Nine to Line Up for Florida Derby

A field of nine was drawn Tuesday afternoon for the GI Besilu Stables Florida Derby, which will be held Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Highlighting the entrants are GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid) and GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. victor Upstart (Flatter). The two rivals faced off against each other in the Fountain of Youth and, although Upstart hit the wire in front, he was controversially disqualified for herding his rival in late stretch, giving Itsaknockout the victory. 

“This is an important race,” said Upstart's trainer Rick Violette. “There's no question we have the [GI Kentucky] Derby in our sights, but this is a Grade I and a million dollars.”

 Upstart, who was given the 8-5 morning-line nod, drew the outside post. 

“It's not ideal,” Violette said of the position. “It's a little longer run to the first turn. You just have to deal with it. That's what the jock is up there for. You hope he breaks clean and gets a clear run. You don't have horses pressing him from the outside, but I'd like to have been inside, even one post inside.” 

Itsaknockout is undefeated in three career starts and stablemate Materiality (Afleet Alex), the last-out winner of the Islamorada H., is flawless in his two starts. Trainer Todd Pletcher annexed last year's Florida Derby with Constitution (Tapit) off just two previous career starts, but he admitted it wasn't a conventional approach. 

“To be running in the Florida Derby off three starts and two starts is fairly uncommon,” Pletcher stated. “We were able to do it with Constitution last year, but it takes exceptional horses to do it, and so far these two have handled every step up that we've given them.” 

Itsaknockout, the 2-1 second choice, will start from post position four and Materiality drew the two hole. 

“I'm happy with both [post positions],” Pletcher said after the draw. “I think they're both colts that should establish a forward position in the first turn and hopefully stay out of trouble.”