San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
KNOWN AGENDA PREVAILS IN FLORIDA
Known Agenda owner Vincent Viola kept asking trainer Todd Pletcher the same question over the last few days.
“Do you think we really have a shot in the Florida Derby?”
Pletcher kept telling him the answer was yes. And the horse left no doubt.
Known Agenda ran away from the field in the Florida Derby on Saturday in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and might keep on going all the way to Churchill Downs to start the Triple Crown season. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. guided Known Agenda to the win in the Grade I, $750,000 race at Gulfstream Park, picking up 100 Kentucky Derby standings points — which will be more than enough to qualify him for that race in five weeks.
“Well, that’s certainly the hope,” Pletcher said.
Pletcher won the Florida Derby for a record sixth time, and Known Agenda ($12.80) covered the 11⁄8 miles on the dirt in 1 minutes, 49.45 seconds.
Soup and Sandwich was second and heavily favored Greatest Honour — who came into the race with more than enough points to get into the Kentucky Derby — settled for third. Greatest Honour ran into traffic coming out of the gate and was nowhere near the front as the group headed into the first turn, though settled in along the rail and simply waited for an opening.
By the time he found open space, it was too late. Known Agenda moved into the lead around the top of the stretch and then took off, winning by 23⁄4 lengths in a margin that probably could have been bigger if Ortiz asked.
“Greatest Honour was one of the top horses in the country and he was in the race, so we were going to find out what we’ve got,“Ortiz said.
Soup and Sandwich picked up 40 Derby standings points, and Greatest Honour got 20.
Viola also owns the Florida Panthers, who are well on their way to the Stanley Cup playoffs, and now he’s almost certainly headed back to the Kentucky Derby. Plus, he leads the group that bred Known Agenda — so this win was doubly significant to him.
“How does it feel? You feel undeserving, quite frankly,” Viola said.
“Todd has been very patient with this horse from the moment he got him, very confident.”
Viola had to be talked out of a plan to send Known Agenda to the Santa Anita Derby, simply because he didn’t think the horse was ready for the Florida Derby.
He was thrilled to be wrong.
Other Derby preps
Long-shot Rebel’s Romance ($26.10) rolled to an easy win in the UAE Derby at Dubai, earning 100 points in the Kentucky Derby standings and essentially clinching a spot in the field — though it remains unknown if owner
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and trainer
Charlie Appleby will send him over.
Like The King ($16), with former Southern California jockey Drayden Van Dyke in the irons, survived an objection that was made postrace and prevailed in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park, also earning 100 points toward qualifying for the Derby.
Mystic Guide wins in Dubai
American challenger Mystic Guide ($5.50) provided Godolphin with victory in the 25th edition of the $12 million, Grade I Dubai World Cup.
Mystic Guide recorded a third successive victory in the Meydan showpiece in the owners’ blue silks, and their ninth in all following Thunder Snow’s back-to-back triumphs in 2018 and ’19.
Trainer Mike Stidham’s 4year-old, sent off as the 6-4 favorite with Luis Saez onboard, prevailed by 33⁄4 lengths from Japan’s Chuwa Wizard.