Bevy of Workers for Florida Derby

   Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), likely favorite in the Mar. 29 GI Florida Derby, breezed a half-mile in :50.90 at Palm Meadows yesterday. 
    “He went great,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin commented. “We were looking for a 49ish, but it doesn't matter. It was just a maintenance work, his last work. He did it great. We're all set for next weekend.” 
    Winner of the GII Nashua S. Nov. 3 and second in the GII Remsen S. Nov. 30 at the Big A, the bay was last seen winning the GII Holy Bull S. at Gulfstream Jan. 25. Darley purchased a majority interest in the colt following that performance. 
    “He went by himself. We didn't want a 47,” McLaughlin said. “He was perfect. It could have been a tiny bit faster, but we know he can go faster. We were just looking for a maintenance work.” 
    Jose Garoffalo sent out another Florida Derby contender Wildcat Red (D'wildcat) for a three-panel work on the Gulfstream main track. The bay covered the distance in :35.49 and galloped out a half-mile in :48.81. 
“He did his job,” Garoffalo said. “He did what he usually does. We were happy with the workout and he came back full of himself. It's one more step. Everything seems good, so the plan is still on. We hope to enter the horse on Wednesday and run next Saturday.” 
    Wildcat Red heads to the Florida Derby off of back-to-back wins in the GIII Hutcheson S. Feb. 1 and GII Fountain of Youth S. Feb. 22, both in Hallandale. 
    “The closer we get to the race, the more excited you are, but we're ok, we're handling it with no rush, Garoffalo said. “We're just waiting for the race and that's it. We're still on the way.” 
    Matador (Malibu Moon) breezed five panels in 1:01 flat yesterday at Palm Meadows in preparation for the Florida Derby. 
    “He worked well,” conditioner Mark Casse said. “We put a little sharper breeze into him leading up to the race. We're hoping to keep him a little closer to the pace.” 
    The bay added blinkers for this work and will wear them again in the Florida Derby. The Woodbine runner was last seen taking fifth in the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 8. 
    “He loves the dirt,” Casse said. “He's really trained well at Palm Meadows. [Jockey] Julien [Leparoux] said he couldn't get him motivated last time, so we're going to give blinkers a try.” 
    'TDN Rising Star' Constitution (Tapit) is also likely to be in the starting gate for the Florida Derby. The undefeated bay went four panels at Palm Meadows in :49.30 yesterday morning. 
An impressive debut winner in Hallandale Jan. 11, Constitution scored again last time in fully loaded allowance there Feb. 22. 

Spot Fires Bullet; Likely for Florida Derby… 
    Joseph Moss's GII Swale S. winner Spot (Pulpit) will likely contest next Saturday's GI Besilu Stables Florida Derby after firing a four-furlong bullet in :47.70 (1/74) at Palm Meadows yesterday morning. “It was huge, very huge,” said trainer Nick Zito. “I'm very, very happy with it. He's a horse that keeps improving, knock on wood.” Zito contacted Moss shortly after the drill, and the owner gave him the go ahead to point to the Florida Derby. “I just got off the phone with Mr. Moss,” Zito related yesterday morning. “He said to me, 'Nick, I obviously want to run in the big race with him. I want to try. It may be too early, but it also might be too late, but there isn't anything against trying.' So he's leaving it up to me. I told him, 'I'm leaning towards the Florida Derby.' He just said, 'Just use good judgment.'” With Swale rider Jose Lezcano in Dubai next Saturday to pilot Twilight Eclipse (Purim) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, Zito will have to find a new jockey for Spot, who was purchased from breeder Curtis Green off a fifth in the GIII Hutcheson S. two back. “I don't have Lezcano, but I've never seen a horse go out for a big race without a jockey on it,” Zito said. “Right now I'm leaning toward Corey Lanerie. He rides there all the time. He's a good rider, a good guy.” Zito, who has won three previous Florida Derbies, added, “I've been in enough of these things to know that you need to get good at the right time. Let's just hope he's getting good at the right time.”