Kentucky Derby Prep Race – Florida Derby

by Bodog Racebook | Mar 28 2011

Soldat, Stay Thirsty and Dialed In are among the top contenders expected for the $1M Gr. 1 Florida Derby on Sunday, April 3. Held at Gulfstream Park, this 1 1/8 mile prep race is an important stepping-stone for 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby trail.

With his $510,000 in graded stakes earnings all but solidifying a spot in the Kentucky Derby, Soldat is one of the top contenders for the Run for the Roses. He is two-for-two this year, beginning his 3-year-old campaign with a powerful 10 ¾ length allowance race victory going 1 1/8 miles on a sloppy Gulfstream Park track. His next challenge was the Gr. 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 26 and he scored yet another frontrunning victory – defeating both To Honor and Serve and Bowman's Causeway. In training for the Florida Derby, Soldat delivered a 5-furlong breeze in 1:00.08 at Palm Meadows Training Center on March 27. Already proven at 1 1/8 miles, this War Front colt – trained by Kiaran McLaughlin – should benefit from a small field as he seeks to improve his 7-3-4-0 record and boost his $554,300 in career earnings.

Stay Thirsty is another top contender for this race – but needs to build on his $260,000 in graded stakes earnings to stay in contention for the Kentucky Derby. The Bernardini colt bounced back from his fifth-place showing in the Gr. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs to capture his 3-year-old debut, the Gr. 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 5 by 3 ¼ lengths. Trained by Todd Pletcher for Repole Stables, Stay Thirsty will be stretching out to 1 1/8 miles for Sunday's race in an attempt to build on his 5-2-2-0 record and $300,000 lifetime earnings; he turned in his latest workout at Palm Meadows Training Center – a 5-furlong breeze timed in 1:01.85 on March 27.
Dialed In has not had the typical Kentucky Derby campaign. Trained by Nick Zito for Robert LaPenta, Dialed In began his 2011 campaign at Gulfstream Park in the Gr. 3 Holy Bull Stakes Jan. 30 off a maiden-breaking performance on Nov. 12 at Churchill Downs. The talented son of Mineshaft did not have the perfect trip but finished well to claim the win. He then faced older horses in an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park on March 6, gaining valuable experience in his runner-up performance. Dialed In has been training well for the Florida Derby, firing a bullet 4-furlong workout at Palm Meadows Training Center on March 24 timed in 47.55; he has earned $279,206 from three starts and is a career 2-1-0.
 
Bowman's Causeway, Arch Traveler and To Honor and Serve are also among the expected.

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