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Never Surprised The One To Beat In Oversubscribed Tropical Park Derby

Multiple graded stakes-placed Never Surprised will shock absolutely no one if the Todd Pletcher trainee is victorious in Sunday's $100,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

The Tropical Park Derby, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, will co-headline Sunday's day-after-Christmas program with the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Mike Repole's Never Surprised enters Sunday's co-feature off a dominating 6 ¼-length triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Gio Ponti over the turf at Aqueduct Nov. 26. In his three prior starts, the son of Constitution was graded stakes-placed, finishing second in the Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream before settling for runner-up honors behind Public Sector in the Saranac (G3) at Saratoga and Hill Prince (G2) at Belmont.

“I was very pleased with his last race and he's trained enthusiastically for this race,” Pletcher said.

Luis Saez has the call aboard Never Surprised, who tops a full field of 12 3-year-olds (plus three also-eligible entries).

WellSpring Stables' Safe Conduct, who finished second in the Gio Ponti, is scheduled to take on Never Surprised again in the Tropical Park Derby. The Phil Serpe-trained son of Bodemeister captured the $1 million Queen's Plate over Woodbine's Tapeta surface three starts back before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Stakes, the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown run over a yielding turf at Woodbine, and rebounding with a solid Gio Ponti effort.

Paco Lopez is slated to ride Safe Conduct for the first time Sunday.

Stuart Janney III's Scarlett Sky brings graded-stakes credentials into the Tropical Park Derby, having captured the Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland in the spring. The son of Sky Mesa, who lost the Palm Beach by a head last season at Gulfstream, finished off the board in a Keeneland stakes over a soft turf last time while coming off a five-month layoff.

Trainer Shug McGaughey has awarded the mount to fellow Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Edge Racing's Yes This Time is also a Grade 3 stakes winner in Sunday's field. The Kelly Breen-trained son of Not This Time captured the Kent (G3) at Delaware Park last July, capping a five-race winning streak, including four straight wins at Gulfstream.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount aboard Yes This time, who is coming off in-the-money finishes in Dueling Grounds Derby at Kentucky Downs and Bryan Station at Keeneland.

Victoria's Ranch's King of Dreams and Lea Farms LLC's Fighting Force will enter the Tropical Park Derby, off a 1-2 finish, respectively, in the Showing Up over Gulfstream's Tapeta course.

ABL Stable, Dominic Bossone, Peter Donnelly and William Oberdorff's Mohs and Calumet Farm's Grey Streak, who finished 1-2, respectively, in the Hawthorne Derby, will clash again Sunday. Calumet will also be represented by Jack Sisterson-trained In Effect in Sunday's field.

Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Siglioso and Melvin Simonovich's Lamplighter Jack and Palm Beach Racing Partnership's Hot Blooded round out the main body of the field.

Michael Dubb and Madaket Stables LLC's Kygo, Deuce Greathouse's Shady McGee, and Irving Cowan's American Prince are also-eligible entrants.

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Du Jour Rides The Rail To Give Bafferts American Turf Victory

Owned in partnership by his wife, Jill Baffert, trainer Bob Baffert saddled the winner of Saturday's Grade 2 American Turf Stakes with 5-1 chance Du Jour. The 3-year-old son of Temple City stepped up to earn his first graded stakes win on Kentucky Derby day, riding the rail under Flavien Prat to hit the lead at the sixteenth pole and pulling away to win by 1 1/2 lengths on the wire. Du Jour, also owned by Debbie Lanni, wife of bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, ran 1 1/16 miles over Churchill Downs' firm turf course in 1:42.49.

Baffert told NBC that Donato Lanni had called him about the colt at the 2020 OBS April sale, telling him the son of Bernardini mare Guiltless was worth purchasing. Sold for $280,000 as a 2-year-old, Du Jour took three starts to break his maiden but hasn't lost since, racking up three wins in a row, including the American Turf.

“These turf horses are easier to train,” Baffert quipped. “You don't have to train them very hard. We tried to make a dirt horse out of him and he wasn't that good. Mike Smith rode him and said I think he likes the dirt. I'm really excited about it. And I'm just so happy for Jill. She has to deal with me as a trainer, and all the ups and downs. For that horse to win today, and to listen to her excitement, now she has something that's hers.”

Overall, the colt's record now stands at 3-1-1 from five starts for earnings of $375,220. Du Jour was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm, and was originally a $19,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale.

