Florida Won Wins Ontario Derby

Sunday’s GIII Ontario Derby looked on paper to be a clash between Prince of Wales S. hero Coltimus Prime and Breeders’ S. victor Ami’s Holiday, but Florida Won had different ideas and upset that Ontario-bred duo. Fourth behind We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller) in a single appearance at two for Bill Mott, the $385,000 Keeneland September acquisition from the family of GI Preakness S. winner Shackleford (Forestry) was third to recent Dueling Grounds Derby conqueror My Afleet (Afleet Alex) in an Apr. 6 turf maiden at Keeneland, then broke through in his next start at Churchill May 6. Runner-up in a seven-furlong turf test here June 14, the chestnut was a good third with blinkers added in the July 5 Charlie Barley S., but was exiting an even fifth off 15 days’ rest in the Toronto Cup July 20. Void of early speed beneath Patrick Husbands while trying the Polytrack for the first time, the field’s second-longest price dropped out to the back of a well-bunched group, but was never more than five lengths out of it down the backstretch. New York raider Lunar Rover (Malibu Moon) led them into the far turn, but the chief protagonists were revving up with their runs, and Florida Won followed the four-wide move of Ami’s Holiday into the stretch. Switched out around that one at the three-sixteenths pole, Florida Won hit the front a furlong from home and outfinished Coltimus Prime for the victory. “He’s been travelling really well over the Poly,” explained Kathryn Sullivan, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. “He’s looked great and came into the race in good order. He got a little hot in the paddock, but that’s a bit him. When I saw him going down the backside, I thought Patrick had him nice and relaxed and I was very confident.” 

Sunday, Woodbine 
ONTARIO DERBY-GIII, $160,401, WOX, 9-21, 3yo, 
1 1/8m (AWT), 1:50 4/5, ft. 
1–#@FLORIDA WON, 118, c, 3, by Birdstone 
     1st Dam: Grand Portege, by Grand Slam 
     2nd Dam: Oatsee, by Unbridled 
     3rd Dam: With Every Wish, by Lear Fan 
($385,000 yrl ’12 KEESEP). O-Live Oak Plantation; 
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd (KY); T-Mark E 
Casse; J-Patrick Husbands. $82,116. Lifetime 
Record: 7-2-1-2, $147,608. Werk Nick Rating: B+. 
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 
2–Coltimus Prime, 119, c, 3, Milwaukee Brew– 
Certainly Special, by Distorted Humor. O-Cabernet 
Racing Stables; B-J Horner (ON); T-Justin J Nixon. 
$43,795. 
3–Ami’s Holiday, 119, c, 3, Harlan’s Holiday– 
Victorious Ami, by Victory Gallop. ($35,000 RNA yrl 
’12 KEESEP). O-Ivan Dalos; B-Tall Oaks Farm (ON); 
T-Josie Carroll. $18,066. 
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 10.15, 2.25, 1.55. 
Also Ran: Squeeze the King, Jose Sea View, Lunar Rover, Picozza. Scratched: Freitag. 
Click for the brisnet.com chart or the brisnet.com PPs. VIDEO.