Florida Derby (Grade 1)

TODD Pletcher was already the winningmost trainer in the Grade 1 Florida Derby and he added win number six when Known Agenda proved too strong for his 10 rivals at Gulfstream Park last Saturday.

It’s hard to know though where this winner sits among the band of three-year-olds, despite coming from a race that gave us Derby winners Almost Dreaming, Nyquist, Orb, Big Brown and Barbaro.

The last two winners were also outstanding colts in Tiz The Law and Maximum Security.

It had been a quiet few years for trainer Todd Pletcher, but the blinkered Known Agenda took charge in the stretch and posted a two-and-three-quarter-length victory in Gulfstream Park’s prep for the opening leg of the Triple Crown.

A son of Curlin, owned and bred by Elias Stables, he was ridden by Irad Ortiz and secured 100 qualifying points to put him firmly in the Kentucky Derby picture.

“He certainly stamped his ticket today, and the one exciting thing about him is, we’ve always felt distance was not an issue for him. We feel a mile and a quarter is going to be right up his wheelhouse,” said Pletcher.

Known Agenda had broken his maiden back at Aqueduct in November when he was odds-on and had beaten Saturday’s favourite Greatest Honour.

He was then third in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes and fifth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs also as a favourite in early February before he found his better form again in a February 26th allowance contest at Gulfstream Park where he romped home by 11 lengths.

“You want to have five healthy weeks and have everything go smoothly but that was a huge, huge step in the right direction today. It’s a meaningful Grade 1 win for a really good-looking son of Curlin, so it’s exciting,” Pletcher added.

Pletcher has won the Derby twice, with Super Saver in 2010 and then with Always Dreaming in 2017, of whom Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Stable and his wife were part owners. Known Agenda is the third foal out of the Grade 1-winning Byrama, a British-bred filly who won the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap back in 2013.

Late runs

Shug McGaughey’s Greatest Honour had reeled off three wins in a row at Gulfstream, including the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes since that November maiden defeat, and had produced strong late runs in doing so.

This time he was back amongst horses on the rail and although making ground to the turn into the stretch, he could find no more when pulled out for his run and finished five and three quarter lengths behind Known Agenda as the grey Soup And Sandwich kept on well on the rail.

“I thought we were okay on the turn there and he just didn’t kick on the way I thought he would,” McGaughey said.

“I thought he ran fine. I think the winner ran a huge race. I’d have rather had a position a little closer and on the outside, but, (Jose Ortiz) said he handled the kickback fine so we’ll pack up and make sure he’s okay and move forward.”

With 80 qualifying points after picking up 20 more Saturday, the son of Tapit has earned a place in the Kentucky Derby and McGaughey said he is still likely to run.

Also on the card the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks over eight and a half furlongs saw Kenny McPeek come up with another nice filly as Crazy Beautiful, a daughter of Liam’s Map in the colours of Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd and ridden by Jose Ortiz, came home two and a quarter lengths to the good, with the Pletcher-trained short-priced favourite, Con Lima, only fourth of the seven runners.