Held Up By Irad Ortiz Jr
Wathnan Racing's Commandment enhanced his Kentucky Derby declares after diving late to land a thrilling Grade 1 Florida Derby on Saturday night.
Often considered the most integral trial for the 'Run for the Roses', this year's Florida Derby was fiercely contested and Commandment triumphed in a thrilling finish at Gulfstream Park when overhauling The Puma on the line to win by a nose.
The Brad Cox-trained colt won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at the track last month and tuned up for Churchill Downs with a strong staying performance under Flavien Prat.
Cox stated: "I thought he took a crack at. At the sixteenth pole, with the ground he was making up, I thought he responded well. My state of mind was all set, this is a great race and it's going to set him up for the Derby, win or lose. I'm thankful we came out on the ideal end."
The last horse to win the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby was Always Dreaming in 2017. The 2019 Florida Derby winner Maximum Security likewise completed the double, however was disqualified from the Kentucky Derby following disturbance.
Commandment is now the 6-1 second favourite for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 behind 9-2 market leader Renegade, who impressed in his trial when blistering away with the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.
Held up by Irad Ortiz jr, Renegade began to circle the field on the home turn and revealed a potent turn of foot to run down Silent Tactic and protect a four-length victory.
Like Commandment, the colt is by leading American sire Into Mischief. He is trained by Todd Pletcher - who is now the race's most successful fitness instructor on 6 wins - for owners Robert and Lawana Low and Mike Repole.
Pletcher said: "I'm incredibly happy. I liked the method he ended up. I'm very happy for the Lows and Repoles."
It had currently been an impactful weekend on the Kentucky Derby front, with the UAE Derby initially and second Wonder Dean and Six Speed set to make the trip to Churchill Downs.
Kentucky Derby (Churchill Downs, May 2).
bet365: 9-2 Renegade, 6 Commandment, 8 Chief Wallabee, The Puma, 12 Nearly, 16 Class President, Danon Bourbon, Emerging Market, Silent Tactic, 20 bar.
Sprint ace Reve captures Takamatsunomiya Kinen
In 2015's QEII Jubilee Stakes runner-up Satono Reve made it back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo.
The Japanese sprinter had been on his travels considering that winning the race in 2015, completing second to Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman's Sprint Prize before filling the same position behind Lazzat at Ascot.
The admirable seven-year-old ended up a respectable fourth in the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama in September before once again coming up short against Ka Ying Rising in the Hong Kong Sprint in December, when he was ninth.
He was back to his finest on home turf as he settled towards the rear under Christophe Lemaire before unleashing a potent turn of foot and slaughtering Win Carnelian, who Red Mon Reve then passed for second.
" I was advised once again of just how strong he actually is," Lemaire said. "He took the bit himself when he became the straight, changed leads, and after that he revealed great speed.
" His start was good and he had the ability to get the position I wanted. I expected the speed to be quick, so I wasn't worried at all on the middle position. He had the ability to catch his breath at the corner, so he had the ability to run in his own rhythm."
On Satono Reve's standing, he said: "He's a high-level sprinter and he's achieved great outcomes overseas also. He has a lot of experience. His physique is genuinely that of a sprinter. I think he'll be able to achieve great at Group 1 level once again this year."
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