Florida Derby possible for Top Billing

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Top Billing, third in Saturday's Fountain of Youth Stakes, is a possible starter in next month's $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Top Billing was a late running third as the 2-1 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth as he was making his stakes debut. The colt finished just two lengths behind Wildcat Red and General a Rod.

"The track was playing to speed and those two horses were out there and didn't stop," McGaughey said. "We just didn't get to them, going a mile and a sixteenth with a short run to the pole. I'm never happy when we don't win, but I wasn't disappointed in his effort. We'd like to run in the Florida Derby (March 29), but it's a little early, so we'll just have to wait and see."

Owned by breeders William S. Farish and E. J. Hudson Jr., Top Billing has won two of four starts for $77,000. He is a son of 2007-08 Horse of the Year Curlin.