A number of top contenders for the Mar. 31 GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby turned in published works in Florida Saturday.
At Gulfstream Park, GII Fountain of Youth S. upsetter Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) breezed four panels in :48.16 (19/94) (click for video). “He's just a push-button horse,” trainer Dale Romans said. “He's doing everything the right way.”
In Ocala at Bridlewood Farm, versatile MGSW Catholic Boy (More Than Ready) covered five furlongs in 1:00 flat under regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Between Irad seemingly being happy with him and the way the horse breezed this morning, [I'm pleased],” trainer Jonathan Thomas said. “After the five-eighths work he went ahead and had a very healthy gallop-out.”
Catholic Boy was most recently second behind subsequent GII Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Flameaway (Scat Daddy) in Tampa's GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 10.
“I think he's progressed well,” Thomas said. “He's put on weight since he ran. His energy level is good. By design we gave him an extra week of not breezing. It came back a pretty healthy [Ragozin] number for him. He ran a '6' which was a lifetime best, I didn't have him fully cranked, so I think he got a lot out of that… The way he worked this morning it was swifter than normal for me, but he did it well within himself. I feel liked he bounced back pretty well.”
Thomas's former boss Todd Pletcher sent out GII Holy Bull S. romper Audible (Into Mischief) to a 1:01.50 (3/10) move at Palm Beach Downs (click for video). It came in company with stakes winner Prince Lucky (Corinthian).
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