2024 Florida Derby Contenders

Florida Derby Offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby Points To Top-Five Finishers

Between 1953 and 2023, a span of 71 years, the Florida Derby (G1), held annually at Gulfstream Park, has produced Twenty-five Kentucky Derby winners, a record unequaled by any other Road to the Kentucky Derby prep race.

Fierceness Is The Morning Line Favorite For Florida Derby

Fierceness (Repole Stables) is the 8-5 morning line favorite for the 73rd running of the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) next Saturday, March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

The 2023 Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old male champion will be saddled by trainer Todd Pletcher, who will seek a record-extending eighth Florida Derby victory. The Hall of Fame trainer saddled Forte for a victory last year.

The Curlin Florida Derby will headline a program with 10 stakes, six graded, worth $2.425 million.

Fierceness drew Post 10 in a field of 11 assembled for the tradition-rich 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that has produced 59 Triple Crown race winners from 46 starters since 1952.

Pletcher went into Saturday’s post-position draw with confidence that Fierceness will offer his best effort wherever he drew in the starting gate with the benefit of a clean break.

“Normally I’d be afraid of the outside post, but Forte won from the 11 last year, so you can overcome that,” Pletcher said. “Everybody knows Gulfstream two-turn races are very tricky and I think that’s why the start is so important, getting away cleanly. I think what happens in a lot of these two-turn races is the jockeys are so conscious of having to get to the first turn in good position that it can get a little rough leaving the gate sometimes.”

Repole Stable and Pletcher will also be represented by Bail Us Out, a recent maiden special weight winner who was rated at 15-1 after drawing Post 3.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the call on Fierceness, while Bail Us Out will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr.

Fierceness is coming off a disappointing third-place effort in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3), in which he was squeezed and bumped between horses following the break. The Repole homebred is scheduled to seek redemption in the Curlin Florida Derby, in which he will clash again with Holy Bull winner Hades, who was rated third in the morning line at 7-2 after drawing Post 2.

Fierceness completed his championship 2-year-old season with a 6 ¼-length victory in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. The homebred son of 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) winner City of Light scored an 11 ¼-length debut victory over a pair of next-out winners on a muddy Saratoga track Aug. 25 before finishing off the board following a troubled start in the Oct. 7 Champagne on a sloppy Aqueduct surface.

Hades (D.J. Stable LLC and Robert Cotran), who is undefeated in three career starts, withstood heavy pressure while setting the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull on his way to a two-length victory. Paco Lopez has the return mount on the Florida-bred Hades, who finished 3 ½ lengths ahead of Fierceness in the Holy Bull.

Courtlandt Farms’ Conquest Warrior, who is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the Curlin Florida Derby for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, drew Post 9 before being rated second on the morning line at 3-1.

Conquest Warrior has scored back-to-back wins in a Jan. 13 maiden special weight race at a mile and a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance March 1 following a third-place finish in his seven-furlong debut at Aqueduct Dec. 2. McGaughey, who saddled Orb for victories in the 2013 Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1), awarded the return mount to Jose Ortiz.

Vicente Stella Stables LLC’s Le Dom Bro, who finished second in the March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2), has been rated at 15-1 after drawing Post 6. Frank DeLuca’s Frankie’s Empire, who finished third in the Fountain of Youth after winning defeating Le Dom Bro in the Swale, drew Post 1 and is rated at 12-1. Edwin Gonzalez has the return mount on Le Dom Bro, while Miguel Vasquez is named to return on Frankie’s Empire.

Grand Mo the First (Granpollo Stables), who is coming off a close-up third-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) March 9 after finishing third in the Swale, drew Post 4 before being rated at 15-1. Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. named Emisael Jaramillo to ride the son of Uncle Mo.

Real Macho (Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and partners), fourth in the Fountain of Youth, drew Post 5 and is rated at 20-1. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the mount.

Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic, who finished a fast closing second in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance after graduating in his debut by 5 ½ lengths, drew Post 7 before being rated at 20-1. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who saddled White Abarrio for a victory in the 2022 Curlin Florida Derby, named Julien Leparoux to ride the son of Catalina Cruiser.

Seminole Chief, (Brad Grady and David Brund) who captured the $300,000 FSS In Reality to kick off a Championship Meet that includes a winning turf debut last time out, will leave from Post 8 and is rated at 30-1. Joel Rosario is named to ride the Jack Sisterson-trained son of Girvin for the first time.

Iris Cotto’s Iris’s Dream, who graduated in style in his turf debut last time out, is rated at 30-1 and will break from Post 11. Jorge Ruiz has the return mount aboard the Florida-bred son of Jess’s Dream.

