Hallandale, FL (Sports Network) - Read The Footnotes, winner of
the Fountain of Youth Stakes, tops a field of 10 three-year-olds entered
in Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
Read The Footnotes will be ridden by Jerry Bailey and start from post
three. Installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite, the colt is owned by
Klaravich Stables and trained by Richard Violette. Read The Footnotes
has won five of six career starts for $390,660.
The second choice in the program at 3-1 is Value Plus. The gray colt will
break from post eight with John Velazquez in the saddle. Value Plus will
be making just his second start this year after winning an allowance race
at Gulfstream in February. The three-year-old is owned by Aaron and
Marie Jones, and is trained by Todd Pletcher.
The highly regarded and lightly raced Tapit is the 5-1 third choice. Tapit
will make his 2004 debut in the Florida Derby for Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Trained by Mike Dickinson, Tapit will be ridden by Edgar Prado and start
from post four. Last year the gray colt won both starts including the
Laurel Futurity.
The Cliff's Edge, the defeated favorite in the Sam F. Davis Stakes, will
break from the inside post. Regular rider Shane Sellers will once again
have the mount for owner Robert La Penta and trainer Nick Zito.
Completing the field for the 1 1/8 mile race are Friends Lake, Farnum
Alley, Sir Oscar, Notorious Rogue, Frisky Spider and Smoocher.
