Florida Derby Down, Another Derby to Go for Materiality

Materiality edged clear of Upstart to prevail in the Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. (All photos by Eclipse Sportswire)
Approaching the far turn in the $1-million Besilu Stables Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the key Kentucky Derby prep turned into a match race between unbeaten Materiality and a more accomplished opponent in Grade 2 winner Upstart.
The two horses drew steadily away from seven other horses on the turn, and entering the stretch the Florida Derby was up for grabs. Materiality, making only his third career start, fought determinedly from the inside and gradually put away Upstart by 1 ½ lengths to punch his ticket to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby on May 2.
The Florida Derby was an all-or-nothing type of Kentucky Derby prep race for Materiality, who had not competed in a graded stakes race before Saturday and had zero points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.
Trainer Todd Pletcher said the inexperience was a cause for concern, especially when Materiality found himself in a dogfight.
“He's a big, strong colt and he holds his weight really well. He's got a big appetite. He put forth a really good breeze a week ago so we felt like he was showing us all of the right signs,” Pletcher said. “Yet you still worry about those situations when you get to the eighth pole.”
The bay colt by 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex broke alertly and pressed early pacesetter Jack Tripp before taking control on the backstretch.
Make no mistake, Materiality still had plenty of work to do after taking command through a half-mile in :48.24 under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. Upstart moved along his outside flank under Jose Ortiz and the battle was on.
MATERIALITY PULLS CLEAR

The head-to-head showdown turned the Florida into a thriller and also proved how much better the top two horses were compared with the competition. Third-place finisher Ami's Flatter finished 12 ½ lengths behind Upstart in the nine-horse field.
Materiality completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.30 and the $595,200 winner’s share boosted his career bankroll to $656,028.
Trained by Pletcher for owner Alto Racing, Materiality improved to three wins in as many starts.
After not racing at two, Materiality made his career debut in January and won a six-furlong race by 4 ¼ lengths. He entered the Florida Derby off a 5 3/4–length romp in the Islamorada Handicap at the same distance and on the same track as the Florida Derby on March 6.
“You don't see horses win their second start off of one six-furlong maiden win and then go a mile-and-an-eighth in exceptional time,” Pletcher said. “So I think he stamped himself as a very legitimate horse at that point.”
The 100 points for winning the Florida Derby guarantee him a spot in the Kentucky Derby, where he will attempt to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the first jewel of the Triple Crown with no races as a juvenile.
A $400,000 purchase at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training, Materiality is one of five winners from as many starters produced by Grade 2-placed stakes winner Wildwood Flower, by Langfuhr. He is a half-brother (same dam [mother], different sire [father]) to Grade 2 winner My Miss Sophia, runner-up in the 2014 Kentucky Oaks.
Runner-up Upstart also has qualified for the Kentucky Derby with 76 points total for trainer Rick Violette, who said the far outside post position in the Florida Derby hurt his 3-year-old’s chances.
“I don’t want to hear from the guys that say, ‘Don’t worry about the nine hole,’ because it made all the difference,” Violette said. “If we had [Materiality] on our hip the whole way, maybe the result would have been different. [Materiality] beat us fair and square."
As for the Kentucky Derby, Violette said he planned to wait and see how Upstart emerges from the Florida Derby.
“We want to wait and see how he cools out, but if he stays as good as he is, sure.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
MATERIALITY VISITS WINNER'S CIRCLE