Barn Tour: Saffie Joseph shoots for another Kentucky Derby

Change might be in the air at Gulfstream Park.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has dominated the winter-spring meet since 2004. But with less than four weeks to go in the meet, Saffie Joseph Jr. leads Pletcher, 46 wins to 38.

"So far it has been an amazing meet," Joseph told Horse Racing Nation Monday. "We're on the way, hopefully, to win it, and it'd be amazing to win it. Growing up, Tom Pletcher, in my book has been the most consistent trainer for how long you could think. No one's had the consistency as far as him as a trainer on any surface. … So to follow his footsteps … would be an amazing accomplishment, and it's a credit to the whole team behind us."

[Barn Tour: Pletcher has plans for Pegasus winners, Derby hopes]

Joseph discussed his Kentucky Derby hopefuls and other top talent in his stable for HRN's Barn Tour series.

3-year-olds

White Abarrio. After finishing third in last year's Kentucky Jockey Club (G2), the grey colt won the Holy Bull (G3) last out by 4 1/2 lengths over Simplification. That gives him a total of 12 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, putting him at No. 14 on the leaderboard. "Seeing that Simplification came back (to win) in the Fountain of Youth, it kind of makes the form legit. He's going to go to the Florida Derby (G1), and he's in good form. He had a great work on Sunday (four furlongs in 47.12 seconds) and all being well, hopefully he continues to the Florida Derby."

A. P.'s Secret was 2-for-3 before finishing seventh in the Fountain of Youth (G2). "A bit disappointed in how he ran. … Just going to give him one more try in one of the preps. We don't know which one yet, but most likely the Wood Memorial (G2)."

Make It Big won three in a row before a 10th-place finish in the Sam F. Davis (G3). "He was disappointing a bit in the Sam Davis, and we backed off, moved him back to the farm. So we're going to freshen him up and hopefully bring him back in the summer."

Skippylongstocking has two wins in eight starts, including a 3 3/4-length win in a 1 1/8-mile Gulfstream allowance last week. "Skippy jumped up, a pleasant surprise last time out. I was thinking about cutting him back and then Junior Alvarado rode him in a one-turn mile and he said to stretch him out to two turns, he thinks it will help. … I thought it was a very competitive race, as far as I didn't think we could win it. But he stepped up and he was very impressive. He ran a fast time, 1:49 and 4. We're going to give him a chance in one of the preps. I'm not sure which one, if he's going to stay here for the Florida Derby or he might go to the Wood."

Of a Revolution has a 4: 2-1-1 record and was third in the Swale (G3) last out. Joseph is considering the six-furlong Hutcheson (G3) at Gulfstream on March 19 or the seven-furlong Bayshore (G3) at Aqueduct on April 9.

Stormy Pattern has won two in a row at Gulfstream. "He's a pretty cool horse. Always tries, was well beaten first time out. We had Simplification, but he was in a different area code. But still, he's been a horse that just comes consistently, he's run second his first two races. And then I thought last time he had to step up on paper and he did. So he's been a nice horse for us, consistent. I'll probably try to stick with a Florida-bred stakes. There's a possibility he goes to a Tampa Bay stake, but we haven't decided yet."

Older horses

Officiating won the Tom Fool Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct. That followed a third-place effort in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) and a win in the Mr. Prospector (G3), both at Gulfstream. "I was quite happy with him, shipped him there and won. Not sure what we're going to do with him yet. There's a Florida stake at Tampa toward the end of the month. And then there's a stake also at Gulfstream. And if you want to get a bit ambitious, then there's the Carter (G1). But those are those are the three options – probably do one of them, but which one we won't decide for the next couple of weeks."

Drain the Clock. After going 5-for-8 last year, he started 2022 with a runner-up finish in the Gulfstream Park Sprint. "I thought he ran all the numbers and he ran his best. So you're pleased with that. Obviously, you're not pleased to get beat but you always try to look for the positive and the positive it was a lifetime best effort. And since that race, he came back yesterday super. He's going to go to the Golden Shaheen (G1). He's going to fly to Dubai on the 14th."

Ny Traffic. Joseph's only Kentucky Derby starter was fifth in Saturday's Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), his first start since October. "It was a tough race to come back in, but we needed to get him started. … We're going to back him up a bit and target a New York-bred stake. I think Affirmed Success is the first one, on April 29. We'll probably target that. And then there's also the Commentator a month later, so we're going to target those two New York-bred stakes."

Shifty She. The 6-year-old filly has a career record of 12:6-1-2 and finished third in the Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf (G3) in January. "She's going to step back a class a bit and go into a Florida-bred stake. And then hopefully that could progress her to, on Belmont Stakes day, the Just a Game."