday following a busy morning during which all eight potential starters put in their final works at four different venues around the local area.

Confirmed for the Grade 1 Florida Derby are Gunnevera (Javier Castellano to ride), Three Rules (Luis Saez), Always Dreaming (John Velazquez), Impressive Edge (Corey Lanerie), State of Honor (Julien Leparoux), Talk Logistics (Joe Bravo), and Unbridled Holiday (Nik Juarez). As of Monday, trainer Chad Brown had not decided whether Practical Joke would run here Saturday or wait a week and have his final Kentucky Derby prep in the Grade 2 Blue Grass at Keeneland.

Entries for the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby and the rest of the 14-race card will be taken Wednesday.

Practical Joke, the runner-up to Gunnevera in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, worked five furlongs in 1:00.90 in company with stablemate Shagaf on Saturday at Palm Meadows. Brown said he was “very pleased” with the work and the way Practical Joke is doing, although he would not yet commit his horse to the Florida Derby.

“What it comes down to is how he comes out of this work and whether I think he needs another week or not,” said Brown. “If I think he’s ready, we’ll probably run here. If I think he needs another week, we’ll wait for the Blue Grass.”

Brown said Jose Ortiz would ride Practical Joke in the Florida Derby, with Joel Rosario to ride if he runs in the Blue Grass.

At Gulfstream Park on Saturday, trainer Dale Romans worked Impressive Edge and J Boys Echo. Impressive Edge was the more impressive of the pair, going five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 1:01.27 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.85. Shortly after the work, Romans said Impressive Edge will stay here for the Florida Derby, while J Boys Echo will run in the Blue Grass.

“Impressive Edge is just a natural athlete – he always works fast – and the way he went today, he’ll go to the Florida Derby,” Romans said. “It makes sense to keep Edge here since he’s already won 2 of 3 over this track.”

Three Rules, who finished third in the Fountain of Youth, also turned in his final Florida Derby prep Saturday at Gulfstream, going five furlongs in 1:00.50 over a racetrack tightened a bit by early-morning showers.

“The rain put a little moisture in the track, and that’s really good for him,” trainer Jose Pinchin said. “He’s fit and ready. Everything went perfect this morning. It couldn’t have been a better work.”

Gunnevera, the likely Florida Derby favorite coming off his victory in the Fountain of Youth, worked over his home base at Gulfstream Park West, where he went five furlongs in 1:01.87 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.98. Leonel Reyes was aboard for the drill, replacing Gunnevera’s regular work rider, Edgard Zayas, who rode in Dubai on Saturday.

“It was very good for me,” said Antonio Sano, who trains Gunnevera. “The jockey did exactly as I asked him, and it went perfect. He was very calm on my horse. The gallop-out was very good. Last week, the horse worked very slow. He is ready for the race. He didn’t need more for the Florida Derby, so I breezed him looking ahead to the next one,” the Kentucky Derby.

Like Romans, trainer Todd Pletcher had a decision to make: whether to run Battalion Runner or Always Dreaming in the Florida Derby. He, too, has all but settled on his choice after both horses breezed at Palm Beach Downs on Saturday.

Always Dreaming went an easy four furlongs in company in 48.40 before galloping out with terrific energy with jockey Ortiz aboard.

“I think I’ll enter both to cover our bases and make sure everything goes well this week,” said Pletcher. “But right now, the plan is to run Always Dreaming here and Battalion Runner in the Santa Anita Derby.

“I always thought Always Dreaming was very impressive. In fact, he’s been exceptionally good in his last two breezes. He’s just continued to come forward through the winter and early spring.”

Joining Practical Joke on Saturday’s work tab at Palm Meadows were State of Honor, four furlongs in 48.30; Talk Logistics, five-eighths in 1:01.25; and Unbridled Holiday, a half-mile in 48.

State of Honor, third in the Sam F. Davis Stakes and second in the Tampa Bay Derby, will race with blinkers off in the Florida Derby in an effort to get him to relax more than in his previous two starts.