Young and old to collide looking to add more triumphs at Florida Derby
Todd Pletcher is no stranger to the Florida Derby. The trainer has won the state’s signature race — a major steppingstone to the Kentucky Derby — a record seven times.
Trainers Shug McGaughey and Saffie Joseph Jr. have registered Florida Derby victories and, like Pletcher, will be looking to add another come Saturday’s $1 million race at Gulfstream Park.
And then there’s 20year-old Eniel Cordero, who will attempt to become the youngest trainer to saddle a Florida Derby winner when he sends out Le Dom Bro in the 1 1⁄8-mile fixture, which has produced 25 Kentucky Derby winners in its 72 runnings.
“A lot of trainers have been training for years, and they haven’t had an opportunity to go to the Kentucky Derby,” said Cordero, a native of Puerto Rico. “If this horse breaks well in the Florida Derby, we may accomplish that. I’d be in shock.”
Young and old will collide in what is the headline event on a 10-stakes program, with the winner likely headed to Kentucky for the May 4 Run for the Roses.
Repole Stable’s Fierceness, trained by Pletcher, is listed as the 8-5 program favorite. The 2-year-old champion male horse of 2023 will be trying to rebound from a surprising third-place performance in Gulfstream’s Holy Bull Stakes in February, which marked the colt’s lone start this year.
He will be ridden again by John Velazquez.
“He got sandwiched pretty hard leaving the gate [in the Holy Bull] and [Velazquez] had to use him quite a bit to get to the position we wanted,” Pletcher said. “I think because our expectations were so high, we just thought he could overcome anything. But I think it was a legitimate excuse. So, we’re hoping to rebound.”
Pletcher and Repole Stable teamed up to win last year’s Florida Derby with Forte, who then entered the Kentucky Derby as the favorite, only to be scratched the morning of the race because of mild lameness.
Pletcher will also be saddling Bail Us Out
(15-1) in the Florida Derby’s field of 11
3-year-olds.
Fierceness will break from post 10, which poses a challenge for outside horses trying to maneuver into ground-saving position before the first turn.
“Normally I’d be afraid of the outside post, but Forte won from the 11 last year, so you can overcome that,” Pletcher said. “Everybody knows Gulfstream two-turn races are very tricky and I think that’s why the start is so important, getting away cleanly.”
Chief among the colt’s expected challengers is Conquest Warrior, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line, and 7-2 third choice Hades.
Courtlandt Farms’ Conquest Warrior is trained by McGaughey, whose Orb won the 2013 Florida Derby before going on to win the Kentucky Derby. Conquest Warrior was an impressive winner in each of his two races this year but will be making his stakes debut. Jose Ortiz will ride.
“We’ve had two good races here and I think we still have a pretty fresh horse,” McGaughey said. “It is a big step up. It’s time to see if we’re going to go on down the road the way we hope to, he’s going to have to show up in the Florida Derby. It’ll be a good test for him.”
D.J. Stable LLC and Robert Cotran’s Hades, who is undefeated in three career starts, withstood heavy pressure while setting the pace in the 1 1⁄16-mile Holy Bull on his way to a two-length victory. Paco Lopez has the return mount on the Florida-bred Hades, who is trained by Joe Orseno.
Vicente Stella Stables LLC’s Le Dom Bro, who finished second in the March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2), has been rated at 15-1. His trainer, Cordero, is the youngest trainer to saddle a horse in the Florida Derby in at least 30 years.
Completing the field are Frankie’s Empire (12-1), Grand Mo the First (15-1), Real Macho (20-1), Catalytic (20-1), Seminole Chief (30-1) and Iris’s Dream (30-1).
Post time for the Florida Derby is 6:42 p.m. Post time for Saturday’s first race at Gulfstream is 11:30 a.m.
A LOT OF TRAINERS HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR YEARS, AND THEY HAVEN’T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY. IF THIS HORSE BREAKS WELL IN THE FLORIDA DERBY, WE MAY ACCOMPLISH THAT. Eniel Cordero, trainer of Le Dom Bro