Neither of Saturday's GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby main players seemed particularly helped or hurt by Wednesday's post position draw, with champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) drawing slot four and current consensus GI Kentucky Derby favorite Mohaymen (Tapit) landing in stall nine. A total of 10 sophomores were entered for Gulfstream's signature event.
“It's hard to gauge,” Nyquist's conditioner Doug O'Neill offered. “Prior to the draw, we didn't know if they'd be a bad post for him. Number four is just fine. Like the rest of them, we have to leave the gate running and get good position.”
Last year's champion juvenile made a successful seasonal debut in Santa Anita's GII San Vicente S. Feb. 15, and is eligible for a $1-million bonus for having sold at last year's Fasig-Tipton Florida sale. He is the 6-5 second choice on the morning line.
“We're pleased to be outside of Nyquist,” Kiaran McLaughlin said of his charge Mohaymen's draw. “We just wanted to be outside of him, for one, and two, hopefully we'll stay out of trouble being outside a little bit. It will give [jockey] Junior [Alvarado] an opportunity to ride his race and be out in the clear.”
Mohaymen, even-money on the morning line, enters off four consecutive Grade II victories, capped by a convincing 2 1/4-length score in the local GII Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth S.
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