GI Florida Derby | Horse Racing Free Tips

TAA Drive Returns To Florida Derby Day

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be present Apr. 1 once again for Florida Derby Day at Gulfstream Park, which includes the GI Curlin Florida Derby, they said in a release on Thursday.

Partnering with 1/ST Racing, the TAA will be recognized with a named race on the day's undercard and a presentation to the winning connections will include a branded blanket and swag bag. Additionally, the organization will take part in the Best Turned Out Horse Awards, and jockeys will have the opportunity to pledge their mount fee.

The TAA will be a co-beneficiary for the Florida Derby Charity Golf Tournament alongside the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund. The charity golf tournament, hosted by 1/ST Racing, will be held on Monday, Mar. 27, at the Pembroke Lakes Golf & Country Club. Teams in the top three placings will receive gift bags from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Interested participants can contact Stacy Nicks at Gulfstream Park for more information by email.

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Steal Sunshine Leads Upset Exacta In Ellis Park Derby

After breaking through by more than 10 lengths in a claimer at second asking, Steal Sunshine showed enough ability against optional claimers to earn himself a spot in Gulfstream's GI Curlin Florida Derby. While he checked in sixth there, 8 1/4 lengths behind winner White Abarrio (Race Day), Steal Sunshine continued to show promise, posting back-to-back wins in his last two starts, including the Carry Back S. when seen last July 9.

Making his first start outside of Gulfstream Park, the 6-1 runner was left in the blocks and trailed early through the half in :46.01. Still outpaced by nearly the entire field, he began to make up ground with a two-wide move at the top of the stretch that brought him into contention. 49-1 longshot pacesetter Rome hung tough but wore down as Steal Sunshine went right on by on the inside to put daylight on his rival and win by 3 1/4 lengths.

“When he hit the hole in the stretch, he ran all the way to the wire,” winning jockey Leonel Reyes said. “I'm so happy because this is my first time at Ellis Park.”

The first foal out of a half-sister to GI Florida Derby runner-up Reveron (Songandaprayer), Steal Sunshine has a 2-year-old unraced half-sister by Midnight Lute, a yearling half-brother by Maximus Mischief, and a weanling half-sister by Flatter. His dam was bred back to Silver State for 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart.

RUNHAPPY ELLIS PARK DERBY, $200,000, Ellis, 8-14, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.19, ft.
1–STEAL SUNSHINE, 118, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Warm Sunshine, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Carolina Sunrise, by Awesome Again
                3rd Dam: Stylish Star, by Our Native
O-Carrie L. Brogden & Little Red Feather Racing; B-Machmer
Hall (KY); T-Bobby S. Dibona; J-Leonel Reyes. $119,160.
Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, $233,910.
2–Rome, 120, c, 3, Empire Maker–Gracer, by Exchange Rate.
($385,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $50,000 2yo '21 KEENOV).
O-Lucky Thunder Stables; B-Twin Creeks Farm (KY); T-Schuyler
Condon. $38,600.
3–Strava, 118, c, 3, Into Mischief–Catch My Drift, by
Pioneerof the Nile. ($275,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $825,000
2yo '21 KEENOV). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-WinStar Farm LLC, Siena
Farm LLC and Denny Crum; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Dallas
Stewart. $19,300.
Margins: 3 1/4, NK, 1. Odds: 5.99, 57.50, 2.80.
Also Ran: Chasing Time, Trademark, Knocker Down, Friar Laurence, Top of the Charts, We All See It.

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Known Agenda Retired to Spendthrift

St. Elias Stables' Known Agenda (Curlin–Byrama {GB}, by Byron {GB}), winner of this year's GI Florida Derby, has been retired from racing and will take up stud duty at Spendthrift Farm in 2022. The chestnut, who will stand for an introductory fee of $10,000 S&N, will be offered through the farm's “Share The Upside” program on a limited basis. He is available for inspection by appointment.

“Any time you can add a Florida Derby winner by Curlin with his looks and pedigree, you jump at the opportunity,” said Ned Toffey, Spendthrift general manager. “Known Agenda ticks an awful lot of boxes, and the Florida Derby has produced a lot of very good sires, especially in recent history. We are delighted to partner again with Vinnie Viola, who bred and raced this colt out of his Grade I-winning mare. Known Agenda is one of those rare classic-type Grade I winners that is by a Grade I winner and out of a Grade I winner.”

He added, “He reminded us quite a bit of [GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner] Vino Rosso, another son of Curlin that we stand that Vinnie co-owned and campaigned with Todd Pletcher. If Known Agenda's foals look anything like what we have seen from Vino Rosso, then the sky's the limit.”

A St. Elias Stables homebred, Known Agenda broke his maiden as a 2-year-old last fall at Aqueduct, defeating subsequent GII Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour. At three, he won a Gulfstream allowance race by 11 lengths before winning the Florida Derby going away by 2 3/4 lengths.

“We are excited to be standing Known Agenda, our first homebred to go to stud, at Spendthrift Farm,” said Viola. “This colt showed early promise at two and continued to move forward at three with a dominant victory in the Florida Derby. We are looking for him to continue the great tradition of Florida Derby winners going on to successful stud careers, and we plan on supporting him heavily in that mission.”

An earner of $641,700, Known Agenda became the first Florida Derby winner for his sire Curlin. He is out of Byrama, winner of the 2013 GI Vanity S. on the main track at Hollywood Park.

“Known Agenda reminded me a great deal of Vino Rosso,” added the colt's Hall of Fame trainer. “He possessed the qualities of some of the better Curlins we've had. He's a good-sized, athletic, very well-balanced horse. His Florida Derby win was ultra-impressive, and, obviously, that's been a great race for us when you think of the colts that have gone on to become top sires like [GISWs] Scat Daddy and Constitution.”

For more information visit www.SpendthriftFarm.com.

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