Florida and Arkansas Derbys; Rich Races Plus Ticket to Roses

Nashua, Needles, Tim Tam, Candy Spots, Northern Dancer, Alydar, Spectacular Bid, Barbaro, Big Brown, White Abarrio.

Those are just some of the greats who have won the Florida Derby (G1), which runs Saturday, March 29 at Gulfstream Park, the last chance for the Florida based three-year-olds to grab some big points for the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Over at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, ARK, the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) will similarly be a final chance for Derby dreamers to bolster their point total or grab some points to get into the field on the first Saturday in May.

Scroll to continue with content

Woodbine’s perennial leading trainer MARK CASSE is quietly excited about SANDMAN’S chances to have a good outing in the Arkansas Derby and take Casse to his ninth Run for the Roses. Oh, and the horse who got Casse closest to a Derby win, Classic Empire, who was fourth in 2017, was coming off a win in the Arkansas Derby.

First up Saturday will be the Florida Derby, which has spawned 15 Kentucky Derby winners. It is Race 14 at Gulfstream, to be run about an hour before the Arkansas Derby at 6:40 p.m.

Godolphin LLC’s SOVEREIGNTY (Into Mischief), who made a strong impression while winning his 2025 debut in the March 1 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2), will seek to solidify his standing as a top contender for the 2025 Derby in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby.

Sovereignty is trained by Bill Mott, who will try and guide the big colt to a first Kentucky Derby win for Godolphin.

Sovereignty has been installed as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 10 three-year-olds assembled for the 1 1/8-mile prep on the Road to the Triple Crown. The Curlin Florida Derby will offer Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the first five finishers, respectively.

Sovereignty has pleased Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott with his preparation for the Curlin Florida Derby.

Unfortunately, Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard the Godolphin star in all four of his races, will not be aboard Saturday after sustaining a fractured shoulder blade in a mishap last Sunday. New York-based Manny Franco will fill in for Alvarado Saturday. Franco, who is currently atop the Aqueduct jockey standings, and Mott have teamed up on a very limited basis in New York.

“I can rarely get him. He’s never been easy to get to ride, but I think he won a couple of Grade 1s for us on Channel Maker,” said Mott, who gave Franco a leg-up for back-to-back victories in the 2020 Sword Dancer (G1) at Saratoga and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont. “He’s done well with the ones he’s ridden for us.”

The son of Into Mischief drew the far outside No. 10 post position for his return in the Curlin Florida Derby.

“If you had given me my druthers, I probably would have picked something inside of that, but we can’t change it,” Mott said.

Going from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles may lessen any post position disadvantage, Mott said.

“It’s a little bit longer race, which seems like it should be a positive for us,” he said. “He’s got a race under his belt after a bit of a layoff. Hopefully, it moves him a step forward.”

There should be plenty of speed for Sovereignty to run at with MADAKET ROAD, who most recently finished second in the Feb. 23 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park in the field for trainer Bob Baffert. The son of Quality Road, who is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan, will make his Gulfstream debut without the blinkers he has worn in the three races following a second-place finish in his Nov. 17 debut in the Bob Hope (G3) at Del Mar.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will seek his record-extending ninth success in the Curlin Florida Derby with DISRUPTOR, who is set to make his stakes debut following an eye-catching maiden score in his second career start. A $1.15 million purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, Disruptor, who was a beaten odds-on favourite in his Jan. 25 debut on the Pegasus World Cup undercard, made a considerably stronger impression in his second start on the Coolmore Fountain of Youth undercard.

Disruptor has very familiar breeding to Canadians and Pletcher. His dam, Margate Gardens, bred by Eugene Melnyk, is a half-sister to graded stakes winner BRIDGETOWN ($993,700) who was trained by Pletcher.

The son of Gun Runner, who is owned by Repole Stable, Spendthrift Farm LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC, Titletown Racing LLC, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Ali Goodrich and Mark Parkinson, drew off to graduate by 9 ¼ lengths in a seven-furlong maiden test.

WinStar Farm LLC, CHC Inc. and Cold Press Racing’s Tappan Street, who finished second in the Feb. 1 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream, returns in the Curlin Florida Derby after bypassing the Coolmore Fountain of Youth.

The son of Into Mischief, a $1 million purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, rallied from off the pace with a four-wide move into the stretch to take the lead in the Holy Bull before being passed late by Burnham Square.

Tappan Street won on debut at Gulfstream Dec. 28 after stalking the pace and kicking in through the stretch to win by 1 ¾ lengths in a seven-furlong maiden event.

Luis Saez has the return mount aboard Tappan Street, who is rated at 5-1 on the morning line.

In the Arkansas Derby, which has a post time of 7:48 p.m. Eastern, SANDMAN, a gorgeous grey colt by Tapit, is owned by the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, D.J. Stables, St Elias Stable and CJ Stables. He won second time out for Casse in a seven furlong race at Saratoga last year and won the Grade 3 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs. This year he was second in the Grade 2 Southwest after a dreadful start and a closing third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes.

“He’s due for a bit of luck,” said Casse on Thursday morning. “We know about his bad start in the Southwest and in the Rebel, I don’t really know how his race in the Rebel was as good as it was.”

Casse noted that early in the Rebel, Sandman lost position and plenty of lengths, soon to be some 15 lengths off the lead.

“He’s going to love the extra distance. I just want him to run well, get some Derby points, and go from there.”

Sandman, whose second dam Music Room is a half-sister to millionaire and multiple Grade 1 winner Music Note, is a direct relative of champion filly It’s in the Air.

The speed in the Arkansas Derby is likely to come from the morning line favourite CORNUCOPIAN (Into Mischief), who has raced just once, winning a six furlong maiden race with a 101 Beyer Figure. Trained by Bob Baffert for some 10 owners, Cornucopian is a half-brother to CCA Oaks (G1) winner Guarana, Fair Grounds Stakes (G3) winner Beatbox and Debutante Stakes winner Magic Dance.

Smarty Jones and Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Coal Battle drew post position 8 and is listed at 7-2 in the morning line, while Southwest (G3) winner Speed King, at 15-1, will break from post position 5.