The 71st running of the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa brings together a powerful cast of 3-year-olds Saturday at Gulfstream Park, headlined by Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Simplification, Holy Bull Stakes victor White Abarrio, and Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby winner Classic Causeway.

The race has served as a steppingstone to future Kentucky Derby glory for a record 24 3-year-olds who went on to win the run for the roses. In fact, six horses since the turn of the century have won both the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby: Monarchos (2001), Barbaro (2006), Big Brown (2008), Orb (2013), Nyquist (2016), and Always Dreaming (2017). Other notable horses among 15 horses to sweep the two races include Northern Dancer (1964) and Spectacular Bid (1979).

The $1 million, Grade 1 Florida Derby is the featured race on an action-packed 14-race card with 10 stakes, including six graded stakes, worth $2.2 million in purses April 2 at Gulfstream Park. It will be televised on CNBC and has a scheduled post time of 6:38 p.m. ET.

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The 2022 Florida Derby looks like it has the potential to be a terrific, competitive prep race for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, so without further ado let’s take a look at the field for this year’s renewal.

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1. Strike Hard (20-1 morning-line odds)

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: Matthew Williams

Owner: Miracle's International Trading

Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $115,600

Earnings per start: $16,514

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94

Kentucky Derby points: 1

Pedigree: Flashback – Coco's Sweetie, by Tenpins

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: In five races as a 2-year-old, Strike Hard posted a maiden and allowance win and was unplaced in his only start in a stakes race when seventh in the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes in September at Churchill Downs. A runner-up finish to Simplification Jan. 1 in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes served as reason for cautious optimism for Strike Hard and he followed with a respectable fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 12 at Tampa Bay Downs. Both of Strike Hard’s wins have come on this Gulfstream Park main track, but he will need to improve significantly in the Florida Derby to have a chance to reach the winner’s circle. He’s an intriguing longshot with a chance to outrun his odds and fill out the trifecta or superfecta.

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2. Classic Causeway (7-2)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Brian Lynch

Owners: Kentucky West Racing LLC and Clarke M. Cooper

Career record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $511,100

Earnings per start: $102,220

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 104

Kentucky Derby points: 66

Pedigree: Giant's Causeway – Private World, by Thunder Gulch

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This Giant’s Causeway colt won one of three starts as a 2-year-old and finished second in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and third in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity. He followed up on that promising 2-year-old season with two outstanding races to kick off his 3-year-old campaign, winning the $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes by 3 ¾ lengths and the $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby by 2 ½ lengths. With back-to-back 104 Equibase Speed Figures and 66 points toward qualifying for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, Classic Causeway has his spot secure in the run for the roses and probably will vie for favoritism in the Florida Derby. Although he is very effective when setting the pace, he is also versatile enough to rate just in behind the leader should the circumstances dictate. He’s by leading sire Giant’s Causeway out of a multiple stakes-winning mare by 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch, so the 1 1/8 miles of the Florida Derby — and beyond — figure to be well within his scope. Regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. won this race last year with Known Agenda.

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3. Simplification (5-2)

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Antonio Sano

Owner: Tami Bobo

Career record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $411,350

Earnings per start: $68,558

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Kentucky Derby points: 54

Pedigree: Not This Time – Simply Confection, by Candy Ride

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: This Not This Time colt from the family of two-time champion Ashado has been terrific in three starts in 2022. Simplification won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes in January before running second to Florida Derby entrant White Abarrio in the Holy Bull Stakes Feb. 5. He then closed from seventh to post an eye-catching, 3 ½-length victory in the Grade 2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes March 5 at Gulfstream Park, where he has compiled a record of three wins, one second, and one third in five races on the dirt main track. He was well-beaten by White Abarrio in the Holy Bull, finishing 4 ½ lengths behind him, and very likely will need to improve upon his career-best 99 Equibase Speed Figure to turn the tables here and win the Florida Derby. On the plus side, Simplification loves the main track at Gulfstream Park and has the versatility to win setting the pace or rallying from behind. He looks like a serious win contender for trainer Antonio Sano, who finish third in the 2017 Florida Derby with Gunnevera, but with 54 Kentucky Derby qualifying points Simplification simply needs to run reasonably well to move on to the run for the roses. His spot in the starting gate is secure. Jockey Jose Ortiz finished second in the Florida Derby in 2018 on Hofburg and in 2015 on Upstart.

