Rule heads field of 11 in Florida Derby

Last updated: 3/18/10 12:07 PM

Despite losing Fountain of Youth S. (G2) winner Eskendereya (Giant’s
Causeway) to the April 3 Wood Memorial S. (G1) at Aqueduct, Saturday’s $750,000
Florida
Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park perhaps benefited in the long run with a
bigger field producing a more competitive betting event. Eleven three-year-olds
passed the entry box for the 1 1/8-mile contest, which was brought forward one
week from its original date so as not to conflict with next Saturday’s Louisiana
Derby (G2), which is being run later this year than in the recent past.

Rule will attempt to rule the roost in the Florida Derby
(Tom Cooley Photography)

In the more things change the more they stay the same department, trainer
Todd Pletcher will still have the horse to beat in the Florida Derby.
Eskendereya’s conditioner will instead send out RULE (Roman Ruler), the Sam F.
Davis S. (G3) winner who was flattered to an extent by Sam Davis runner-up
Schoolyard Dreams’ (Stephen Got Even) narrow loss in last weekend’s Tampa Bay
Derby (G3). The WinStar homebred, who has won three consecutive stakes in
wire-to-wire fashion, will likely attempt to do the same over one circuit of
Gulfstream’s main oval under John Velazquez.

An intriguing newcomer to the classic trail is RADIOHEAD (GB) (Johannesburg),
whose career highlight to date was a score in the Norfolk S. (Eng-G2) at Royal
Ascot last June. Following a rough-trip seventh in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (G1),
the colt was privately acquired by IEAH Stables and transferred to trainer Rick
Dutrow, who saddled the chestnut to a convincing 3 1/4-length allowance score at
a mile on dirt over Champagne S. (G1) winner Homeboykris (Roman Ruler) on
February 27.

The legacy factor is in play in this year’s Florida Derby. LENTENOR
(Dynaformer), a full brother to the ill-fated Florida and Kentucky Derby (G1)
winner Barbaro, will be trying dirt for the first time Saturday after a
convincing maiden score and second-place allowance finish over the local turf
earlier in the meet. SOARING EMPIRE (Empire Maker), whose sire took this event
in 2003, enters with a two-for-three record, the most recent being a
seven-furlong allowance win last month.

Another scion of a Florida Derby entrant, ICE BOX (Pulpit), will attempt to
improve on his father’s second-place effort at 2-5 in the 1997 renewal. The Nick
Zito charge made a five-wide bid into contention in the Fountain of Youth before
sputtering and finishing fifth, 12 lengths behind Eskendereya. Aside from Ice
Box, the only other Fountain of Youth players coming back in the Derby are
PLEASANT PRINCE (Indy King) and PULSION (Include), who finished fourth and
sixth, respectively.

Others climbing up from the overnight ranks to contest the Derby are FIRST
DUDE (Stephen Got Even), a strong second in a course-and-distance allowance on
February 21, and MINER’S RESERVE (Mineshaft), a dynamite maiden winner over a
mile in his most recent outing. The field is completed by recent maiden graduate
GAME ON DUDE (Awesome Again) and BEST ACTOR (Rock Hard Ten), who was third
against allowance foes when last seen nearly two months ago.

D’ Funnybone has opted for the Swale
(Guy Gustafson/Horsephotos.com)

D’ FUNNYBONE (D’wildcat), who was under consideration for the Florida Derby,
will stay sprinting for now when he heads a field of nine in Saturday’s $150,000
Swale S.
(G2) over seven furlongs. The Dutrow charge is already a three-time
graded stakes winner, having taken the Saratoga Special S. (G2) and Futurity S.
(G2) last year and the course-and-distance Hutcheson S. (G2) in his seasonal
debut on Fountain of Youth day. His only major hiccup so far was a last-place
finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a result most observers would blame on his
dislike for Pro-Ride.

IBBOYEE (Medallist), a respectable third in the Hutcheson, appears to be the
most logical threat to D’ Funnybone. A three-time stakes winner in the New
York-bred ranks, the Pletcher charge challenged the winner late last time before
tiring a bit at the finish.

Among the other contenders are Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3) winner DIXIE BAND (Dixie
Union); GARY D
(Successful Appeal), a comfortable winner of the O.B.S. Sprint S. at the Ocala
Training Center last time; and Colin S. winner FEARLESS COWBOY (El Corredor),
who makes his first appearance since a distant third-place effort in the
Saratoga Special last August.