Strong Florida Derby undercard taking shape

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Besides the Florida Derby and a mandatory Rainbow 6 disbursement, next Saturday’s 14-race card also will offer six undercard stakes, four of them graded. Here’s a quick rundown of the graded races:

◗ Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile: The 2017 Kentucky Derby winner, Always Dreaming, is expected to make his 4-year-old debut when he faces Irish War Cry in this one-turn mile. Other probables include Conquest Big E, Page McKenney, Tommy Macho, and Texas Tower.

◗ Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks: Take Charge Paula heads what is expected to be a short field of 3-year-old fillies in this Kentucky Oaks qualifier at 1 1/16 miles. Blonde Bomber, Coach Rocks, Daisy, and Princess Warrior also go.

◗ Grade 2, $250,000 Pan American: Sadler’s Joy and One Go All Go, the one-two finishers in the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida earlier this month, will be rematched among a sizable field for this 1 1/2-mile turf race, along with two or three from the deep Mike Maker bench.

◗ Grade 2, $250,000 Honey Fox: Stormy Victoria, a last-to-first winner of the Jan. 27 South Beach Stakes here in her last start, is the likely favorite in this one-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

Two ungraded turf races for 3-year-olds, the $125,000 Cutler Bay and $125,000 Sanibel Island, also will be on the Saturday card.

Next Friday’s card will feature the $75,000 Soaring Softly, a 1 3/8-mile turf race for which Daring Duchess will be a short price in a short field. The Soaring Softly effectively replaces the Orchid, a longtime fixture that has been discontinued.