It is the second victory in the race for Baffert who won in 2003 with Senor Swinger.

Excellent Timing jumped well from the gates and immediately went for the lead, pulling away by several lengths through a first quarter in :22.86. He slowed down to mark the half in :47.31, allowing Next, Winfromwithin, and Dyn O Mite to close the gap on that frontrunner. Du Jour was just behind those in fifth early, a couple paths off the hedge.

Rounding the far turn, Du Jour had to wait for racing room while other rivals chose the overland route on the far outside. Winfromwithin had taken over the lead and had a slight advantage in the stretch, but Prat finally saw a hole at the rail and sent Du Jour on through.

Prat shifted Du Jour outside Winfromwithin at the eighth pole and was able to run that rival down, then hold off a late charge from late-running Lucky Charge. At the wire, Du Jour was 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Lucky Charge, while Winfromwithin held third. Hidden Enemy checked in fourth, followed by Palazzi, Royal Prince, Chess's Dream, Annex, Scarlett Sky, Holy Vow, Next, Dyn O Mite, Barrister Tom and Excellent Timing.

“The key was getting him to relax down inside,” Prat said. “I actually sent him quite a bit out of the gate and then it's always a question of if they can come back to you after that. It felt like they were going a good clip up front and that helped him to relax too. He traveled well and when I asked him to split horses, he did it nicely.”

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Annex Looks to Remain Perfect in American Turf

Unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution) looks to keep his perfect record in tact as the favorite in the GII American Turf S. at Churchill Downs. Rallying from well back to take his debut at Gulfstream Jan. 16, the chestnut captured the Palm Beach S. there Feb. 27 and followed suit with a win in the Cutler Bay S. in Hallandale Mar. 27. The red-hot Irad Ortiz, Jr. climbs aboard for the first time here, which adds even more upside to this talented favorite.

Shug McGaughey saddles a strong contender in Stuart Janney homebred Scarlett Sky (Sky Mesa). A decisive optional claimer winner at Gulfstream Jan., 14, the dark bay was just a head behind annex in the Palm Beach and made a strong late run to take Keeneland's GIII Transylvania S. last time Apr. 2.

It is not often you see Bob Baffert with an entry in a turf race, but he can't be ignored in any event and sends out Du Jour (Temple City) here. Graduating at third asking at Santa Anita Feb. 19, the $280,000 OBSAPR buy wired an Arcadia optional claimer next out Mar. 28, earning an 86 Beyer Speed Figure.

Todd Pletcher is also represented by a runner with a good shot here in Winfromwithin (Into Mischief), who is unbeaten on turf. Making his first three starts on the main track, the bay broke through when getting on the grass and extending to two turns at Gulfstream Jan. 2. He followed suit with a dominant score in Tampa's Columbia S. Mar. 6.

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Undefeated Annex Headlines Saturday’s American Turf Stakes

LNJ Foxwoods' and Eclipse Thoroughbreds' undefeated Annex, along with Stuart Janney III's Scarlett Sky and John Oxley's Palazzi, the one-two finishers in the recent Transylvania (G3) at Keeneland, top a field of 14 3-year-olds for Saturday's 30th running of the $500,000 American Turf presented by Derby City Gaming (G2) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/16-mile grass test serves as the ninth race on Saturday's Kentucky Derby day card with a 3:40 p.m. post time.

Trained by Bill Mott, Annex comes into Saturday's race off victories in the Palm Beach and Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will exit post four.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Scarlett Sky rallied from far back to win the Transylvania by a half-length after being beaten by a head in the Palm Beach by Annex. Joel Rosario has the mount Saturday and will break from post 13.

Palazzi, who took the Texas Turf Mile to start his 2021 campaign, is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 14.

The field for the American Turf, with riders and weights from the inside, is:

Excellent Timing (Umberto Rispoli, 118 pounds)
Winfromwithin (Luis Saez, 118)
Chess's Dream (Jose Ortiz, 120)
Annex (Irad Ortiz Jr., 118)
Du Jour (Flavien Prat, 118)
Royal Prince (Javier Castellano, 118)
Dyn O Mite (James Graham, 118)
Barrister Tom (Drayden Van Dyke, 118)
Holy Vow (Sophie Doyle, 118)
Next (John Velazquez, 118)
Hidden Enemy (Mike Smith, 118)
Lucky Law (Florent Geroux, 118)
Scarlett Sky (Joel Rosario, 120)
Palazzi (Tyler Gaffalione, 118)

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