THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

It looks like we’ve got quite a race shaping up for this Saturday’s running of the $1 million Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.  In the past 12 years, 3 winners of the Florida Derby have gone on to prevail in the Kentucky Derby, including Barbaro (2006), Monarchos (2001), and Thunder Gulch (1995).  The 2008 edition of the Florida Derby has many big name competitors on the Derby trail and figures to be a useful measuring stick when attempting to separate the pack come the first Saturday in May.

There are several horses from our Road to the Kentucky Derby rankings, including Big Brown, Hey Byrn, Elysium Fields, and Fierce Wind.  In addition, it is possible that Majestic Warrior will run this weekend.  Joining this group will be other live competitors including Tomcito, Cool Gator, Face the Cat, and Smooth Air.

 Big Brown is the likely post time favorite for the 1 1/8 mile race.  The son of Boundary is 2 for 2 lifetime, including an eye popping 104 Beyer speed figure in an allowance level victory last out.  He broke his maiden by 11 lengths last summer at Saratoga before hoof problems sidelined him for several months.  Rick Dutrow has brought the colt back impressively and there is already quite a buzz circulating among horseplayers about his ability to compete with the big boys this May.  I think most of the horse racing world is anxious to see him this weekend.  Kent Desormeaux will ride the beautiful looking colt that makes a stunning impression visually.

Big Brown romps in his 2008 debut at Gulfstream Park in early March

 Hey Byrn is a horse that my friend Ron Correll of the State Journal-Register is very excited about.  Trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., the son of Put it Back defeated onetime Derby hopeful Alaazo on 3/2/08 in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park.  Prior to that he prevailed by an impressive 14 lengths on February 10, earning a 97 Beyer speed figure.  Interestingly, Jose Lezcano has picked up the mount in place of Edgar Prado, who will be busy in Dubai this weekend.   At the end of his aforementioned 14 length victory in February, the track announcer had yelled out “he’s for real!”  We’ll certainly find out if he’s for real this weekend.  Ron’s got one of the best eyes for talent I’ve ever seen so I’m equally as anxious to see him as I am Big Brown.

Hey Byrn wins impressively at Calder last August as a 2 year old

 As if all that weren’t enough, another colt that I think very highly of is entered for Saturday’s race.  Elysium Fields, the talented son of El Prado who we last saw battling it out for 2nd against Cool Coal Man in the Fountain of Youth, returns looking for Graded Stakes money that can help send him to Kentucky.  I really like this colt.  I thought he was much the best in the Fountain of Youth, but he may actually be stepping up in company today against the likes of Big Brown and Hey Byrn.  Barclay Tagg put blinkers on him before the Fountain of Youth and the colt responded with a rousing run in the stretch.  After Cool Coal Man passed him, he had enough left to fight back and make a late run for the money.   He broke his maiden in January at Gulfstream by 8 lengths.   He worked 6 furlongs in 1:12 at Gulfstream officially, with an unofficial 7 furlongs in 1:26. 

Elysium Fields, after losing the lead to Cool Coal Man, fights back in the final strides to lose by a neck

 Fierce Wind is a Nick Zito trained son of Dixie Union.  Most notably, he defeated Big Truck in the Sam F. Davis Stakes on February 16. Big Truck of course went on to win the Tampa Bay Derby over Atoned and War Pass.  Fierce Wind will be seeking his 4th consecutive victory on Saturday.  The colt breezed 4 furlongs in 49 seconds on 3/18.

Fierce Wind defeats Big Truck and Z Humor in the Sam F. Davis Stakes

 Tomcito is a very interesting colt that most folks are probably not familiar with.  He’s a Stakes winner shipping in from Peru that was a mere $7500 purchase as a yearling.  That’s rather amazing considering his daddy is Street Cry, who produced 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and is one of the most sought after sires in the world.  Tomcito will make his U.S. debut on Saturday and will look to invoke memories of Canonero II - the famed Venezuelan colt that won the 1971 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.  The colt worked 5 furlongs in 58.6 on 3/17.  He won the prestigious Nacional Derby in Peru with a resounding move in the stretch from very wide.

Tomcito’s wide run prevails in the Derby Nacional (Peru)

Smooth Air is yet another contender in the stacked field on Saturday.  The son of Smooth Jazz won the 7 furlong Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park earlier in the year on January 5.  Most recently, he was third behind Fierce Wind in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay on February 16.

Face the Cat is a highly regarded son of Tale of the Cat that many horseplayers have been waiting to see for quite some time.  Padua Stables purchased him after an allowance level victory on 1/30 at Gulfstream and promptly transferred him from Helen Pits barn to Todd Pletcher’s barn.  Many will note that story sounds eerily similar to that of Curlin in 2007.  The colt breezed 5 furlongs in 1:00.40 in his most recent prep workout.

Cool Gator is a son of Macho Uno, who was the 2 year old champion back in 2000.  He’s trained by Danny Vella and will enlist the services of jockey Eddie Castro.  He appears to be a bit over-matched here as he was recently second behind fellow Florida Derby competitor Nistle’s Crunch in a 1 1/8 mile allowance race on 1/30 at Gulfstream.  Still, Vella thinks the colt is progressing nicely and wants to see how he stacks up against the competition.

 Majestic Warrior remains a possibility for the Florida Derby.  The son of A.P. Indy was at one point in time (read:  around New Year’s Day) my selection for the Kentucky Derby.  Since then just about everything has gone wrong.  First he was delayed with some minor physical problems, and then after a long layoff he came back to finish a disappointing 7th in the Louisiana Derby.  He’ll need to turn things around quickly if he’s to remain on the Derby trail, but it’s possible the colt needed that last race.  He did win the Hopeful in 2007 as a 2 year old.  Majestic Warrior breezed 4 furlongs in 49.2 on 3/19 at Payson Park. 

Other entries in the race include Nistle’s Crunch, BB Frank, and Da’ Tara.  It would be a huge surprise to me if one of them were able to prevail this weekend.  This race looks loaded with developing talent and could wind up being the best prep race we’ve seen so far this year when all is said and done. 

I’ll be back later in the week to make official selections after the post positions have been assigned.