Greatest Honour (Tapit) rides a three-race win streak heading into the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, however, the Courtlandt Farm homebred certainly hasn't scared anyone away as 10 other sophomores have also signed on in Saturday's Classic prep. A large part of the draw is that the Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis. The 1 1/8-mile test has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events.
The imposing bay kicked off his career with a trio of on-the-board finishes in New York, including a close-up head second behind Florida Derby rival Known Agenda (Curlin)–a last out 11-length winner in a Gulfstream optional claimer Feb. 26–at Aqueduct in November before capping the season with a win going 8 1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream Dec. 26. Sent off the second betting choice in the Jan. 30 GIII Holy Bull S., he employed his customary off-the-pace tactics to score by an eye-catching 5 3/4 lengths.
Sent off at even choice in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., the Shug McGaughey trainee found himself a bit farther back than expected early, but employed his typical late-charging style to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the speedy Drain the Clock (Maclean's Music).
“In the Fountain of Youth, the horse on the lead, Drain The Clock, who I think is a very, very good horse, kind of opened up, leaving the quarter pole. I thought [even if our horse] would kick in, we're going to have a hard time catching him but he caught him.”
He continued, “I think he was doing–three times–[something] he wasn't wanting to do, going a mile and a sixteenth over a speed-favoring track. And he was able to catch up all three times against pretty good company. So, I am looking forward to getting him stretched out where maybe in the Florida Derby he'll be laying like he was in the Holy Bull and not as far back as he was in the Fountain of Youth.”
In his most recent work, Greatest Honour covered four furlongs, while in company, in :50.40 (12/27) at Payson Park Mar. 21 (McGaughey's view on the work).
McGaughey, who annexed his first Run for the Roses with Orb in 2013, believes the added distance will benefit his charge.
“He's a big, tall horse. He has grown a little over the winter,” McGaughey said. “So, that will be fun watching him develop. His pedigree says he'll run as far as you want him to run. With his stride, I don't think he's a horse with a quick turn of foot, but when he gets going, he covers so much ground that he catches up in a hurry.”
Drawn in post 7 Saturday, the colt will be partnered by Jose Ortiz, who was aboard for four of the colt's prior starts, including his two most recent wins.
Looking to derail Greatest Honour's Derby dreams is SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's Spielberg (Union Rags), who will exit post 10 Saturday. Winner of last December's GII Los Alamitos Futurity, the chestnut also finished hit the board in the GI Del Mar Futurity and GI American Pharoah S. In his 2021 debut, Spielberg stumbled at the start of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit (Protonico). Last time out, Spielberg had a messy start but was good enough to finish second–beaten 4 1/4 lengths–by 2-year-old champion Essential Quality (Tapit) in Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Feb. 27.
“He's had a lot of races [eight prior starts]. Of all my horses, he's had the most starts. And he's second to [MGSW] Concert Tour [Street Sense] in money earned…He shows up.” said Baffert. “Once in a while, he'll run a flat race. He's doing well and I think he will like the mile and an eighth. He sort of comes running, but he's got to ship well and behave himself. And he's got to break well. He can't break like he did the last time.”
In his last work, the $1 million Keeneland September graduate blistered through five furlongs in :59.40 at Santa Anita Mar. 21.
In contrast to vast experience of Spielberg, Three Chimneys and eFive Racing's Collaborate (Into Mischief) enters the fray with only two prior starts under his belt. Fifth going six furlongs in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6, the $600,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase rebounded to air by 12 1/2 lengths stretching to a mile Feb. 27, earning TDN Rising Star billing in the process. (Joseph talks about Collaborate).
“It would mean a lot to win,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “This horse has a lot of ability. What we're asking him is a tall task, but it seems like he has the ability to overcome it.
Saturday's $750,000 UAE Derby (G2) has attracted an international field in keeping with its venue, the Dubai World Cup program at Meydan. American shippers Ambivalent and Lugamo will line up against Japanese contenders as well as a talented home team including fillies Soft Whisper and Mnasek. The only foreign scoring race on the main Road to the Kentucky Derby, the UAE Derby offers points on the 100-40-20-10 scale applicable to the U.S. leaderboard.
Four of the 14 entrants are coming off the Feb. 20 Saudi Derby on Saudi Cup Day – Japan's Pink Kamehameha, who sprang an upset in his dirt debut; third-placer New Treasure, an Irish Group 3 scorer who was also trying dirt for the first time; and the well-fancied Godolphin duo of Rebel's Romance and Soft Whisper, respectively fourth and fifth. All are stretching out from that metric mile to the about 1 3/16 miles of the UAE Derby.
