Spot a Florida Derby Possible

Upset winner of the GII Swale S. in Hallandale Mar. 1, Spot (Pulpit) breezed a half-mile in :47.75 at Palm Meadows yesterday in preparation for a possible start in the GI Florida Derby at Gulfstream Mar. 29. 

“He actually went a little too fast for me,” trainer Nick Zito said. “But he did it on his own, and he worked with Grand Arrival, who at one time was a horse with a lot of potential. The horse is doing great. I’ll speak to Mr. Moss and we will make a decision after his next work, which will be on Mar. 22.” 

After finishing fifth in the GIII Hutcheson S. here Feb. 1, the gray was purchased privately by owner Joe Moss and transferred from trainer James DiVito to Nick Zito, a three-time Florida Derby winner. 

“The Florida Derby is going to be a tough race, no question about it,” Zito added. “You’ve got the Holy Bull winner, the Fountain of Youth winner and the Pletcher gang–those are real horses. One thing about us is that we never say never. If he continues training well, then it’s a possibility he’ll be in the entries.”