Florida Derby

We've taken the plunge into the deeper end of the prep pool for the GI Kentucky Derby. Five nine-furlong stakes each awarding 100 qualifying points are scheduled over the next two Saturdays, after which this list will expand to the Top 20. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 6-5-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: 1st GII Fountain of Youth S....

The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation will be hosting the first Fashionable Fillies Luncheon in Florida at The Flamingo Room at Gulfstream Park Mar. 31, the day before the GI Curlin Florida Derby. The luncheon will honor Beverly Jochynek, senior executive vice president of Client Management, Xpressbet, and will offer wines by Notorious Wines, Florida-inspired food stations and passed hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to shop from vendors such as equestrian artist Alaura Allen, Christine A. Moore Millinery, and a virtual pop-up shop by Kent Stetson Handbags. Live music will...

Only one contender within the Top 12 was in action last week. But Sunday's news about 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) being declared off the GI Kentucky Derby trail left a void within the top tier that widens the gap between the juvenile champ and a cast of aspirants aiming to define themselves at longer distances. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP....

Gulfstream Park's 2022-23 Championship Meet will feature significant purse increases for maiden special weight and allowance races, the track announced Wednesday. The signature meet, gets underway Dec. 26. Gulfstream also announced substantial purse increases for the same conditions during the current Sunshine Meet from Dec. 1 through Dec. 24. Gulfstream's Championship Meet will once again feature Pegasus World Cup Day with the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. and $500,000 GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf S., as well...

Gulfstream Park's upcoming Championship Meet will offer 60 stakes--35 graded--worth $13.6 million. The stakes line up is headlined by the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, which will be run Jan. 28, and the $1-million GI Curlin Florida Derby, to be run Apr. 1. Gulfstream's Jan. 28 card will also include the $1-million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational and the $500,000 GIII Pegasus World Cup F/M Turf Invitational, as well as four other graded events. The Florida Derby is the culmination of Gulfstream's series of Triple Crown preps. The series...

When The Great Maybe (Upstart) left the blocks at Saratoga and strolled in eight lengths ahead of a lively-met field of fillies, she carried not only the silks of Lael Stables--whose name invokes great nostalgia and respect in the halls of the Thoroughbred community--but also the dreams of a small breeding operation an hour north of Lexington, run by Monica Egger. Now, that farm in Piner, Kentucky, has a 'TDN Rising Star' to add to their list of accomplishments. "I have really enjoyed my short foray into Thoroughbreds and have...

No matter how talented a horse might be, going from a maiden win into a race like the GI Curlin Florida Derby is supposed to be too much to ask. You're not seasoned, experienced or battle tested, and those things matter. That's why I thought 3-1 was a ridiculous price on Charge It (Tapit) in Saturday's Florida Derby. Was I ever wrong. After finishing second in his debut in January, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt returned Feb. 12 to win a Gulfstream maiden by 8 1/2 lengths. It was a big...

White Abarrio (Race Day) came out of his victory in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby in fine shape and will now be aimed at the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Sunday. "He was further back than we envisioned and to see him be able to sit back that far off the pace and make his move, it gives you a lot of confidence, because you know he can run close to the pace and now sit back and be as effective," Joseph said of his charge's Florida...

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL--The three winners of Florida's four previous GI Kentucky Derby prep races meet Saturday as they make their final starts ahead of the First Saturday in May in Gulfstream's GI Curlin Florida Derby. Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) ruled the Tampa Bay Downs preps, scoring decisive victories in both the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 12 and the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 12. He hit the board in all three of his juvenile races, starting with a dominant debut at Saratoga Sept. 4. Finishing third after setting...

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL--Brian Lynch has already proven he is a talented trainer, conditioning the likes of Grade I winners Oscar Performance, Heart to Heart, Grand Arch and Coffee Clique. While he has won several graded events on dirt, all of his top-level scorers were on turf and the main thing missing from his resume is a Triple Crown contender. Lynch finally has that this year in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby contender Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), who already has enough points to be his trainer's first GI Kentucky Derby starter....

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL--While C2 Racing Stable is in its infancy, its founders, brothers Clint and Mark Cornett are not new on the racing scene. In fact, Mark Cornett has worked as a racing manager and bloodstock agent for over 25 years and even put together the partnerships that owned champions Blind Luck and Dubai Majesty. He and Clint campaigned horses a decade ago under a different banner. The Cornett brothers returned to the game just last year under their new moniker with the goal of running in the GI Kentucky...

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (Race Day) breezed an 'easy' five furlongs at Gulfstream Park in preparation for the Apr. 2 GI Curlin Florida Derby. "Two weeks out, so far, so good. Two weeks is a long time with horses, but as far as everything has gone preparation-wise, I'm very happy with how things have gone," trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. White Abarrio, who breezed in company for his fourth workout since capturing the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S., was timed in 1:00.42,...