Dunkirk faces important test in Florida Derby

Dunkirk needs a top two finish in the Florida Derby (Photo Courtesy of Adam Coglianese) DUNKIRK (Unbridled’s Song), a smashing winner in both starts this year at Gulfstream Park, will face his biggest challenge to date when he takes on eight rivals in Saturday’s $750,000 Florida Derby (G1). Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the unbeaten gray colt opened his racing career with a 5 3/4-length score over maiden special weight rivals on January 24. The Todd Pletcher trainee followed with a 4 3/4-length romp over allowance rivals on February 19 at Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile distance, generating a whopping 107 BRIS Speed rating. Garrett Gomez, who traveled to Gulfstream on a weekday to ride Dunkirk in his allowance victory, will be back in the saddle aboard the promising three-year-old. A $3.7 million Keeneland September yearling, Dunkirk needs to finish either first or second on Saturday in order to secure enough graded earnings for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 2. If he does so, he’ll attempt to become the second straight horse to capture the Run for the Roses off only three career starts. Dunkirk will make his stakes debut in the Florida Derby just like Big Brown did last year.

QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) figures to provide stiff opposition off his
impressive 4 1/4-length victory in the Fountain of Youth S. (G2). Conditioned by
James Jerkens, the Virginia-bred colt received an excellent 110 BRIS Speed
rating when making his stakes debut in the one-turn, one-mile event, and he will
stretch out to two turns for the first time on Saturday. Pletcher entered the
maiden EUROPE (Unbridled’s Song) to apply early pressure to the speedy colt, but
Quality Road showed the ability to relax just off the pace last time. John
Velazquez will retain the mount.

THEREGOESJOJO (Brahms) handed Quality Road his lone career setback when
capturing a seven-furlong allowance at Gulfstream on January 10, and the Kenny
McPeek-trained colt exits a solid runner-up showing to his rival in the Fountain
of Youth. The Kentucky-bred was the only runner to make any impact from off the
pace that day, finishing four lengths clear of third, and Theregoesjojo owns
room for further improvement. Kent Desormeaux will take the reins again.

Grade 2 winner Beethoven (Sky Mesa) will miss the Florida Derby due to a
minor injury, and the rest of the contestants have much to prove. DANGER TO
SOCIETY (Harlan’s Holiday) is the most intriguing of the lot. A debut maiden
winner at Churchill Downs last November, the colt opened this season with a
good-looking, 3 1/2-length allowance tally at nine furlongs on January 8, but he
did not run back to that performance when making his stakes bow in the January
31 Holy Bull S. (G3), checking in seventh as the 9-5 favorite. Danger to Society
was transferred to Richard Dutrow Jr. off that disappointing outing and will
return to the races off a 56-day layoff on Saturday.