And You’re Invited!!
We are excited! We have been working really hard and, you’re hearing it here first, we are ready for the big reveal – StableDuel is hosting a $40,000 Florida Derby game at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, April 2!
Here’s what we know: the Florida Derby is one of the last stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. For the noobs – entry in the Kentucky Derby is based on points. Points are awarded to the top four finishers of each race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. There are 36 races on the Road, but not all races have equal point values. The final round of races – the Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, Jeff Ruby Steaks, Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes and Santa Anita Derby – are all worth 100 points, to the winner (40-20-10 points each for the next 3 finishers). The top-20 point earners get entry into the Kentucky Derby.
Points matter! Since inception of the point-based qualifying system in 2013, the Kentucky Derby winner has had 100 or more points every year, other than Country House (2019, 50 points) and Mandaloun (2021, 52 points).
The Florida Derby matters! Since 2013, 3 winners of the Florida Derby have also won the Kentucky Derby – Orb (2013), Nyquist (2016) and Always Dreaming (2017).
So, who needs this race? The short answer is: all of them. A win in the Florida Derby virtually guarantees a position in the starting gate on May 7. The longer answer is that generally horses with a minimum of 40 points qualify for the Kentucky Derby. Currently Florida Derby entrants Classic Causeway (66 points) and Simplification (54 points) both seem secure in their positions. However, Pappacap (14 points), White Abbario (12 points), O Captain (10 points) and Strike Hard (1 point) would all need to finish second or better in order to find themselves competing for the roses.
Here’s how the field shapes up for your StableDuel stables:
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds | Salary |
| Strike Hard | M. Williams | J. Alvarado | 20-1 | $250 |
| Classic Causeway | B. Lynch | I. Ortiz, Jr. | 7-2 | $7,500 |
| Simplification | A. Sano | J. Ortiz | 5-2 | $8,500 |
| King of Truth | A. Sanchez | J. Morelos | 50-1 | Free |
| Pappacap | M. Casse | E. Gonzalez | 10-1 | $1,000 |
| Charge It | T. Pletcher | L. Saez | 7-2 | $7,500 |
| White Abarrio | S. Joseph, Jr. | T. Gaffalione | 3-1 | $8,000 |
| Cajun’s Magic | M. Yates | J. Rios | 30-1 | $50 |
| O Captain | G. Delgado | J. Rosario | 20-1 | $250 |
| Clapton | J. Alvarado | E. Jaramillo | 30-1 | $50 |
| Steal Sunshine | B. Dibona | L. Reyes | 30-1 | $50 |
Tomorrow, we’ll break down the Florida Derby card and see if we can find some value plays!
