Impressive Edge faces class and distance test in Florida Derby

N and K Racing’s Impressive Edge, already a two-time winner at the Championship Meet, will face a test of class and distance when he makes his sixth career start and first in a Grade 1 in Saturday’s Florida Derby.

 

A sophomore son of  2002 Florida Derby and 2003 Donn Handicap (G1) winner Harlan’s Holiday, Impressive Edge earned a shot at South Florida’s biggest Triple Crown prep following an eight-length romp in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance March 4.

 

He broke his maiden at Gulfstream in his 3-year-old debut Jan. 15, his first start for trainer Dale Romans and first race in 5 ½ months, then was a troubled fourth in the Swale (G2) Feb. 4 in his stakes debut.

 

The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby will be Impressive Edge’s first start beyond seven furlongs and first around two turns.

 

“He trains like a really good horse. He’s very athletic, light and easy on himself,” Romans said. “He’s smart, and there’s no reason to think he can’t get the distance.

 

“He’s always trained well, and he ran big in his maiden race,” he added. “The Swale, if you watch it, when he gets checked it’s kind of over. But, the next race, when he was left alone with a free run, he ran a big race.”

 

Impressive Edge drew Post 8 in the field of 11 3-year-olds and was made 12-1 on the morning line. Corey Lanerie, aboard for the first time in his most recent start, gets a return call.

 

“We didn’t pick him up until the end of last year. Steve [Asmussen] had him and he came to me in good shape; the people wanted to run him in Florida,” Romans said. “This year, the way things are going in all different directions, if you’ve got a good 3-year-old that’s training well you better try him and see if he belongs.”

 

 

Narrowly beaten by multiple graded-stakes winner Miss Sky Warrior last time out, E. Ervine Woolsey and Ralph Kinder’s Jordan’s Henny looks to build on her solid sophomore debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

 

The gray or roan daughter of Grade 1-winning sprinter Henny Hughes was making her first start in nearly three months in the one-mile Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream March 4.

 

In that race, the Michael Tomlinson-trained filly forged a short lead after running a half-mile in 46.60 seconds. She pressed the lead thereafter but could not hold off Miss Sky Warrior, finishing a neck ahead of Summer Luck, who also returns in the Oaks.

 

Jordan’s Henny capped her juvenile campaign with a three-quarter-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight Dec. 18 at Gulfstream, her seventh career start.

 

“She showed a lot and stepped up. The competition was a lot different from a maiden race to that race,” Tomlinson said. “She is doing exceptionally well. She’s holding her weight and might even be gaining a pound or two and just training right along doing it.”

 

Tomlinson gave Jordan’s Henny one work since the Davona Dale, a sharp five-furlong breeze in 1:00.55 March 25, second-fastest of 24 horses at the distance. She was slated to school in Gulfstream’s paddock and walking ring during Thursday’s seventh race.

 

“That was her first race off of a two-month break. She [worked] a nice, solid five-eighths on Saturday. Fitness-wise we should be on top of her game. She’s had plenty of recuperative time in between and should move forward off of that last race.”

 

The Davona Dale will be the third try in stakes company for Jordan’s Henny, who rran fifth in the Pocahontas (G2) last fall in her third career outing. Since then, she hasn’t been worse than third in five starts.

 

In the Davona Dale, Jordan’s Henny drew Post 5 in the nine-horse field and will have the services of jockey Corey Lanerie, aboard for the first time in the Davona Dale.

 

“The filly was a little bit slow to mature and come around mentally. She’s always had the ability, we felt like, and that’s the reason we kept her in the maiden special weight ranks,” Tomlinson said. “She has had some tough luck a time or two and had a bad trip, but then there’s been a couple times where we hooked some nice fillies, too.