Pre-Draw News

Victory Avenue Probable for Florida Derby

Mar 20 – Victory Avenue, the precocious 3-year-old maiden trained by Gustavo Delgado who was scratched the morning of the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2), will be entered Saturday in the March 30 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) if all goes well during a planned breeze later this week at Gulfstream Park.

“We’ll look to see how he breezes Friday or Saturday, and if all goes well our first option is to stay home [at Gulfstream],” said Ramiro Restrepo, who represents part of Victory Avenue’s ownership group. “We’re also nominated to the Wood (G2, April 6 at Aqueduct), or we could pack up and wait for Churchill Downs or Keeneland and a maiden race. He’s a wickedly, wickedly talented horse, so we want to do what’s right, so we’ll monitor him as we go along.”

A high energy horse who is still a bit immature, Victory Avenue was scratched from the March 2 Fountain of Youth when he was unusually quiet the morning of the race. The son of champion Arrogate has raced only once, finishing second in his debut Jan. 27 behind Speak Easy, who was also scratched from the Fountain of Youth when he ran off, dropped his jockey, and hit the rail shortly after the post parade.

The $1 million Florida Derby, which has produced 25 Kentucky Derby winners, is expected to draw a quality field including 2-year-old champion Fierceness, a troubled third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3), Hades, the upset winner of the Holy Bull, and the second, third and fourth place finishers from the Fountain of Youth – Le Dom Bro, Frankie’s Empire and Real Macho.

The post position draw for the Derby will take place Saturday afternoon at approximately 1:50 p.m.

Fierceness Leads 36 Florida Derby Nominees

Mar 20 – Fierceness is the most prominent name on the list of 36 nominees for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) on March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

The Florida Derby will headline a program with nine stakes, five graded, worth $2.3 million in purses.

Fierceness (Repole Stables), who was voted the 2023 Eclipse Award for 2-year-old colt after capturing the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita, is scheduled to be entered in the 73rd running of the Florida Derby, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds.

The son of City of Light will seek to rebound from a troubled and disappointing third-place finish in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle the Repole homebred colt for a bid to extend his record number of Florida Derby victories to eight following Forte’s score last year.

Nine Pletcher-trained 3-year-olds are nominated to the Florida Derby, including likely entrant Bail Us Out, a Repole Stable-owned son of Lookin’ At Lucky who broke his maiden in his most recent start.

D. J. Stable LLC and Robert Cotran’s Hades, who registered a gutsy two-length triumph in the Holy Bull, has been nominated for a scheduled return in Florida Derby. The 3-year-old gelded son of Awesome Slew is undefeated in three career starts.

Conquest Warrior (Courtlandt Farms), a two-time winner at the 2023-2024 Championship Meet, is also nominated to the Florida Derby, in which the son of City of Light is expected to start for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Conquest Warrior is coming off a five-length romp in his first start around two turns in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park March 1. McGaughey saddled Orb for a 2013 Florida Derby victory before teaming with the son of Malibu Moon for a Kentucky Derby (G1) triumph.

Victory Avenue, who finished second behind highly regarded Speak Easy in his Jan. 27 debut at Gulfstream, has been nominated for the Florida Derby by trainer Gustabo Delgado. Delgado saddled Mage for a victory in the 2023 Kentucky Derby following the son of Good Magic’s second-place finish behind Forte in the Florida Derby. Victory Avenue is owned by OGMA Investments LLC, J R Ranch, Upland Flats Racing, Morplay Racing LLC and High Step Racing LLC.

Dornoch (West Paces Racing LLC), Mage’s full brother who captured the Feb. 2 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park, is also prominent on the nominations list. Vincente Stella Stables LLC’s Le Dom Bro, Frank DeLuca’s Frankie’s Empire, and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and partners’ Real Macho, who finished second, third and fourth, respectively, in the Fountain of Youth, are also nominees that are expected to return in the Florida Derby.

Brad Grady and David Grund’s Seminole Chief, a front-running victor of a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream March 9, and Peter Blum Thoroughbreds LLC’s Merit, second-place finisher behind Conquest Warrior last time out; are also nominated to the Florida Derby.

The $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, drew 18 nominations, including George Krikorian’s Just F Y I, the 2023 champion 2-year-old filly trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

Fellow Hall of Famer Pletcher has nominated four fillies to the 54th running of the Gulfstream Park Oaks, including Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Candied, who was beaten by less than a length by Just F Y I in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) after winning her first two starts.

Stonehedge LLC’s Fiona’s Magic, who captured the March 2 Davona Dale (G2) after finishing second in the Feb. 3 Forward Gal, is also prominent among the Gulfstream Park Oaks nominees. The Michael Yates-trained daughter of St. Patrick’s Day is joined on the nominations list by Davona Dale runner-up Into Champagne, a daughter of Into Mischief who is trained by Ian Wilkes for Six Column Stables LLC and partners.

