Saffie Joseph Jr. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Collaborate Works for Florida Derby

Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate (Into Mischief), last seen with a 'TDN Rising Star' graduation at Gulfstream Feb. 27, tuned up for an expected start in the Mar. 27 GI Curlin Florida Derby with a sharp four-furlong work in :47.05 (1/51) at the Hallandale oval Sunday. He worked in company with Sound Machine (Into Mischief), a 4-year-old stakes-winning filly.

“He showed great progression today. He's always been a good work horse,” trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said. “He worked with Sound Machine. She was a little keen early on. She was on the outside and was leading and they finished head-and-head and he galloped out stronger than her.”

Collaborate graduated by a geared-down 12 1/2 lengths on the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. undercard after completing a one-turn mile in 1:36.35.

“He has the looks physically; he's big, tall. Few are comparable to him in looks. As big as he is, he's very athletic, very fluid, very efficient mover,” Joseph said. “Watching him work today, you don't even know he's working that quick. He came the last quarter in :22 4/5 and galloped out. You don't think he's going that fast, but when you look at the clock, he is.”

Collaborate will be making just the third start of his career in the Florida Derby.

“I think he's a special horse,” Joseph said. “Obviously, we're asking a lot of him to make his third start in the Florida Derby and have to face a horse like Greatest Honour and a few others that will be more seasoned. I feel like he's a horse who has the ability to overcome seasoning.”

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Second Chances: Collaborate

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

After holding his own with his Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained stablemate and last year's narrow GI TVG.com Haskell S. runner-up Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic) in a weekend breeze, the highly regarded Collaborate (c, 3, Into Mischief–Quiet Temper, by Quiet American) will look to earn his diploma going a mile at second asking at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

The Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing colorbearer, a $600,000 FTSAUG yearling, was working up a storm at Joseph's Gulfstream base heading into his debut and was off as the 7-5 chalk in a deep-looking maiden special weight going six furlongs in the slop in Hallandale Feb. 6 (video).

Off a beat slowly from post 10, Collaborate was immediately outfooted and under a ride beneath Tyler Gaffalione in the early stages. He began to find his stride and advanced some while hung out about four wide down the backstretch and got into the race a bit more from sixth with a quarter of a mile to go. He continued with a steady grind in the stretch and rallied between horses to finish a close fifth–beaten just 1 1/4 lengths–in a blanket finish. The race was won by the Todd Pletcher-trained, first-time starter Democracy (Quality Road). Collaborate earned a 72 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“He had a really strong work with Ny Traffic the other day [five furlongs in 1:00.29 (2/28) at Gulfstream Feb. 21], and since the race, he's done well,” Joseph said.

“We're going to stretch him out to a mile Saturday–it looks like the track is going to be fast this time–and, hopefully, we get to see the horse that we think he is.”

Collaborate will face 10 rivals–including first-time starter Bennyfromthebronx (Tapit) from the Chad Brown barn, a half-brother to the talented Charlatan (Speightstown)–in the fifth race on the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. undercard. He will exit from post four with Gaffalione back in the irons.

The son of leading sire Into Mischief is out of 2010 GII Fair Grounds Oaks heroine Quiet Temper and hails from the extended female family of Phipps GISWs Furlough, Dancing Spree, Fantastic Find, Heavenly Prize and Oh What a Windfall. The Triple Crown nominee was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys.

“Obviously, we wanted to win first time out and there was some disappointment, but having said all that, I thought he gained valuable experience and a lot of education from it,” Joseph said.

“Hopefully, we can build on it this Saturday and get a much better result.”

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner and Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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Joseph Confirms Drain The Clock Will Run In Fountain Of Youth

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confirmed Monday afternoon that Drain the Clock will run in Saturday's $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (Grade 2) at Gulfstream Park.

The impressive winner of the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start was also being considered for the March 6 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct.

“Drain the Clock is going to run in the Fountain of Youth,” Joseph said. “We get to stay at home and don't have to ship. The weather in New York can be unpredictable this time of year “

Drain the Clock has won four of five career starts, his only loss coming in his third start when his jockey was unseated when an iron broke in a Delta Downs stakes in November. The son of Maclean's Music has won all three of his races impressively at Gulfstream.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 27 at Gulfstream, will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded. It will mark Drain the Clock's first opportunity to win around two turns.

“I think he'll get two turns. But you don't know until they do it,” Joseph said. “He has stamina on his dam's side. He's won his races very impressively, so he deserves the chance. “

Drain the Clock is scheduled to join a deep field that includes Greatest Honour, Tarantino and Prime Factor, the first three finishers, respectively, in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3).

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Joseph Works Drain The Clock, Super Strong For Possible Gotham Engagement

Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. said he is still undecided who he will send to New York from South Florida for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham on March 6.

Graded stakes winners Drain the Clock and Super Strong are both possible for the one-turn mile Gotham which offers 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby points to the top-four finishers. Both horses recorded five-furlong works this weekend.

Sonata Stables' Super Strong worked on Saturday, completing his move in 1:01.60 at Palm Meadows Training Center. The son of Super Saver won the Group 1 Classico Agustin Mercado Revron at Camarero in Puerto Rico on debut.

On Sunday morning, Grade 3 Swale winner Drain the Clock was clocked in 1:00.52 over a fast main track at Gulfstream Park.

“I thought Drain the Clock worked very well this morning,” Joseph said. “I had him going the last quarter in 22.4 seconds. It was a good, strong work and as good as we could have asked for.”

Bred by Nick Casato, who co-owns the son of Maclean's Music under the Slam Dunk Racing moniker, Drain the Clock has won both his sophomore starts in the Limehouse on January 2 before winning the last-out Swale, both at Gulfstream Park.

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