Quality Road Triumphs in Florida Derby

by Patricia Woo | Mar 30 2009

The Florida Derby delivered as promised on Saturday, March 28, with its three top-billed contenders putting in stellar efforts for a share of the $750,000 purse. The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., is an important stepping stone on the way to the Kentucky Derby, and will likely be the final tune-up for a number of these horses.

Proving he deserves a shot at the Triple Crown with yet another dominating performance, Quality Road reigned supreme with a thrilling effort. Second to swift pacesetter Casey's On Call for the early part of the race, the Jimmy Jerkens trainee made a bid for the lead as they rounded the far turn. But his lead was immediately threatened when Dunkirk, under jockey Garret Gomez, made his own move while coming five-wide from off the pace. However, it was Quality Road, under John Velazquez, who responded when asked with a full furlong remaining and hit the wire 1 3/4-lengths ahead of runner-up Dunkirk in a winning time of 1:47.72 - a new course record.

"Today's effort was terrific," Jerkens said. "He sat nice for John, didn't give him any trouble, and rated."

Theregoesjojo, trained by Kenneth McPeek, was expected to be one of the race frontrunners but finished third, 6 lengths behind Dunkirk. His jockey, Kent Desormeaux, claimed that Quality Road had interfered with his mount as the field rounded the final turn but race stewards dismissed his complaint.

Quality Road pocketed $450,000 for the win and increased his career earnings to $632,830.

Also on March 28, another top 3-year-old was set to solidify his status as a Kentucky Derby frontrunner. At Nad Al Sheba racetrack in Dubai, Godolphin Stable's Desert Party was running in the third leg of the Dubai Triple Crown, the $2M UAE Derby. After sending stablemate and Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion Midshipman packing with a victory in the UAE 2000 Guineas in February, Desert Party was the horse to beat. But in a similar turn of events, another Godolphin upstart named Regal Ransom would take top prize and leave the horse racing world with questions as to who the top Godolphin prospect is.

Regal Ransom kept pace with filly So Shiny until the turn for home in the 1 1/8-mile race when he surged to the lead. Desert Party managed to make up some ground but ran out of track and finished a mere half-length behind at the wire.
 
"[Desert Party] ran flat tonight and I could never get to [Regal Ransom]," commented jockey Frankie Dettori, who was at a loss to explain his mount's performance, despite having a ground-saving trip along the rail.

Regal Ransom's jockey, Alan Garcia, felt simply that he had the better horse: "[Regal Ransom] enjoyed being out front, and though I saw Frankie coming, I knew I had more horse left."

The two Godolphin stablemates were the class of the field, finishing 15 lengths ahead of the closest competitor.  But as to which horse will get a shot at the Derby remains to be seen, according to trainer Saeed bin Suroor: "I always said [Regal Ransom] could be a surprise horse... but we’ll see."

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