Le Dom Bro Eyes Florida Derby (G1)

Mar 16 – Le Dom Bro, runner-up in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) March 2, is training for a planned start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park March 30, owner Vincente Stella said Saturday.

The 3-year-old son of Mucho Macho man breezed a half-mile Saturday morning in 49.45 seconds at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“He went really well. We are looking at the Florida Derby 100 percent,” Stella said. “He’s a very happy horse. He’s going really well.”

Eniel Cordero-trained Le Dom Bro was closest in pursuit of favored frontrunner Dornoch for the 1 1/16 miles of the Fountain of Youth and held gamely to finish second. The Kentucky-bred colt finished second in the seven-furlong Swale in his 2024 debut at Gulfstream.

Le Dom Bro, a $20,000 purchase at the 2022 OBS Winter Mixed sale, broke his maiden at Saratoga in his third start last season after finishing second twice at Gulfstream.

Prior to finishing second in Swale and the Fountain of Youth, Le Dom Bro faded to ninth behind Dornoch in the Remsen (G2) over a sealed muddy Aqueduct track.

Florida Derby hero Dornoch also breezed at Palm Meadows Saturday morning. The Danny Gargan-trained son of Good Magic, who breezed a half-mile in 49.95, is likely to return in the April 6 Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland or the Curlin Florida Derby.

Pletcher-trained Fierceness Preps For Florida Derby

Mar 15 – Fierceness (Repole Stables) breezed five furlongs Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for a planned start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park.

Fierceness, the 2023 Eclipse Award 2-year-old champion who finished a disappointing third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, breezed in company with Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Tuscan Sky, a son of Vino Rosso who is undefeated in two starts.

The Todd Pletcher-trained duo was timed in 1:01.3 with Fierceness galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.82 and seven furlongs in 1:28.19 with a lot of energy.

“He went really, really well, as he always does. He’s a very impressive horse to watch breeze. He finished strong and galloped out great,” said the Hall of Fame trainer who has saddled a record seven Florida Derby winners.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was aboard the son of City of Light, who breezed outside Tuscan Sky and Luis Saez.

“The horse gives you a lot of confidence watching him breeze,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he’s in really good form, so we’re expecting a good performance from him.”

Fierceness was squeezed and bumped between horses shortly after the break in the Holy Bull and raced four-wide on the first turn while chasing front-running Hades. The 1-5 favorite entered contention on the backstretch and briefly took the lead approaching the far turn. Forced to race wide on the turn into the homestretch, Fierceness faltered to finish third, 3 ½ lengths behind victorious Hades.

Fierceness was coming off a 6 ¼-length victory in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. The homebred son of 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) winner scored an 11 ¼-length debut victory over a pair of next-out winners on a muddy Saratoga track Aug. 25 before finishing off the board following a troubled start in the Oct. 7 Champagne on a sloppy Aqueduct surface.

Orseno-trained Hades Breezes For Florida Derby

Mar 10 – D J Stable LLC and Robert Cotran’s Hades certainly pleased trainer Joe Orseno during a five-furlong breeze and gallop-out Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30.

“It was what I call a ‘Wow!’ work,” Orseno said.

The undefeated winner of the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.34, the second fastest clocking of 14 recorded works at the distance.

“I put a horse in front of him to have a horse to run at a little bit. At the quarter-pole, I told both riders to ask their horses. If the other horse ran away from him, I needed to know that,” Orseno said. “The rider on the inside horse said when he asked his horse responded and found another gear, and Hades ran by him so fast it’s kind of ridiculous.”

The gelded son of Awesome Slew’s work was far from done.

“I’ve got him galloping out the mile in 1:42. Horses don’t do that,” said Orseno, who paired Hades with maiden Halon.

Hades took advantage of his rail post position for the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull to cut the corner on the first turn and take the lead into the backstretch as 2023 Eclipse Award juvenile champion Fierceness was recovering from a troubled start. Hades showed the way along the backstretch under pressure before Fierceness advanced to engage him going into the far turn. Fierceness poked his head in front on the turn, but Hades battled back under Paco Lopez in the stretch and drew clear to win by two lengths.

Hades had overcome bumping at the start of his Dec. 9 debut at Gulfstream Park, closing from well back to get up in time to win a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream. The $130,000 purchase at the 2022 OBS April sale had a much easier time of things in his return in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance, shaking off early pressure while setting the pace and drawing away to an eight-length romp.