Much more had been expected from Rebel's Romance and Soft Whisper in Saudi, and a return to Meydan could see both offspring of Dubawi bounce back to top form. The previously unbeaten Rebel's Romance had edged next-out UAE 2000 Guineas (G3) winner Mouheeb on this track. A U.S. Triple Crown nominee, Rebel's Romance bids to give trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick their first UAE Derby victory.
Godolphin colleague Saeed bin Suroor, who has won a record eight UAE Derby trophies, relies on Soft Whisper. The highly regarded filly brought a four-race winning streak to Saudi, capped by a seven-length romp in the UAE 1000 Guineas over Mnasek. If we see that Soft Whisper here, the boys could be in trouble. Note that bin Suroor is responsible for the only filly to win the UAE Derby so far, Khawlah (2011).
Mnasek herself has claims. The Doug Watson filly had no chance of catching Soft Whisper thanks to a slow start in the Guineas, but she roared back to outclass her foes by 6 ½ lengths in the UAE Oaks (G3) at this track and trip. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Empire Maker banked 50 points toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1), if connections are inclined to supplement her. Like Soft Whisper, Mnasek gets a four-pound weight concession from the 3-year-old males. Adding to her appeal, both of Watson's past UAE Oaks winners went on to finish second in this race, Polar River (2016) and Rayya (2018).
Joseph P. Morey Trust's $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes winner Hush of a Storm, along with Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber's Grade 1-winning colt Gretzky the Great top a field of 12 3-year-olds that were entered in Saturday afternoon's 50th running of the $250,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) – the premiere stakes event at Turfway Park's meet.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks is one of six stakes events on Saturday's 12-race afternoon spectacular at Turfway, which begins at 1:10 p.m. (all times Eastern). The centerpiece 1 1/8-mile race over the synthetic Tapeta surface is carded as Race 11 with a post time of 6:25 p.m. Wagering is available online at www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
The Jeff Ruby Steaks will award the top four finishers points on a 100-40-20-10 scale towards a spot in the starting gate for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
The other stakes races on Saturday's card are the $150,000 Bourbonette Oaks (Listed), a Championship Series race on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks worth 50-20-10-5 points to the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1); $150,000 TwinSpires.com Kentucky Cup Classic (Listed); the $100,000 Rushaway; the $100,000 Latonia Stakes; and the $65,000 Animal Kingdom Stakes.
Hush of a Storm, trained by Bill Morey and ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, was the 1 ½-length winner of the Feb. 26 Battaglia Memorial, the local prep for the Jeff Ruby Steaks. The Creative Cause colt had to survive an inquiry and objection in the race after he lugged in and appeared to affect fellow rivals Like the King, Gretzky the Great and Hard Rye Guy in the stretch. Following a review of the race, the stewards issued no change to the order of finish. Hush of a Storm is a perfect 3-for-3 over the Tapeta surface at Turfway. He broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths on Dec. 19 and followed up that win three weeks later with a half-length first-level allowance score. His only blemish came in a seven-furlong maiden claiming $150,000 race over the dirt at Churchill Downs. Hush of a Storm drew post No. 2.
One of the other top rivals in the Jeff Ruby Steaks is $250,000 Summer (G1) winner Gretzky the Great. Named after the NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, the Nyquist colt was the even-money favorite in the Battaglia Memorial. In that race, he was pressured on the lead for nearly one-mile before giving way to Hush of a Storm. The Mark Casse-trainee will get a jockey change to Chris Landeros for the Jeff Ruby Steaks and will break from post 10.
Another horse likely to garner attention in the race is SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) runner-up Tarantino. Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, Tarantino began his career on turf at Del Mar in the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. He finished second in the $101,000 Zuma Beach at Santa Anita prior to his transfer to Brisset. Immediately after he entered Brisset's string in South Florida, he defeated six rivals in a first-level allowance over the turf at Gulfstream Park. His most recent start was a fourth-place finish in the $300,000 Fountain of Youth (GII) where he was defeated 5 ¼ lengths by Greatest Honour. Jockey Florent Geroux will ride from post 7.
The complete field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Hush of a Storm (Gonzalez, Morey); King's Ovation (Albin Jiminez, Dale Romans); Awesome Gerry (Martin Garcia, Saffie Joseph Jr.); Sainthood (Gerardo Corrales, Todd Pletcher); Smiley Sobotka (Declan Cannon, Romans); Tarantino (Geroux, Brisset); Moonlite Strike (Rafael Hernandez, Joseph); Hard Rye Guy (Brian Hernandez Jr., Ian Wilkes); Gretzy the Great (Landeros, Casse); Dyn O Mite (Deshawn Parker, Keith Desormeaux); and Hockey Dad (Rafael Bejarano, Doug O'Neill).
