Soldat: Fountain of Youth winner faces a handful of Kentucky rivals
PICTURE: Equisport Photos/Joe GanleyKentucky hopes clash in red-hot Florida Derby
Preview: USA, Sunday 10.42pm BST
Gulfstream Park: Florida Derby (Grade 1) 1m1f, dirt, 3yo
NO fewer than four of the top eight in British bookmakers' ante-post betting for the Kentucky Derby clash on Sunday, when Gulfstream Park hosts the Florida Derby, the first of five Grade 1 trials over the next fortnight for the May 7 Classic.
Arguably the most reliable of all the Kentucky preps, this $1 million event has produced two Derby winners in the last five years inBarbaro (2006) and Big Brown (2008), plus last year's runner-up Ice Box.
Kentucky favourite Uncle Mo is waiting for Saturday week's Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, but Dialed In (Nice Zito/Julien Leparoux) heads those aiming to stake his own Churchill claims.
Generally a 10-1 chance for the Kentucky Derby, the son of Mineshaft has been described as a "gift from God" by dual-Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito, who saddled Ice Box to win this 12 months ago.
After just a single maiden victory as a two-year-old, Dialed In ran out a stunning last-to-first winner of the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes here in January before beingbeaten a half-length by year-older stablemate Equestrio in allowance company.
"It was no easy race and he got a lot out of it," said Zito. "He ran against four-year-olds, and if you look at it, it's hard for three-year-olds to beat four-year-olds this time of year.
"It's a blessing how amazing this horse is - to do what this horse has done, to break his maiden at six and a half furlongs and, two months later, win the Holy Bull against proven horses."
However, morning-line favourite at Gulfstream is Soldat (Kiaran McLaughlin/Alan Garcia), who has rerally blossomed this year since being switched to the main track.
He breaks from the inside gate after a dominant two-length victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, the recognised Florida Derby trial, where he had To Honor And Serve (Bill Mott/Garrett Gomez) back in third.
Twice a Grade 2 winner as a two-year-old, To Honor And Serve has every right to come on for that outing, the 2011 debut for a horse described by his formidable trainer as offering his best-ever chance of Kentucky Derby success.
Soldat, for his part, made all to win the Fountain of Youth but may well sit off the speedy Flashpoint (Rick Dutrow/Cornelio Velasquez), according to his trainer.
"This is not like the last race where we were the only speed and neededto get a fast break from the rail," said McLaughlin, speaking to the Blood-Horse.
Soldat is a best-priced 12-1 for Kentucky, a couple of points shorter than To Honor And Serve, while Uncle Mo's stablemate Stay Thirsty (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) is as short as 16s after winning the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct a month ago.
Flashpoint's presence adds a new dimension to the Florida Derby after his dazzling triumph in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes over 7f.
The talent's obvious - as is the question about whether his stamina will last out, which is why he was expected to run in the Swale Stakes elsewhere on the card before being re-routed to the senior contest, where he is drawn eight of eight.
Also on Sunday
Gulfstream Park: Swale Stakes (Grade 2) 7f, dirt, 3yo (6.55pm BST)
In absence of Florida Derby-bound Flashpoint, Todd Pletcher has a strong hand with Hutheson runner-up Travelin Man (John Velazquez) and Razmataz (Javier Castellano), while Indiano won five in Panama before being beaten here in allowance company.
Gulfstream Park: Sir Shackleton Hcap 6½f, dirt, 4yo+ (8.28pm BST)
No graded-stakes status but a graded-stakes calibre field in which Godolphin's 2009 UAE Derby winner Regal Ransom (Saeed Bin Suroor/Alan Garcia) faces five-time Grade 2 winner D'Funnybone (Rick Dutrow/Edgar Prado) and Capt. Candyman Can (Ian Wilkes/Julien Leparoux), who has four graded wins.
Gulfstream Park: Skip Away Stakes (Grade 3) 1m1½f, dirt, 4yo+ (10.06pm BST)
Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer (Bill Mott/Garrett Gomez) continues on the comeback trail after injury against a field including front-runner Colizeo (Todd Pletcher/Ramon Dominguez), who smashed him in a stakes race at Tampa Bay.
But although Colizeo won by four lengths there, his rival badly needed the outing - and now receives 4lb. Drosselmeyer breaks from the inner in a field of 11.
Santa Anita: Potrero Grande Stakes (Grade 2) 6½f, dirt, 4yo+ (Mon 12.07am BST)
Injury plagued Crown Of Thorns (Richard Mandella/Rafael Bejarano) returns to action after surgery for the knee injury that meant his missing the Breeders' Cup DirtMile, where he was a leading fancy.
Runner-up in the previous year's Breeders' Cup Sprint, the six-year-old has run just eight times and hasn't won for three years.
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