The Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is a lock-in, prep race for the Bluegrass Derby. It is set at a distance of eight and a half furlongs and will be run on a fast dirt track.
Last year’s winner was Joya, who charted a speed of 109. Since winning last year’s event, Joya has gone down hill and not hitting the board in the eight succeeding races he appeared in.
In 2010, Begone Oasis won the race but failed to produce any results in the triple crown run. He later moved on to be a turf specialist.
You have to go back to 2007 where you will find Awesome Force winning the Florida Derby with a lukewarm speed of 92, and would come up one race shy of taking the triple crown with wins in the Middle Jewel Stakes and the New Yorker.
Another Florida Derby standout was 2005 winner Fly for Buda, who won the Florida with a speed of 107. If racing were baseball, you may say he hit the cycle with a first in the Middle Jewel, a second in the New Yorker and a third in the Bluegrass.
The above are examples of how horses fared in this big event. It has been a while since the winner has been a big factor in the triple crown, but this 9 furlong dirt race could definitely produce a top challenger in May. Here are the contenders:
1. 9-1
Biescas
This son of Medaglia D’Oro has won 4 of his last 5 starts. Biescas only loss in this streak was in his only grade start, the Eruption, where he finished well back. He picked up his second non-grade win last month in the 9f Oyster Pub Rocks wiring the field with a career best speed of 99 over this Florida track. Undoubtedly he’ll make a bid to wire the field and this may be the right place and time to pull it off.
2. 12-1
Always Charming
A light grey colt who is the son of Silver Charm and winner of two races, however, has been on the board eight times in nine races. He’s made three grade level starts, picking up thirds in the Charcoal Breeder’s Cup and The Scam. His top speed of 98 was scored in The Scam in February. Early in March, he struggled in the Immense Derby Challenge and had no excuse. Takes a marginal drop in distance from 9f and may be the right ticket.
3. 11-1
Onewaki
Silver Charm is the sire to this colt who has a pair of wins in eight races. He has struggled at the graded level with four runs and out of the money three times. He does have a win in the G3 Legoland, and established his top speed of 101 in that race. However, the Vermont is 4 Lovers was his last race, and he finished with an 84 speed and in eleventh. He’ll face others again from that race and will need to improve quickly to show he’s better than they are.
4. 11-1
Clash of Kings
Clash of Kings is the son of Awesome Again and already has four wins in five career starts. Like others in this race, his biggest downfall came in his sole grade appearance, in his case, the Movieland Futurity. In that event, he had nothing going for him and finished near the rear of the field. He does have a pair of non-grade stake wins, both charted speeds of 95. He looks well rested, taking a chunk of time off for most of the winter before returning and picking up a stake win in late February. Expect improvement in speed number off that start.
5. 9-1
Candy Shop
This sweet horse is the son of Candy Ride and has only four races and a nice record of 3-1-0. In January he won an allowance race at 8.5 furlongs with a speed of 87. He topped that in his only stake race, the non-graded Magical Merlin Dirt Challenge at 8.5f with a very impressive 104. He’s one to watch as a speed in that vicinity could very well win this derby.
6. 10-1
Too Many Questions
Son of Discreetly Mine has won four times in nine starts. Included in the win column are three consecutive wins in the G2 The Stanford, G1 The Hopeless and G1 End of the Line Futurity. He took a near 2-month winter break, returning with a fourth in the Vermont is 4 Lovers G1 with a career best speed of 96. The second race back from a break may fire this one up.
7. 12-1
Newstead
A winner of four races in seven starts, this Tapit son will give it another shot in graded company. Newstead has one start at this level in the January running of the Legoland where he finished eighth by six lengths after trailing by a dozen early on. He has a non-grade stake win that was earned last November and set his career best speed last month with a 93 with a third in the non-grade Tabitha Dirt Memorial. Newstead is a stretch runner that looks to have his best shot if he can be within 10 strides by the halfway mark.
8. 6-1
No Siree Bob
Sired by Medicean, No Siree Bob has an impressive record of 3-5-0 in 9 races. He’s had one start in graded company coming last November in the Club Stakes. He wasn’t quite ready for this level of competition, finishing 7th, his only off the board finish. However, his last two starts were non-grade stake events where he finished 2nd and won his last time out, sporting very competitive career best speeds of 100 in each race. Looks to fare much better this time out at this high level.
9. 10-1
For Good
This son of Distorted Humor came out on fire at the start of his racing career, winning his first four starts. The win streak came to an end three weeks ago in his first grade level race, the G1 Winter is Coming. He set the early pace but relinquished the lead by the third call and settled for fifth with a speed of 92. He can do better than that as in February he established his career mark of 95 on a good track. He’s got early speed and this nice looking colt will be put to the test once again.
10 6-1
Skitzoid
Skitzoid is the son of Awesome Again and has won four out of eight starts. He comes off a big win in the Vermont is 4 Lovers, hitting a career speed mark of 101 running 9.5 furlongs. He’s a slow starter and can charge like an express train coming through the stretch. Tough runner looks to make it 3-in-a-row.
11. 11-1
El Gato’s Mark
Badge of Silver is the sire and El Gato’s Mark is the only grade winning horse to this sire. He has won three races, all occurring between June and September last year and was highlighted with a win in the G3 Buckeye Juvenile. He’s made three subsequent grade race appearances, pulling off a second in the Sparkling Wine a fourth in the Breeder’s Bowl Juvenile and finished off the board in the Movieland Futurity. El Gato took a two month sabbatical and returned in February in a non-graded race with a second and a career best speed of 92. Could make nice improvement off of that in this race.
12. 15-1
Portrayal
Portrayal has been in the money five times in six starts with three wins to his credit. This son of Midnight Lute has a non-grade win in February in the Tout Ou Rien Dirt Challenge where he scored his career best speed of 94. Two weeks ago, he took his first shot in graded company when he ran in the Felipe Alou Stakes finishing quite a ways back. He’ll try 9 furlongs for the first time but with such a short rest break and considering the last wasn’t the best of performances in graded company, it looks like he’ll be facing a tough task in this race.
13. 10-1
Weekly Express
Weekly Express is the son of Special Week and has gathered up 4 wins in his 7 starts. He’s had one start at the graded level, and that came in the Gian Slayer at 8.5f, finishing fourth. He picked up a stakes win in the non-graded Kimo Teemu Tribute winning on a sloppy track at 8.5 f with his career best of 96. He stretches a little in distance and that looks like it work to his favor.
14. 20-1
A Wild Storm
A Wild Storm compiled a win streak of 5 in a row from November through February. It wasn’t until this son of Elvstroem made his first stakes appearance in the G1 Immense Derby Challenge that his streak would end. In this race, he was never a factor as the 29-1 longshot although he equaled his career best speed of 89. Most of the wins were in minimal sized fields and his speeds have been improving on the dirt, however, they haven’t reached the level of the competition in this field.
Skitzoid gets my vote to win this event. He beat a few of the entrants in this race in the Vermont is 4 Lovers event with a very strong effort, and drawing off by three strides. Could make it three in a row.
No Siree Bob put in a pair of 100 speeds and looks ready for better results in graded level, gets my second choice.
Candy Shop has the fastest speed going in this field. It may be a fluke, but then again, it could be the real thing. I’m going that the number is for real, making him my third choice.