Simplification

by Christie DeBernardis & Jessica Martini OCALA, FL--A son of Coolmore's super-sire Uncle Mo (Hip 206) topped the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale Tuesday, summoning $2.3 million from Gary Young, who was acting on behalf of Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables. It was the first $2-million sale since 2017 when a colt by Tiznow brought a record-breaking $2.45 million. Purchased by Scott and Evan Dilworth for $250,000 at KEESEP, Hip 206 was consigned by the Jimbo and Torie Gladwell's Top Line Sales. "April is a...

Tami Bobo's Simplification (Not This Time) breezed five-furlongs in 1:01.83 Friday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a scheduled start in the May 7 GI Kentucky Derby. It was the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner's first work since finishing third in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 2. Junior Alvarado was aboard for the breeze, subbing for jockey Jose Ortiz. "He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.3, the seven furlongs in 1:27 and the mile in 1:40," trainer Antonio Sano said. "Excellent. I'm so happy with my...

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...

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio (Race Day) was confirmed a starter for Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa Tuesday morning by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The gray colt, last seen (No dominating in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 5, spiked a fever the on the Tuesday before his final drill, which was to be Sunday. He signaled his readiness for this weekend's task by blowing out three furlongs in :34.96 over a glib Gulfstream Park main track...

Tami Bobo's Simplification (Not This Time) returned to the Gulfstream Park worktab Saturday morning for the first time since scoring a dominant 3 1/2-length victory in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 5 in Hallandale. The Antonio Sano trainee breezed five furlongs in 1:01.81 (15/28) under jockey Jose Ortiz before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.85. "It was a very good work. The horse worked in hand. He went very easy," Sano said. "The gallop was good. The horse came back very good. That's what's important for me."...

On the opening day of the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, just 7 1/2 weeks ahead of the First Saturday in May, buyers will have a chance to purchase the half-siblings to a pair of GI Kentucky Derby contenders. The first of the two to go through the ring Mar. 15 will be an Always Dreaming half-brother to GII Risen Star S. winner Epicenter (Not This Time). Consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables as Hip 121, the bay is out of stakes winner and GSP Silent Candy (Candy Ride...

Tami Bobo's Simplification (Not This Time) avoided a nasty two-horse spill on the far turn and proved much the best in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park while leading home an exacta for his red-hot young sire. The unlucky last out GIII Holy Bull S. runner-up, drawn on the inside in post two, raced in midpack rounding the clubhouse turn as rail-drawn longshot Markhamian (Social Inclusion) led the way. Under a snug hold by Jose Ortiz while racing in some traffic down the backstretch, the 5-2...

If variety is the spice of life, Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park is certain to set your taste buds on fire, as a legitimate case can be made for as many as seven of the 11 horses left in the final local lead-up for the GI Curlin Florida Derby in four weeks' time. With the mid-week scratching of GII Remsen S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo), Fountain of Youth favoritism could fall to Simplification, one of three in the race by boom sire Not This...

Florida horsewoman Tami Bobo has picked out a number of sales prospects that eventually became elite racehorses. Speech (Mr. Speaker), a filly Bobo pinhooked as a weanling for $65,000 who later sold for $190,000 as a 2-year-old, won the 2020 GI Ashland S. Lazy Daisy (Paynter), just a $2,000 weanling, went to the Breeders' Cup in 2019. Both were preceded by Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy), a colt Bobo purchased privately in 2010 when he RNA'd for $80,000. After breaking and training him herself, she stayed in for a small...

Simplification (Not This Time) became the 17th stakes winner and third in the last six days for his in-form sire with a convincing victory in this first step on the road to the GI Florida Derby and--perhaps--beyond. An even fourth on his 5 1/2-furlong debut on the synthetic track Oct. 1, the bay overwhelmed a group of Florida-bred maidens by 16 3/4 lengths Oct. 23, good for a 92 Beyer. He couldn't put them back to back, faltering to be third at long odds-on Nov. 13, but had his fair...