Spectators to be permitted for Florida Derby Day

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For just the third time at the championship meet, which began Dec. 2, ontrack spectators will be permitted when the Florida Derby is run March 27. Tickets are on sale through the track website on a limited basis, just as they were for the Jan. 23 Pegasus and Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth. Strict pandemic-related protocols apply.

Gulfstream general manager Billy Badgett said Wednesday that a decision has yet to be made on whether the Rainbow 6 will be forced out on Florida Derby Day or the following day, March 28, closing day of the championship meet. This week began with $315,073 in the Rainbow 6 jackpot.

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“We’re waiting to see about the weather and a couple other things,” Badgett said.

Meanwhile, Greatest Honour remains by far the leading contender for the $750,000 Florida Derby, with his known challengers being Collaborate, Known Agenda, Nova Rags, Papetu, Soup and Sandwich, Quantum Leap, and Jirafales. Greatest Honour, winner of the Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth for Courtlandt Farm and trainer Shug McGaughey, is scheduled to have his final pre-race work this weekend at Payson Park.

Fields also are taking shape for the other nine stakes to be run on the Florida Derby card. Five of them are graded – the Gulfstream Oaks, Pan American, Orchid, Appleton, and Ghostzapper. Entries for all Florida Derby Day races will be drawn Wednesday.

The Grade 3 Ghostzapper, for older horses going 1 1/8 miles, had been run as the Creme Fraiche from 1990 through 2002 and as the Hal’s Hope from 2003 through 2020.