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4. King of Truth (50-1)

Jockey: Jose Morelos

Trainer: Amador Sanchez

Owner: Daniel Alonso

Career record: 6 starts – 1 win – 3 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $38,144

Earnings per start: $6,357

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 83

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Into Mischief – Oatsee, by Unbridled

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: At 50-1 on the morning line, King of Truth is the longest shot in the field and he may start the race at even higher odds given his questionable credentials for this race. His lone win in six starts came in a maiden race at Belterra Park in September 2021; he was claimed by his current connections from his next start in October at Keeneland. The well-bred Into Mischief gelding has run well enough in his two starts in starter-optional claiming races in 2022, but one was a second-place finish in a sprint on a synthetic surface and the other was a runner-up finish going a mile on the grass. It would be very surprising to see a 3-year-old with a career-best 83 Equibase Speed Figure improve by 20 points or so while facing the toughest competition of his life and racing on dirt for the first time since December. Pedigree is one factor in his favor as a son of 2011 Broodmare of the Year Oatsee, the dam of 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford and Grade 1 winner Lady Joanne among five stakes winners.

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5. Pappacap (10-1)

Jockey: Edwin Gonzalez

Trainer: Mark Casse

Owner: Rustlewood Farm

Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $600,000

Earnings per start: $85,714

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Kentucky Derby points: 14

Pedigree: Gun Runner – Pappascat, by Scat Daddy

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: The 2021 TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance runner-up, Pappacap made his anticipated season debut in the Jan. 22 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. He finished third, beaten by three-quarters of a length by Call Me Midnight as the 3-2 favorite. Lecomte runner-up Epicenter subsequently flattered that performance by winning both the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford on Feb. 19 and Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby March 26, but among those he vanquished in the Risen Star was Pappacap. The Gun Runner colt turned in arguably the worst race of his career in the Risen Star when he faded to finish eighth, beaten by 14 ¼ lengths. The 76 Equibase Speed Figure Pappacap earned for the Risen Star was 20 points off the career-best number he earned in the Lecomte, so perhaps this was a case of too much, too soon. He should have no excuses with six weeks between the Risen Star and the Florida Derby, and Pappacap boasts some back class with a pair of runner-up finishes against Grade 1 competition. If you liked Pappacap earlier in the year at 3-2 and 7-2 odds at Fair Grounds, you should get a much better price in the Florida Derby. He has a chance to run well but I’m just not sure he’s fast enough to win for trainer Mark Casse, who finished second in the race in 2021 with Soup and Sandwich and in 2017 with State of Honor.

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo

6. Charge It (7-2)

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Whisper Hill Farm

Career record: 2 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $42,400

Earnings per start: $21,200

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Tapit – I'll Take Charge, by Indian Charlie

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Pacesetter

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Although only a maiden winner, Charge It has been a “buzz” horse in racing circles since January when he finished second by a neck to Volcanic in a fast one-mile race at Gulfstream Park. He then won at the same track and distance by 8 ½ lengths Feb. 12 as the 1-5 favorite, and the bandwagon got considerably more crowded for this colt by leading sire Tapit out of a half-sister (same dam, different sire) to champion Will Take Charge and Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy. Charge It looks fast enough on paper to be competitive with a 103 Equibase Speed Figure, but make no mistake he is wading into much deeper water here compared with his maiden win. This will be a major class test for Charge It, whose trainer, Todd Pletcher, has won this race six times with Scat Daddy (2007), Constitution (2014), Materiality (2015), Always Dreaming (2017), Audible (2018), and Known Agenda (2021). Like Charge It, Constitution and Materiality only had two starts when winning the Florida Derby and Always Dreaming won his edition coming out of an allowance win, so it would be smart to respect Pletcher’s entrant in this spot. Jockey Luis Saez won the Florida Derby in 2019 on Maximum Security.

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7. White Abarrio (3-1)

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.

Owners: C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable

Career record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $240,850

Earnings per start: $60,213

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 102

Kentucky Derby points: 12

Pedigree: Race Day – Catching Diamonds, by Into Mischief

Color: Gray or roan

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: White Abarrio won his first two starts at Gulfstream Park last summer-fall before finishing a distant third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Nov. 27, 2021, at Churchill Downs. He took a significant step forward in his 3-year-old debut, pressing the pace and driving clear to win the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes by 4 ½ lengths and earn a new career-best 102 Equibase Speed Figure. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. opted to bypass the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 5 with White Abarrio in favor of additional rest in advance of the Florida Derby. This Race Day colt should have plenty of gas in the tank for this race as well as the Triple Crown series provided he runs well, but with only 12 qualifying points White Abarrio probably will need at least a top-three finish to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Complicating matters … he spiked a mild fever last week and had a planned workout pushed back a few days. He remains a logical win candidate for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, both seeking their first win in the Florida Derby, but White Abarrio needs to bring his ‘A’ game to this important Kentucky Derby prep race.

