GI Curlin Florida Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's Spielberg (Union Rags) has been confirmed to contest the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old is expected to face GIII Holy Bull S. and GI Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (Tapit) in the nine-furlong test that has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events.

“We'll see how he stacks up,” Baffert said Friday.

Spielberg, who is scheduled to breeze at Santa Anita Sunday before shipping to South Florida, most recently finished a well-beaten second behind Eclipse champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in the Feb. 27 GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park.

“He's a great-feeling horse,” Baffert said about the colt's latest start. “He came out of that race in great shape.”

In his 2021 debut, the $1-million KEESEP purchase stumbled at the start of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit (Protonico).

“He needs to get away from the gate well,” said Baffert of Spielberg's chances of winning the Florida Derby.

During his juvenile campaign, Spielberg finished second in the GI Del Mar Futurity and third in the GI American Pharoah S. at Santa Anita before breaking is maiden in his fourth start. He went on to win the GII Los Alamitos Futurity.

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St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda (Curlin) may have earned his way into the GI Curlin Florida Derby field Friday after romping to a 11-length victory in the Gulfstream Park's fourth race, a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds.

“We'll talk about it with Mr. and Mrs. Viola and their team,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “We'll talk about it, but I think he ran well enough today that it's definitely in play.”

Known Agenda, who was sent to post as the 1-2 favorite in a field of six, rated off a solid early pace contested by Etched in Stone (Cairo Prince), Top Gun Tommy (Mineshaft) and Warrior in Chief (Kantharos) during a half-mile in :47.89. Top Gun Tommy won the pace battle to take a clear lead into the stretch under Paco Lopez, but Known Agenda loomed large on the turn and quickly took charge at the top of the stretch and drew off under Irad Ortiz Jr. The chestnut covered the Florida Derby distance of 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.47 while equipped with blinkers for the first time.

“Johnny [Velazquez] recommended blinkers last time,” said Pletcher. “We just needed to get him a little more focused. We know he's got a lot of talent. He's shown it in the mornings and hints of it in the afternoon. We're just trying to get him a little more consistent. It looks like today the blinkers helped. He got into the race a little bit more and won impressively in the end.”

The homebred finished fifth in the Feb. 6 GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs following a distant third in the Dec. 5 GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct after getting bumped at the start.

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