Hard Rye Guy and Hockey Dad were not nominated to the Triple Crown at the early closing but could become eligible with a $6,000 late payment that is due on Monday.
The National Weather Service forecast for Florence, Ky. calls for a gorgeous afternoon of racing with sunny skies and a high temperature of 71 degrees.
Courtlandt Farms' Greatest Honour will have a lot going for him in Saturday's $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa. The 3-year-old son of Tapit has shown a distinct fondness for the Gulfstream Park racetrack, over which he has won all three of his races during the Championship Meet. He also possesses a ground-devouring stride and a pedigree geared for stamina.
Oh, and the homebred colt happens to be trained by Shug McGaughey, a Hall of Famer who has done and won all that.
“I'm looking forward to running him,” McGaughey said. “He's been a pleasure all winter. He's never missed a beat. Things have sort of been the same. We just hope it continues.”
The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby, which has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events, will headline a program with 10 stakes, including the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) and the $200,000 Pan American (G2) presented by Rood & Riddle. The blockbuster 14-race program will also be highlighted by a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool, which is expected to swell into the multi-millions should the popular multi-race wager go unsolved through Friday. There will also be $750,000 guaranteed pools in the Late Pick 5 and Late Pick 4.
The Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby (G1) on a 100-40-20-10 basis.
Greatest Honour, who followed up a Dec. 26 maiden score with victories in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3) and the Feb. 27 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2), was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite Wednesday after drawing Post No. 7 for the Florida Derby, which attracted a deep field of 11 3-year-olds. McGaughey is hoping his late-running powerhouse will follow the example of Orb, whom he saddled for late-rallying victories in the 2017 Fountain of Youth, the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby.
“They're two different horses that have the same running style,” said McGaughey, noting Greatest Honour's more imposing physical stature. “They may look the same, but it's just on paper.”
Greatest Honour, like Orb, possesses a strong late kick that has carried him to three straight victories in going-away fashion at 1 1/16-miles. After graduating by 1 ¼ lengths, the Kentucky-bred colt employed a furious stretch run to win by 5 ¾ lengths in the Holy Bull. Five lengths back in mid-stretch, Greatest Honour unleashed an eye-catching surge to catch frontrunner Drain the Clock and go on to score by 1 ½ lengths.
“I think he was doing – three times – what he wasn't wanting to do – going a mile and a sixteenth over a speed-favoring track – and he was able to catch up all three times against pretty good company,” McGaughey said. “So, I am looking forward to getting him stretched out where maybe in the Florida Derby he'll be laying like he was in the Holy Bull and not as far back as he was in the Fountain of Youth.”
Greatest Honour was winless in three starts last year, finishing third in his first two career starts at Saratoga and Belmont, both at seven furlongs, before finishing second in a photo finish at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 8 at Aqueduct.
“One of the things that impressed me was, with his pedigree and his make-up, he was able to make the races as early as he did, which was [September] at Saratoga,” McGaughey said. “And he was very effective in those two maiden races going seven-eighths.”
As impressed as McGaughey may be about how much Greatest Honour has achieved thus far, he is more excited about the future.
“He's a big, tall horse. He's grown a little over the winter. So, that will be fun watching him develop. His pedigree says he'll run as far as you want him to run,” McGaughey said. “With his stride, I don't think he's a horse with a quick turn of foot, but when he gets going, he covers so much ground that he catches up in a hurry.”
Jose Ortiz has the return mount aboard Greatest Honour.
With Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert sending Spielberg to Gulfstream, the 70th running of the Florida Derby has the potential to turn into an East-meets-West showdown.
The son of Union Rags, who was rated second at 4-1 in the morning line after drawing Post. No. 10 is coming off a second-place finish behind Eclipse Award-winning Essential Quality in the Feb. 27 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park for owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.
In his 2021 debut, Spielberg stumbled at the start of the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita before finishing fourth behind Baffert-trained winner Medina Spirit.
Spielberg had a productive six-race juvenile campaign, in which he finished second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and third in the American Pharoah (G1) at Santa Anita before breaking his maiden in his fourth start. He went on to win the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) two starts later.
