Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Audible likely for Florida Derby
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said Audible came out of his one-sided victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Holy Bull in good order, but admitted even he was a little surprised at the ease of his rapidly improving 3-year-old’s win.
Audible rallied from just off the pace under Javier Castellano to a 5 1/2-length victory over Free Drop Billy while making his stakes and two-turn debut in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park. It was another 7 3/4 lengths farther back to third-place finisher Tiz Mischief. Audible’s final time of 1:41.92 earned him a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He came out of the race real well,” Pletcher said. “I thought the performance was very impressive, and the figures obviously came back to support that. In fact, I’d say his effort was a little beyond expectations. We felt we belonged in the race, like he was training well and had a shot to win, but we never thought he’d blow everyone away quite like that. I was happy to see it.”
Pletcher said several options remain open for Audible’s next start, but added that he and Elliott Walden, WinStar Farm’s CEO and racing manager, think the most likely scenario would be for Audible to train up to the Florida Derby here March 31. Audible is owned by WinStar and the China Horse Club.
“We’ll see how things go with his training,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, we have plenty of time to sort things out.”
Saturday was an up-anddown afternoon on the Kentucky Derby trail for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who won the Withers at Aqueduct with Avery Island about an hour before Enticed finished a well-beaten fourth as the 9-5 favorite in the Holy Bull.
“We were happy we drew inside to save the ground, but the race shape wasn’t to our liking down inside, taking dirt all the way,” McLaughlin said. “We finished fourth and didn’t love the race shape and the trip we had, but he came out of it in good shape, and we’ll go from there. The winner was impressive.”
McLaughlin said that among the options for Enticed are the Fountain of Youth on March 3 at Gulfstream, the Tampa Bay Derby on March 10, or the Gotham on March 10 at Aqueduct. The Fountain of Youth and Tampa Bay Derby are run at 1 1/16 miles, while the Gotham is at a one-turn mile.
“He ran well going a mile before,” McLaughlin said.
Trainer Dale Romans also said all was well Sunday morning with Free Drop Billy and Tiz Mischief.
“They both came out in good shape, and I’m looking forward to the next round,” Romans said. “They both ran hard, and the race was run very fast. I was pleased with their first steps. Obviously, going in, I was concerned a little about the track for a closer like Tiz Mischief, but I just wanted to get him going. It’s too early to decide where or when both might run next, although I don’t see any reason for Free Drop Billy not to stay here.”
Romans also was pleased with the way Hollywood Star worked five furlongs from the half-mile pole in 1:00.46 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.07 here Sunday morning. Hollywood Star is scheduled to launch his campaign in the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
“Everything is a go for next week after this work,” Romans said. “For him to work like that by himself was very good. That’s usually not his style.”