Florida Derby: See where Greatest Honour, rivals are drawn
When the $750,000 Grade 1 Florida Derby goes off Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the 100-40-20-10 points-paying Kentucky Derby prep is set to include a strong list of contenders, not the least of which is Greatest Honour.
The Tapit colt has won his last three races, including the Holy Bull (G3) and Fountain of Youth (G2), both Kentucky Derby points races. He sits third in the points rankings with 60 headed into the race that was drawn Wednesday afternoon.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” his trainer Shug McGaughey said on a National Thoroughbred Racing Association media call on Tuesday. “These races will get more difficult as we go along and I think he can overcome that kind of stuff.”
According to McGaughey, he would like to see the colt in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, but will only put him in the race if he is certain he will have a chance to win. The trainer has taken a slow approach to the Derby before, with the payoff coming in 2013 when he won with Orb.
“My philosophy is, unless we think we deserve to be there, we won’t be there,” McGaughey said.
Greatest Honour, ridden by Jose Ortiz, drew the seventh post position.
"Think it works well," McGaughey said of the position.
The colt will face off against a tough field in the race, including the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Collaborate, who takes on stakes company for the first time, fresh off a Feb. 27 maiden win going one mile at Gulfstream.
Joseph said he had high hopes for the Into Mischief colt in the race.
“I think I like everything about him,” Joseph said. “Not much to dislike. He’s a grand-looking horse. Again, I said that doesn’t always translate into the horse being good, but you look at his race times and his presence, the height and size. When he works (he is) most definitely the most talented horse I’ve ever been around.”
Tyler Gaffalione has the ride on Collaborate, who drew the ninth post.
Also running a stakes race for the first time is Soup and Sandwich, trained by Mark Casse. Another colt sired by Into Mischief, Soup and Sandwich most recently won an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs, going one mile and 40 yards.
Casse said he was impressed by the colt in his last race and had no qualms about starting him out on the Derby trail in such a packed field.
“It’s a big ask,” Casse said. “But I think getting that race under his belt was very important.”
John Velazquez will be aboard Soup and Sandwich from the eighth post position.
Another one of the top contenders in the Florida Derby will be Spielberg, trained by Bob Baffert. The colt last won in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December and finished second in his most recent trip, the Southwest Stakes (G3) Feb. 27 at Oaklawn, losing to Essential Quality.
Owner Jack Wolf of Starlight Stables, which own the colt in a partnership with several other companies, spoke of Spielberg’s place in the Florida Derby.
“I think he fits in this race,” Wolf said. “He got beat by four lengths by Essential Quality, and Greatest Honour is 1 or 2 on most of the Derby lists. But you look at his last race (with a) Beyer 90, he might fit in this Gulfstream race.”
Spielberg drew the 10th post position. He will be ridden by Javier Castellano.