“He's had a lot of races. Of all my horses, he's had the most starts. He's second to Concert Tour in money earned. He runs solid. He shows up,” Baffert said. “Once in a while he'll run a flat race. He's doing well and I think he will like the mile and an eighth. He sort of comes running, but he's got to ship well and behave himself. And he's got to break well. He can't break like he did the last time.”
Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano is scheduled to ride the Baffert trainee for the first time.
St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda will hold the distinction of being the only horse in the Florida Derby field to own a decision over Greatest Honour. The son of Curlin defeated Greatest Honour by a head while graduating in a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight race Nov. 8 at Aqueduct.
“He's won at a mile and an eighth and he was able to beat Greatest Honour when he did that,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “The form from that maiden race has held up well. Overtook, who finished third that day, came back and was second in the Withers.”
Known Agenda, who drew Post No. 5 and was rated third at 5-1 in the morning line, is coming off a sharp 11-length optional claiming allowance victory Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park at the Florida Derby distance. After getting away last and finishing fifth in the Feb. 6 Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, he was equipped with blinkers for the first time for his recent romp.
“He needed a little early focus. It definitely put his mind in the game a little bit,” Pletcher said. “He's a horse we've always liked, and I think the further he gets to go, the stronger he'll be.”
Irad Ortiz Jr., who teamed with Known Agenda for the first time in his recent win, has the return call.
Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate is scheduled to make the leap from the maiden ranks to Grade 1 company in the Florida Derby. The son of Into Mischief graduated by 12 ½ lengths under wraps on the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) undercard while completing a one-turn mile in 1:36.35. The Kentucky-bred colt, who was purchased for $600,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, had finished a troubled fifth, beaten a length by victorious Democracy, in his six-furlong career debut over a sloppy track Feb. 6. McGaughey-trained Bears Watching, who finished third, a neck and a nose ahead of Collaborate, came back to graduate by 7 ¾ lengths in his next start.
“It would mean a lot to win. This horse has a lot of ability. What we're asking him is a tall task, but it seems like he has the ability to overcome it,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
Tyler Gaffalione has the return mount aboard Collaborate, who is rated fourth at 6-1 in the morning line.
Michael Shanley's Nova Rags, second behind stablemate Candy Man Rocket in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis (G3) last time out, will be given an opportunity by Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott to prove he deserves Triple Crown consideration.
“We've opted to try the Florida Derby and just give him that one chance to see if we belong going on and moving forward and moving up the ladder. It's a big race with 100 points [to the winner],” Mott said. “If he would qualify for the Kentucky Derby, then we'd have to consider it, but this is the race that's going to tell us what we're going to do with him.”
Junior Alvarado has the call aboard the son of Union Rags.
Live Oak Plantation's Soup and Sandwich, undefeated in two starts, is scheduled to make the jump from a first-level optional claiming allowance to Grade 1 company Saturday. The son of Into Mischief is eligible to take a share of a $100,000 bonus offered to Florida-breds who finish first, second or third in the Florida Derby with 70 percent for a victory, 20 percent for a runner-up finish and 10 percent for a third-place finish.
Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Soup and Sandwich made an auspicious debut at Gulfstream Jan. 28, scoring by 7 ¼ lengths at 6 ½ furlongs. In his introduction to two-turn racing, Soup and Sandwich stalked the pace before drawing off to win by 2 ¾ lengths a month later at Tampa Bay Downs.
Hall of Famer John Velazquez is scheduled to ride Soup and Sandwich.
Magic Stables LLC's Papetu, who finished third behind Greatest Honour in the Fountain of Youth, will return in the Florida Derby. The son of Dialed In made a strong middle move while forced to race very wide from his far outside post position but came up short in the stretch. He had finished second in the Mucho Macho Man and fourth in the Holy Bull in his two prior starts.
Trainer Antonio Sano also entered Gelfenstein Farm's Sigiloso, who finished fifth on turf in the Palm Beach in his most recent start.
Emisael Jaramillo has the mount aboard Papetu, while Leonel Reyes will ride Sigiloso.
OGMA Investments LLC and Off The Hook LLC's Jirafales, a strapping son of Social Inclusion who finished fifth in the Fountain of Youth; Lothenbach Stables Inc.'s Quantum Leap, a maiden winner at 1 1/8 miles in his last start at Gulfstream; and Robert Baron's Southern Passage, second behind highly regarded Prevalence in an optional claiming allowance last time out; round out the field.
Edgard Zayas is scheduled to ride Jirafales; Miguel Vasquez has the call on Quantum Leap; and Corey Lanerie has the mount aboard Southern Passage.
