Added Distance, Deeper Waters for World of Trouble

World of Trouble made an impression with his breathtaking win in the Pasco Stakes Jan. 20 at Tampa Bay Downs where he romped home by 13 3/4 lengths in that seven-furlong race and finished within .12 seconds of the track record.

But as is the case with many 3-year-olds this time of year, the question isn't, "What have you done?" but "What can you do next?" 

Trainer Jason Servis hopes World of Trouble is ready for the latter question March 10 when the freaky fast Kantharos  colt is expected to stretch out to two turns for the first time in the $350,000 Lambolm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

Servis is coming off his best season as a trainer with stable purse earnings of almost $5 million ($4,967,662) and more than 100 wins (112). The former valet and exercise rider amassed those numbers following a pragmatic, no-nonsense approach regarding his horses. Servis admits he may be pushing the envelope in the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby but believes World of Trouble deserves a shot at the distance.

"I think what I'm looking at with World of Trouble is a fast, talented colt who—when all is said and done—will prove to be a top seven-furlong to a mile horse but hey, he loved the track when we ran him in the Pasco, he's doing good right now, and $350,000 is a lot of money," Servis said. "From a business standpoint, it makes sense to give him a shot in the race."

The Pasco win was the first race in more than four months for World of Trouble, a colt Servis admits he didn't initially know a lot about.

"Mr. (Michael) Dubb bought him after his first start, and he stayed with Kathleen (O'Connell, the horse's original trainer) until after he ran in the Affirmed Stakes. Then we sent him to Ocala for some R and R, so I didn't start to spend any time around him until he came back," Servis said. "We had some things we had to fine tune. Then once he started training regularly, you could see he was a bright colt who was picking things up well as we went along."

World of Trouble rolled to a 14-length score in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race Aug. 10 at Gulfstream Park before finishing second in the seven-furlong FTBOA Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes there. Since the Pasco, World of Trouble shows only a three-furlong workout Feb. 25 at Palm Meadows, but Servis said that information is incomplete.

"I'm not sure what it is with the clockers here (at Palm Meadows), but we've breezed this horse several times including some mile works since that last race," Servis said. "It's been those slow breezes where he's indicated that while he's fast, he's not speed crazy. We've been starting him off with a slow half, then he's been coming home in around :52, which is solid over this track. In fact, he worked yesterday (March 5). We've also put him behind horses and gotten some dirt in his face. 

"Of course if he runs his race, the dirt's supposed to be in the faces of those chasing him, but he hasn't seemed fazed by whatever we've thrown at him."

Servis expects his colt will be in front, barring any unforeseen problems at the start. 

"The winner of the Sam Davis went a half in :47 and my colt went a half in :44 and change so you'd figure we'd be in front. We've tried to put a good foundation into him for two turns, and he's the kind of horse that goes fast without seeming to work at it. Do I think he can get the distance? I think so," Servis said. "As I said before, I'm not entertaining thoughts of him being any classic distance type, but coming off that seven furlongs over that track at Tampa I think it sets him up for two turns as well as any race could."

The Servis stable will be well-represented in this weekend's 3-year-old preps. In addition to World of Trouble in the Tampa Bay Derby, Servis plans to run both Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Firenze Fire and Dial Operator, a winner of his first two starts, in the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack Saturday.

"My Rodney Dangerfield runs Saturday" Servis joked, referring to Firenze Fire. "He just doesn't seem to get much respect or notice, but he's a gritty guy who gives you all he's got. Maybe after Saturday folks will think more highly of him. And Dial Operator's two-for-two and is a colt I think's got a future."