An Iron Constitution
WinStar Farm and Twin Creek Racing’s “TDN Rising Star” Constitution (Tapit) took advantage of an inviting opening at the inside turning for home and outslugged pacesetting Wildcat Red (D’wildcat) for a head victory in Saturday’s GI Besilu Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. “I’m very, very proud of him,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who was winning the Florida Derby for just the second time. “It’s a testament to the quality of horse he is–to go from a maiden to an allowance to a Grade 1 and to show a different running style and get some dirt in his face and put in an effort like that against much more seasoned horses. It was a huge effort.”
Constitution was hammered down to 11-10 favoritsim for his Jan. 11 over the always-tricky distance of seven furlongs and made life that much harder on himself by missing the break a bit. But he was soon back into contention and worked home well for a one-length graduation and his “TDN Rising Star”. He took the next logical step into allowance company, but that was no ordinary a-other-than for which was was favored Feb. 22. Sent immediately to the lead by Javier Castellano, he set a good pace over what most perceive to have been a biased racetrack and held them all at bay, including fellow Rising Star Tonalist (Tapit) and the talented Mexikoma (Birdstone) for a 3 1/4-length success.
With more-seasoned speed signed on here in the form of GII Fountain of Youth S. hero Wildcat Red and the pace-pressing General a Rod, Constititution figured to be beaten for early lick, and indeed, the rail-drawn Wildcat Red showed the way early from the two path with General a Rod lapped alongside, relegating Constitution to a tugging third. Favored Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile) followed the Pletcher trainee around the first turn. Wildcat Red doled out even fractions for the opening five furlongs and let it out a notch when challenged by General a Rod soon after. But Constitution was waiting in the wings, and when Wildcat Red left the door open at the fence turning for home, Castellano sent his mount through and the battly was joined in earnest 300 yards from home. Wildcat Red plugged away stubbornly and took them into the final furlong, but Constitution boxed on determinedly and got home first.
“It didn’t unfold exactly like we had planned,” Pletcher admitted. “We were thinking we’d be in the same stalking position that General a Rod was in. When that didn’t happen, Javier (Castellano) called an audible and tucked into a good spot. He felt there might be a good opportunity to slip inside Wildcat Red at some point. He was able to cut the corner and get through there. You know when he gets in a battle with Wildcat Red, it’s going to be a battle. It gives you confidence moving forward, knowing he got some education and got some dirt in his face.”
Added Castellano, “At the three-eighths pole I thought I’d have to go around two horses, the two pacemaker horses. I just took my shot and it worked out great. I was very confident with the horse. The first time I rode the horse, he really impressed me. He broke slow out of the gate and he kind of run off on the backside and I hooked up with the pacemaker. We went in :22, :44 and the horse still had something in the tank at the top of the stretch. That impressed me very much. As soon as I jumped off the horse, I told Mr. Walden and Mr. Pletcher, ‘That’s a super horse.’ I’ve never seen a horse like that, a first-time starter, do that the way he did it. It was impressive.
He continued, “It’s a dream come true. I’m from Venezuela and when I came to this country my first stop was in Florida. I’ve been watching a lot of Florida Derbys, and I always wanted to win one. To win it here is very special.”
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
BESILU FLORIDA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, GPX, 3-29, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49, ft.
1–#@CONSTITUTION, 122, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Baffled (SP-Eng), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Surf Club, by Ocean Crest
3rd Dam: Horns Gray, by Pass the Tab
($400,000 yrl ’12 FTSAUG). O-WinStar Farm LLC &
Twin Creeks Racing Stables LLC; B-Grapestock LLC &
Fox Hill Farms (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Javier
Castellano. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
$649,350. Werk Nick Rating: A+ Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wildcat Red, 122, c, 3, D’wildcat–Racene, by
Miner’s Mark. ($30,000 2yo ‘13 OBSJUN).
O-Honors Stable Corp; B-Moreau Bloodstock
International Inc & Winter Racing Enterprise I (FL);
T-Jose Garoffalo. $200,000.
Half-sister Hip 507 sells at OBS April with JESSE HOPPEL
3–General a Rod, 122, c, 3, Roman Ruler–Dynamite
Eyes, by Dynaformer. ($100,000 yrl ’12 FTKJUL;
$72,000 yrl ’12 FTKOCT). O-J Armando Rodriguez;
B-Hare Forest Farm (KY); T-Michael J Maker.
$100,000. http://www.eatonsales.com
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 3.30, 3.90, 4.80.
Also Ran: Cairo Prince, East Hall, Matador, Spot, Allstar.
Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.