Chief Wallabee given mild favoritism for Saturday’s Florida Derby, Credit 1/ST
Gulfstream Park Press
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Michael and Katherine Ball’s Chief Wallabee, the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) runner-up last month in just his second start, was installed as the narrow 2-1 program favorite over eight rivals during Saturday’s post-position draw for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa March 28 at Gulfstream Park.
The 75th running of the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby for 3-year-olds, which debuted in 1952 and has produced the winners of a remarkable 63 Triple Crown races, offers 200 qualifying points for the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.
A total of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.675 million in purses comprise a blockbuster 14-race Florida Derby Day program with a post time of 11:30 a.m. ET
The Florida Derby will feature three of the top four horses on Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch list – Chief Wallabee, Commandment and Nearly, respectively ranked second, third and fourth. Another Florida Derby contender, The Puma, is ranked 12th on the DRF list of 20, which mirrors the maximum number of Kentucky Derby starters.
Chief Wallabee will break from Post 2 under jockey Junior Alvarado, aboard for both of the bay son of 2014 Florida Derby winner Constitution’s two races. They came from off the pace to win a seven-furlong maiden special weight in debut Jan. 10, then rallied from far back to be beaten a neck in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth Feb. 28 while trying two turns for the first time.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is seeking his first win in the Florida Derby. He ran second last year with eventual champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year Sovereignty.
Wathnan Racing’s Commandment, the Fountain of Youth winner trained by Brad Cox, is second on the morning line at 5-2. By Into Mischief, he graduated in his second start last fall in Kentucky before a popular 6 ¾-length victory in Gulfstream’s Mucho Macho Man going a one-turn mile Jan. 3.
Tappan Street’s mild upset of Sovereignty last year gave Cox his first win in the Florida Derby. Flavien Prat is set to ride Commandment, the 5-2 second program choice, from Post 4.
Like Commandment, Centennial Farms’ Nearly takes a three-race win streak into the Florida Derby. Sixth in his unveiling last fall at Aqueduct, the Not This Time colt is undefeated at Gulfstream starting with a maiden triumph over Florida-breds in November. He then beat winners Jan. 2 and romped in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) Jan. 31 in his two-turn debut, his three wins coming by 20 combined lengths. He is rated third choice on the morning line at 3-1.
Nearly breezed four furlongs in 49.16 seconds Saturday at Palm Beach Downs, fastest of 16 horses. He will break from Post 6 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, whose six Florida Derby victories are the most of any rider. Each of them have come for Nearly’s Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who owns a record eight wins in the Florida Derby.
OGMA Investments, JR Ranch and High Step Racing’s The Puma (9-2 ML), trained by Gustavo Delgado, hails from similar connections that saw Mage run second in the 2023 Florida Derby ahead of his victory in the Kentucky Derby. He ran second to Chief Wallabee at Gulfstream in his unveiling, then ran third in the Sam F. Davis before his upset victory in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G3), both going 1 1/16 miles.
The Puma worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 Saturday over Gulfstream’s main track, ranking eighth of 21 horses. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano gets the riding assignment from Post 8.
Baalbek Corp.’s Wayne’s Law (15-1 ML), a son of 2020 Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law trained by Amador Sanchez, most recently finished second to Renegade in the Feb. 7 Sam Davis, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of The Puma. He made his first three career starts at Gulfstream, beating Florida-bred maidens second time out and subsequently winning the open one-mile Aventura in September. Marcos Meneses will ride from Post 3.
Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing and Laurie Plesa’s Timeless Victory (20-1 ML) has made six starts for trainer Ed Plesa Jr., all at Gulfstream. The last three have come on dirt with two wins including a six-length optional claiming allowance triumph going 1 1/8 miles March 1, and a third behind Nearly Jan. 2.
Timeless Victory breezed four furlongs in 49.31 seconds over Gulfstream’s main track Saturday. He will have the services of regular rider Jose Morelos from Post 7.
JC Racing Stable’s Gregarious (50-1 ML), owned and trained by Jose Castro, will be making just his second career start in the Florida Derby having run second in his Feb. 21 debut, a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight at Gulfstream. He breezed four furlongs in 49.35 seconds Saturday at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, and will break from Post 9 with jockey Rajiv Maragh.
Completing the field are Pin Oak Stud’s Albus (Post 1, 20-1ML), a last-out maiden winner going one mile and 40 yards Feb. 27 at Tampa Bay Downs that worked a half-mile in 49.75 seconds Saturday at Palm Meadows; and Calypso Racing Stables’ Redland Rebels (Post 5, 15-1 ML), second by a neck in Gulfstream’s Jan. 31 Kitten’s Joy on the grass that was subsequently fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby and will be cross-entered in the Arkansas Derby (G1) on the same day, according to trainer Patrick Biancone.
