Trainer: Rick Violette
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
The colt crossed the wire in front in the Fountain of Youth Stakes in his last outing on Feb. 21, but the stewards disqualified the son of Flatter for interference in the stretch and awarded the victory to Itsaknockout.
Jockey Jose Ortiz was aboard, and there was plenty of bumping to go around in the stretch, and his mount drifted out late, interfering with Itsaknockout, and despite winning by 2 ¾ lengths, was taken down in a controversial call.
The colt still picked up 20 Derby points and with his 36 total, it is good for seventh place in the points standings, which still likely will be enough to get into the Derby field, and he will have one more opportunity to pick up points before heading to Churchill Downs.
The colt showed plenty of talent as a juvenile, running second in the Champagne and third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He started off his career facing New York breds in his first two starts, breaking his maiden in his debut and then taking the Funny Cide Stakes, both of those efforts coming at Saratoga.
His best career effort came in his three-year-old debut where he won the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park by 5 ½ lengths, earning one of the highest speed figures posted this spring by a Derby contender.
His final prep will come in the Florida Derby on March 28, and with two solid efforts over the main track at Gulfstream Park, he figures to be very tough to beat. He has not missed landing in the money in six career starts, and will likely be a short price in the Florida Derby.
His trainer Rick Violette and jockey Jose Ortiz are mainstays in New York and the colt has the type of pedigree to suggest he can get the 1 ¼ mile distance.
He is by Flatter (A.P. Indy) out of the unraced mare Party Silks, who is by Touch Gold, who could run all day, the winner of the 1997 Belmont Stakes.