Ice Box Turns Up Heat on Derby Trail

When the Florida Derby (gr. I) moved to six weeks before the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), many trainers eyed the new calendar with a jaundiced eye. Six weeks was too long a layoff before the first Saturday in May, yet too short to fit in another prep. As a result, when the names were dropped in this year’s entry box, Rule emerged as the only graded stakes winner in the field, making him the automatic favorite. But the scheduling change had its bright side as well, as the lack of established names practically guaranteed a large field of hopefuls willing to take a shot at earning a sure ticket to the big dance