Florida Derby hopeful Itsmyluckyday doing well; Speak Logistics
joins FOY lineup
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. reported that all is well with Itsmyluckyday as the
Gulfstream Park Derby and Grade 3 Holy Bull winner awaits the Grade 1, $1
million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 30.
Campaigned by by Plesa’s wife, Laurie, and Trilogy Stables, the Lawyer Ron
colt produced a stunning two-length victory over previously undefeated Eclipse
champion Shanghai Bobby in the Holy Bull on January 26. Prior to that, Itsmyluckyday won the one-mile Gulfstream Park Derby by 6
3/4 lengths on New Year’s Day, earning a stellar 111 BRIS Speed rating for the
effort.
“Everything has gone well for him,” Plesa said. “He’s been
galloping every day and will have his first work since the race here on Friday,
and then he’ll work again every six or seven days up to the race. A part of me
says I wish the race (Florida Derby) was today, but in his case time is our
ally. He’s got the two good races behind him.”
Before the Florida Derby, though, Plesa will saddle Speak Logistics in
Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth going 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream.
“The timing is right,” Plesa said Sunday morning.
Speak
Logistics was most recently seen finishing fourth following trouble in the Grade
3 Sam Davis at
Tampa Bay Downs on February 2 in his first start since a seventh-place effort behind
Shanghai Bobby in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on
November 3.
“After the Breeders’ Cup we gave him five weeks off on the
farm in Ocala,” Plesa explained. “He got shut off in the Sam Davis. He was making his move on the
inside nearing the stretch and I thought he was going to go right on through.
“In
any event, he’s doing good and we’ve got Joel Rosario to ride him. He had a good
work here (on the sloppy track at Calder) Saturday in :48 4/5 and galloped out good.”
The bay son of High Cotton earned a trip to the
Breeders’ Cup by winning the In Reality division of the Florida Stallion Stakes
going 1 1/16 miles at Calder in mid-October. Speak Logistics, who broke his maiden
by 5 3/4 lengths in his
second start last summer at Monmouth Park, was beaten only six lengths for it all in the Breeders’ Cup.
In other Fountain of Youth news, a defection from the probable field is My Name
is Michael, who finished third last out in the Sam
Davis. Trainer Bill Mott said Saturday that the Canadian-developed son of Macho
Uno had gotten sick and missed several days training.
Others currently listed as probable for the Fountain of Youth
are Cerro, Elmutahid, Joshua’s Comprise, Majestic Hussar, Violence and Orb, the latter
of whom is scheduled to work at Gulfstream Monday
morning for trainer Shug McGaughey.
Majestic Hussar got his final workout in Sunday morning on
Palm Meadows’ fast main track as he was timed five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 for trainer Eddie Kenneally
while Elmutahid went five-eighths in 1:00 2/5 for trainer Kiaran
McLaughlin.
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