HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A total of 23 3-year-olds were nominated for the Grade 1 Florida Derby here on April 1 although the imposing presence of Forte is almost certain to keep the field to a minimum, despite a $1 million purse and the 200 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to be awarded to the first five finishers, when the nine-furlong fixture is drawn Saturday.

One of the standout horses at the Tampa meet has been Smart as Me, a 4-year-old colt who won again Saturday for co-owner and trainer Craig R. Smith. From six starts, Smart as Me has closed from far back to finish first four times (and was disqualified from one of those wins), with his latest victory coming in a first-level allowance going a mile on the turf.

Perhaps earlier in the Tampa Bay Downs meet, a first-level allowance route for 3-year-olds might have drawn a sleeper or two for the Kentucky Derby or Oaks.

But now that we’re deep into March, it’s a little late to be using Tampa as a springboard to a Derby or Oaks qualifier. Fans playing an eight-race Wednesday card won’t have an intangible factor such as trainer intent to work into their handicapping calculations.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Bobby Dibona likes it in Florida, especially this time of year. The Boston native has become a year-rounder in the Sunshine State after spending most of his 20-plus years of training at Northeast tracks.

“I think this is my sixth year of being year-round here,” Dibona said. “I spent 12 summers at Monmouth Park before deciding to stay in Florida. I tell everybody that if we get a good horse, we can take them anywhere in the world. But for the meat-and-potato kind of races, I’m comfortable with just staying put.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Group 2 races on the World Cup card – the UAE Derby, the Gold Cup, and the Godolphin Mile – were drawn and post positions assigned Monday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – About the time Frankie Dettori, the famed rider from the island of Sardinia in Italy, will leave the Southern California jockey colony, Antonio Fresu, a Sardinian rider of lesser fame, will join it.

Fresu, 31, is riding his seventh winter in Dubai. He rode two horses last September at Saratoga and has contemplated trying his luck in America for a couple years. Now the groundwork has been laid to make the move. Fresu said veteran agent Tom Knust will book his mounts. He plans to arrive in California the fourth week of April.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Life Is Good was the star of Meydan morning training in the days leading to the 2022 World Cup. He finished fourth when it counted in the race itself, while the horse who had turned roughly zero heads during training hours, Country Grammer, was the star of the $12 million World Cup.

Nothing as bright as Life Is Good lit up the Dubai darkness Monday morning, when Country Grammer, probably looking better than he did a year ago, put in his final breeze before trying to win his second World Cup here Saturday.