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo

8. Cajun's Magic (30-1)

Jockey: Jesus Rios

Trainer: Michael Yates

Owners: Stonehedge

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $240,100

Earnings per start: $40,017

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Cajun Breeze – Mollie's Magic, by Factum

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker/closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Cajun’s Magic profiles as an intriguing longshot contender in the Florida Derby. He was a stakes winner as a 2-year-old who ran his best race of season when second in the 1 1/16-mile FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes Sept. 25, earning a career-best 95 Equibase Speed Figure. The Cajun Breeze gelding returned from 4 ½ months off in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes and was in contention on the far turn but faded in the stretch and finished fifth, 7 ¾ lengths behind White Abarrio. There is a very good chance he needed a race for conditioning after the extended layoff, so we might see a similar scenario where Cajun’s Magic is within striking distance on the final turn of the Florida Derby but has a little more stamina in reserve. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran a much-improved race and found his way into the top three to spice up the exotics, but winning the Florida Derby would be a very tall task for Cajun’s Magic.

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9. O Captain (20-1)           

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Owners: OGMA Investments and Jack Hardin Towell Jr.

Career record: 3 starts – 1 win – 0 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $75,300

Earnings per start: $25,100

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 87

Kentucky Derby points: 10

Pedigree: Carpe Diem – Mama Nadine, by A.P. Indy

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Closer

Notable achievements and interesting facts: Here is another longshot that could surprise in the Florida Derby after outrunning his 87.70-1 odds when third in the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes March 5. The Grade 2, 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth was the Carpe Diem colt’s graded stakes debut and his first start in a race longer than three-quarters of a mile. He has some room to improve in his third start of the year with a little more foundation under the saddle. That’s good, because O Captain probably needs to boost the 86 Equibase Speed Figure he earned in the Fountain of Youth by about 15 points to finish in the top three and maybe 20 points to be a win contender. There is no doubt O Captain has the pedigree to improve with additional distance – he’s by 2015 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Carpe Diem and out of an A.P. Indy mare who was a stakes winner around two turns – and you often see 3-year-olds start to figure things out and grow into their bodies at this time of year. Trainer Gustavo Delgado finished second in the 2016 Florida Derby with Majesto at 21.30-1 odds, so ignore O Captain at your own peril. He is at least worth a closer look for exacta and trifecta tickets.

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10. Clapton (30-1)

Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo

Trainer: Juan Alvarado

Owners: Arindel

Career record: 9 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $125,950

Earnings per start: $13,994

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 87

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Brethren – Alexandra Rylee, by Afleet Alex

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: As with multiple other entrants, Clapton faces a major class test here as he has raced primarily against Florida-breds in his nine starts to date. He won a maiden race in his second start and finished third in the Ocala Stud Juvenile Sprint Stakes last August at Gulfstream Park during a 2-year-old season that saw him post one win, one second, and one third in six races. Clapton has been a bit more consistent in 2022, finishing in the top three in all three of his starts in Florida-bred allowance races at sprint distances. Beaten by 19 ½ lengths in his lone previous try around two turns, however, Clapton faces a daunting challenge in the Florida Derby. He’s 30-1 on the morning-line for good reason… he’s probably just not quite fast enough. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo finished second in this race in 2020 on 80.90-1 longshot Shivaree.

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11. Steal Sunshine (30-1)

Jockey: Leonel Reyes

Trainer: Bobby S. Dibona

Owners: Carrie L. Brogden

Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $35,750

Earnings per start: $8,938

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Kentucky Derby points: 0

Pedigree: Constitution – Warm Sunshine, by Unbridled's Song

Color: Dark bay or brown

Running style: Stalker

Notable achievements and interesting facts: After a disappointing debut on turf, Steal Sunshine has shown improvement and progression on dirt. He overmatched the opposition in a maiden-optional claiming race in December 2022 at Gulfstream, pulling away to win by 10 ½ lengths. Facing better competition, the Constitution colt subsequently finished fifth in a one-mile allowance-optional claiming race in February and then second at 25.80-1 odds in a 1 1/8-mile allowance-optional claiming race in March, when he earned a career-best 95 Equibase Speed Figure. He’s one of several runners entered in the Florida Derby who prefer to relax off the pace and make a sustained rally, but there is not a ton of early speed in the race to set up those tactics unless a speed duel develops between Classic Causeway, Charge It, and White Abarrio. Steal Sunshine would need to run the race of his life from the outside post position to be a factor in deep stretch of the Florida Derby, and the best-case scenario might be a late rally to finish third or fourth.