“His first race, he was far back and circled the field 11-wide,” Orseno said. “That’s the beauty of this horse, he’s kind of push-button. The next time, he drew the inside and had to go. In the Holy Bull, to tell you the truth, we weren’t going to go, but when he drew the 1-hole, I said going in, ‘It might not be the tactic to win the Kentucky Derby, but it’s the perfect tactic today.’ Fortunately, this horse will let you do that. Some horses are one-dimensional, but this horse is not.”

Although the March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2) was scratched down to just five horses when heavily favored Speak Easy unseated his rider in his pre-race warm-up, Orseno hasn’t questioned his decision to bypass the final local prep for the Florida Derby with Hades.

“For me, my horse didn’t have that look in his eye that he had until two days before the Fountain of Youth, when I could say, ‘Wow: The way he feels now, maybe I should have been in there.’ Never did I think that I did the wrong thing,” Orseno said. “He has a big future, so we’re not looking at just the next two races, the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. We’re looking down the road too. You’ve got to pick and choose your spots.”

Hades’ standing among this year’s Kentucky Derby prospects was hardly diminished by the victory of Holy Bull runner-up Domestic product in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

“He didn’t win by much and he did get up to win, so I think that complimented us a little bit,” Orseno said.

Sunday’s breeze was Hades’ final serious preparation for the Florida Derby, in which he is expected to clash again with Fierceness.

“Next week he’s going to open gallop. He’s not even going to breeze. And then he’ll just have a little something the next week, so today was his major prep,” Orseno said.

Champion Fierceness Continues Preparation for Florida Derby

Mar 8 – Eclipse Award-winning Fierceness continued his preparation for a planned start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30 at Gulfstream Park, breezing five furlongs at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning.

The Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old son of City of Light worked outside stablemate Tuscan Sky in his third breeze since finishing a disappointing third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) in his first start since capturing the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. Both Repole Stable’s Fierceness and Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Tuscan Sky, a son of Vino Rosso who is undefeated in two starts, were timed in 1:00.99. Hall of Famer John Velazquez was aboard Fierceness, who worked outside his stablemate.

Fierceness was compromised considerably at the start of the Holy Bull while being squeezed between rivals. Forced to race wide throughout the 1 1/16-mile stakes, Fierceness put his head in front approaching the far turn but faltered in the stretch to finish 3 ½ lengths behind victorious Hades, whom he is scheduled to meet again in the Florida Derby.

Hall of Famer Pletcher has won a record seven runnings of the Florida Derby.

Pletcher-trained 3-year-olds, Agate Road and Antiquarian also worked five furlongs in company at Palm Beach Downs Friday morning, finishing on even terms in 1:00.20.

Real Macho Targeting G1 Florida Derby

Mar 7 – Real Macho, fourth in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) March 2, will remain at Gulfstream Park for his next start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30.

“We’ll be back in the Florida Derby,” co-owner Dean Reeves said. Reeves campaigned Real Macho’s sire, Mucho Macho Man, during a career with nine wins, including a victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), a third-place finish in the 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1), and more than $5.6 million in purse earnings between 2010 and 2014.

Real Macho, racing without blinkers for the second straight race, had his head turned as the gates opened for the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth and broke awkwardly but was within 1 ½ lengths of the lead for the first four furlongs before winding up 7 ¾ lengths behind winner Dornoch.

“Frankly, I expected a bit more from him on finishing up but he was moving well on the backstretch and it just seemed like he dropped the bit when the horses came to his outside,” Reeves said. “He’s still maturing and still a little green, but I think we’ll get a better effort next time in the Florida Derby.”

Real Macho earned 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, and another 200 are up for grabs in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby. Last year, Mage ran fourth in the Fountain of Youth and second in the Florida Derby as a prelude to his victory in Kentucky.

“That’s why I say sometimes these horses are still young and he’s a [June] foal so he’s still learning,” Reeves said. “[The Fountain of Youth] was really a chance for us to pick up a few extra points. With him, we know it’s a work in progress. I was a little disappointed, but he came out of it well and we’ll fire at it again.”

Other horses under consideration for the Florida Derby are Dornoch; Fierceness, 2023 2-year-old male champion who finished third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3); Holy Bull winner Hades; and Conquest Warrior, a winner of two straight this winter at Gulfstream including a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance March 1.

Trained by Crichton, Real Macho had two wins from four starts, a maiden triumph in November and an optional claiming allowance score Feb. 3, both going a mile at Gulfstream, the latter his first time without blinkers after wearing them for his first three races. Winless in two tries around two turns, he was making his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth.

“He had a lot of momentum going into the Fountain of Youth, but I think it’s hard for them to figure out that effort process of what all it takes for them to be successful,” Reeves said. “He’s learning, and Rohan’s got some things that he’s going to work on between now and the Florida Derby to try to help him stay focused and get used to some horses around him. We hope we’ll get a little bit better outcome in the Florida Derby.”

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