Florida Derby

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Sensational allowance winner DUNKIRK (Unbridled’s Song) and Fountain of Youth
S. (G2) romper QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) led a field of nine in Saturday’s
$750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. We backed the latter in his
latest race and he didn’t disappoint, so we see no reason not to side with him
again for Jimmy Jerkens. The lightly raced sophomore began his career with a
superb maiden score in New York and returned to run a troubled second in an
allowance test in his three-year-old debut, prior to his coming out party in the
Fountain of Youth. He has a big tactical edge on his main counterparts in here,
and while we don’t like it when this one draws near the rail, we still feel that he
will have the goods to come through in his two-turn debut beneath John
Velazquez.

Dunkirk didn’t make his debut until late January of this year, but what the
blue blood lacks in seasoning he makes up for in talent. Conditioned by Todd
Pletcher, the gray colt earned a 107 BRIS Speed number for his recent allowance
win over this strip, enduring an especially wide trip before pulling away late
like a serious horse beneath Garrett Gomez, who flew into Florida to ride. The
Kentucky-bred has arguably as much upside as any sophomore in training, and a
repeat of his last makes him an obvious threat.

THEREGOESJOJO (Brahms) put in a spirited rally to finish second in the
Fountain of Youth for Ken McPeek, and the talented colt defeated our top pick
two prior. The bay has improved his BRIS Speed figures in each start this year and
appears to be a logical upset pick to upend the top pair. Kent Desormeaux has
the call.

SINCERO (Repent) outran his odds when third behind Dunkirk last time and will receive blinkers for this test. The Manny Azpurua pupil drilled a
bullet five-eighths in advance of this and has useful tactical speed to begin
with, so if he moves up even a little he’ll be a big exotics threat at a square
price.

DANGER TO SOCIETY (Harlan’s Holiday) flopped as the favorite in the Holy Bull
S. (G3) earlier in the meet and has since been moved to the barn of Richard
Dutrow. The smart sophomore was all the rage when posting an impressive
allowance tally in his debut over this oval and he clearly has ability, but the
top two in here have hinted that they are as good as it gets and this bay might
be a cut below at this stage of the game.

EUROPE (Unbridled’s Song), fourth when making his career debut in a maiden event
last out for Pletcher, has been
entered to ensure that a lively pace exists for his stable mate. A $2.6 million
yearling purchase, the well-bred gray has kept excellent company in the mornings
and could turn out to be a nice one, but the maiden can’t be considered a
serious contender in
this one.

TOBY THE COAL MAN (Mineshaft) has moved up nicely in his last pair with
blinkers removed for Nick Zito, including a gritty maiden victory most recently.
We can envision this one progressing into a useful competitor in time, but this appears
to be too much. STATELY CHARACTER (Pleasant Tap) has run four times at this meeting without a
win, and we’ll let him beat us from the outside post. CASEY’S ON CALL (Gimmeawink) won a six-furlong test over this strip two prior
against claiming foes, and we can’t see him being anything more than a pace
presence.