Florida Derby Notes: Always Dreaming Has Pletcher Florida Derby History on his Side

By David Joseph —-

Always Dreaming ;All Photos Provided by Lauren King

Always Dreaming Has Pletcher Florida Derby History on his Side
Impressive Edge Steps Up, Stretches Out for Florida Derby
Improving Jordan’s Henny Sharp for G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Always Dreaming is scheduled to make the giant leap from entry-level allowance company to Grade 1 competition in Saturday’s $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Despite the significant move up the class ladder, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt undoubtedly will be taken seriously by the competition, as well as the bettors.

Always Dreaming, who captured a 1 1/8-mile allowance at Gulfstream last time out, has Pletcher’s history for Florida Derby success with lightly experienced colts on his side.

“Materiality and Constitution come to mind,” Pletcher said of his two most recent Florida Derby success stories. “We’re really, really pleased with how [Always Dreaming] is doing and having won at a mile and an eighth over the track is also encouraging. We’re excited about the way he’s doing and the way he’s training and coming up to the race.”

Actually, Always Dreaming holds an edge in seasoning over Materiality and Constitution, who had run only twice prior to running in and winning the Florida Derby in 2015 and 2014, respectively. The son of Bodemeister ran twice as a 2-year-old before capturing a maiden event at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 28 by 11 ½ lengths and registering a commanding decision at Gulfstream March 4.

“We considered and thought enough of the way he was training and doing to run in the Fountain of Youth, but we just felt like continuing to bring him along methodically was the correct approach and he seems to be responding by training exceptionally well,” said Pletcher, who also experienced success in the Florida Derby with Scat Daddy (2012). “We’ll hope he continues to do that.”

Owned by MeB Racing Stables, Viola Racing Stables, St. Elias Stables and Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Always Dreaming is rated third in the morning-line behind Gunnevera, the 9-5 favorite, and the Pletcher-trained Battalion Runner, who is rated at 3-1 but is unlikely to run

Should Battalion Runner run, he would also make the jump from allowance to Grade 1 company in his fourth career start. The son of Unbridled’s Song has won twice during the Championship Meet after finishing second in his debut at Belmont last June.

Impressive Edge Steps Up, Stretches Out for Florida Derby

N and K Racing’s Impressive Edge, already a two-time winner at the Championship Meet, will face a test of class and distance when he makes his sixth career start and first in a Grade 1 in Saturday’s Florida Derby.

A sophomore son of 2002 Florida Derby and 2003 Donn Handicap (G1) winner Harlan’s Holiday, Impressive Edge earned a shot at South Florida’s biggest Triple Crown prep following an eight-length romp in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance March 4.

He broke his maiden at Gulfstream in his 3-year-old debut Jan. 15, his first start for trainer Dale Romans and first race in 5 ½ months, then was a troubled fourth in the Swale (G2) Feb. 4 in his stakes debut.

The 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby will be Impressive Edge’s first start beyond seven furlongs and first around two turns.

“He trains like a really good horse. He’s very athletic, light and easy on himself,” Romans said. “He’s smart, and there’s no reason to think he can’t get the distance.

“He’s always trained well, and he ran big in his maiden race,” he added. “The Swale, if you watch it, when he gets checked it’s kind of over. But, the next race, when he was left alone with a free run, he ran a big race.”

Impressive Edge drew Post 8 in the field of 11 3-year-olds and was made 12-1 on the morning line. Corey Lanerie, aboard for the first time in his most recent start, gets a return call.

“We didn’t pick him up until the end of last year. Steve [Asmussen] had him and he came to me in good shape; the people wanted to run him in Florida,” Romans said. “This year, the way things are going in all different directions, if you’ve got a good 3-year-old that’s training well you better try him and see if he belongs.”

Improving Jordan’s Henny Sharp for G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks

Narrowly beaten by multiple graded-stakes winner Miss Sky Warrior last time out, E. Ervine Woolsey and Ralph Kinder’s Jordan’s Henny looks to build on her solid sophomore debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).

The gray or roan daughter of Grade 1-winning sprinter Henny Hughes was making her first start in nearly three months in the one-mile Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream March 4.

In that race, the Michael Tomlinson-trained filly forged a short lead after running a half-mile in 46.60 seconds. She pressed the lead thereafter but could not hold off Miss Sky Warrior, finishing a neck ahead of Summer Luck, who also returns in the Oaks.

Jordan’s Henny capped her juvenile campaign with a three-quarter-length victory in a one-mile maiden special weight Dec. 18 at Gulfstream, her seventh career start.

“She showed a lot and stepped up. The competition was a lot different from a maiden race to that race,” Tomlinson said. “She is doing exceptionally well. She’s holding her weight and might even be gaining a pound or two and just training right along doing it.”

Tomlinson gave Jordan’s Henny one work since the Davona Dale, a sharp five-furlong breeze in 1:00.55 March 25, second-fastest of 24 horses at the distance. She was slated to school in Gulfstream’s paddock and walking ring during Thursday’s seventh race.

“That was her first race off of a two-month break. She [worked] a nice, solid five-eighths on Saturday. Fitness-wise we should be on top of her game. She’s had plenty of recuperative time in between and should move forward off of that last race.”

The Davona Dale will be the third try in stakes company for Jordan’s Henny, who rran fifth in the Pocahontas (G2) last fall in her third career outing. Since then, she hasn’t been worse than third in five starts.

In the Davona Dale, Jordan’s Henny drew Post 5 in the nine-horse field and will have the services of jockey Corey Lanerie, aboard for the first time in the Davona Dale.

“The filly was a little bit slow to mature and come around mentally. She’s always had the ability, we felt like, and that’s the reason we kept her in the maiden special weight ranks,” Tomlinson said. “She has had some tough luck a time or two and had a bad trip, but then there’s been a couple times where we hooked some nice fillies, too.

“Knock on wood, she’s never taken a bad step,” he added. “She’s been an unusual filly as far as precociousness and be able to stand the rigors of training and racing as a 2-year-old.”

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.