Hidden Scroll Faces Acid Test in Florida Derby
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Photo: Dana Wimpfheimer
Hidden Scroll and his hotwalker at Gulfstream Park
The third time is usually the charm, but for Juddmonte Farms' Hidden Scroll, it should be defining.
It was Jan. 26 that the homebred 3-year-old son of Hard Spun made his career debut and registered an eye-popping 14-length maiden win in 1:34.82 for a mile over a sloppy racetrack on Pegasus World Cup Day at Gulfstream Park, no less.
Immediately, there was intense debate about whether the victory was a result of the wet track or immense talent. When he returned to the races March 2, Hidden Scroll took a huge jump in class and faced a collection of Florida's best 3-year-olds in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), which only steered the debate in a different direction.
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Hidden Scroll and jockey Joel Rosario motored on the front end through demanding fractions of :22.80, :45.69, and 1:10.42 while being pushed by 132-1 shot Gladiator King until the eighth pole. Then, in the final furlong of the 1 1/6-mile test, he faded to fourth, igniting arguments that ranged from a) the horse was too headstrong, to b) too much was asked of him too soon to, c) some satisfaction in the performance given the brutal fractions.
Whether it was a, b, or c—or even some combination of the three—there's little doubt Hidden Scroll has been the year's most heavily scrutinized 3-year-old, and the microscope will be out once again March 30 when his status as a candidate for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) will be determined as he faces 10 rivals in the $1 million Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
"We're not doubting the horse's talent," said Garrett O'Rourke, general manager for Juddmonte Farms. "What he showed on Day One is what we are seeing in the mornings as well. Whether it's going long that suits him best is what we are going to find out."
A stakes that has produced a record 24 Kentucky Derby winners, the Florida Derby could add some clarity to the Triple Crown outlook through the presence of not only Hidden Scroll but Code of Honor and Bourbon War, who ran 1-2, respectively, in the Fountain of Youth, plus Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull Stakes (G2) winner Harvey Wallbanger and Maximum Security, who will be making his stakes debut.
"It's a very challenging race, and that's why Florida is such a popular place to train. Your horse gets tested," said Michael McMahon of Bourbon Lane Stable, a co-owner of Bourbon War, who in his 3-year-old debut defeated Sunland Park Derby (G3) winner Cutting Humor in a Jan. 18 allowance race at Gulfstream Park. "There's a lot of question marks in the other areas of the country."
While Code of Honor and Bourbon War would usually be the centers of attention for at least one more time—and maybe more, depending on what happens Saturday—the buzz involves the horse that finished about two lengths behind them this month, Hidden Scroll.
The pace scenario in the Fountain of Youth took on a different complexion when Gladiator King won the six-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (G3) by four lengths March 23 at Gulfstream Park, and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has focused on getting Hidden Scroll to rate off horses in recent works. Blending all of that fuels O'Rourke's hope that a more relaxed Hidden Scroll will be able to handle his first swing at the 1 1/8-mile distance.
"The Fountain of Youth was the horse's second start, and whether the horse can or cannot lay back off the pace, he does have natural speed, and Joel probably thought that nothing can live with this horse (on the front end)," O'Rourke said. "Well, last weekend, after the Hutcheson, we found out the caliber of horse he was trying to outrun early. That's all behind us now, and we'll move on.
"In the colt's works since then, Bill has been trying to teach him to sit behind horses, and from what I've seen he has no problem (doing it). It shows he won't be a one-dimensional horse, and that gives a jockey a little more knowledge going into a race and, obviously, more options while in the race."
Although Rosario, who is also the regular rider of 2-year-old champion Game Winner, was aboard for Hidden Scroll's two starts, he will be replaced by Javier Castellano in Saturday's race.
Out of the Empire Maker mare Sheba Queen, the 5-2 morning-line favorite will break from the rail and enter the race likely needing a top-two finish to secure a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Hidden Scroll has just five points on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, and if he exits the Florida Derby with 25 or less—there are 100-40-20-10 points up for grabs to the top four finishers Saturday—it may prompt his connections to target a lesser objective than the 1 1/4-mile opening leg of the Triple Crown.
"Given the horse's inexperience, there's no point pushing him. It wouldn't be the right thing to do," O'Rourke said. "The hope is that he shows his talent and runs (first or second), but if it doesn't happen—outside of really, really bad luck—it's probably a sign that the horse is not ready for a big step forward (like the Kentucky Derby), and we'll listen to the horse."
Points are hardly a concern for William S. Farish's Code of Honor, who has 54 and is assured of a spot in the Run for the Roses. At morning-line odds of 3-1, Code of Honor will break from post 9 in a bid for back-to-back graded stakes wins at Gulfstream.
"He got a nice race in him (in the Fountain of Youth), he has trained nicely at Payson Park since then, and I like the way he has looked and acted since then. It will be interesting to see how he runs Saturday," said Shug McGaughey, who trains the son of Noble Mission . "I wouldn't trade places with any of the horses that are in there. Hidden Scroll's obviously a talented horse, but he couldn't carry his speed going a mile and a sixteenth in the Fountain of Youth, and I think the mile and an eighth will help us."
Bourbon Lane Stable and Lake Star Stable's Bourbon War, who closed strongly in the final furlong and finished just three-quarters of a length behind Code of Honor, also figures to thrive with the added distance. Priced at 7-2 on the morning line, he landed post 4.
"He would have gotten up with a few more jumps in the Fountain of Youth," trainer Mark Hennig said about Bourbon War, who has 21 points and is 18th on the leaderboard in the scramble for 18-20 spots on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (depending on the status of European and Japanese entrants).
"But Saturday is a different day, and you have to do it all over again," he added. "It's hard to say where we fit in on a national scale, but we seem to fit in with the local contingent. You look around and there's been at least somewhat of an upset in a lot of these preps, and you don't know if this is a group where a few will stand out. But right now it's very wide open. (We're) waiting for someone to step up and become the leader. Time will tell you the truth about these horses."
Harvey Wallbanger—owned by Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, Scott Akman, and Paul Braverman—has not raced since Feb. 2 when he posted a one-length win at 29-1 odds in the Holy Bull for trainer Ken McPeek and also figures to be a factor in the final furlong. He will break from post 3.
The most intriguing horse in the field may be Gary and Mary West's Maximum Security, who started his career in a $16,000 maiden claimer but is now 3-for-3 with a combined winning margin of 34 1/2 lengths. Aside from being Maximum Security's stakes debut, the Florida Derby will serve as the first start beyond seven furlongs for the speedy homebred son of New Year's Day.
Grade 3 winner Current will be trainer Todd Pletcher's hope for a record-extending sixth Florida Derby victory.
The Florida Derby can be seen live on NBCSN during a 6-7 p.m. ET telecast.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 30, 2019, Race 14Entries: Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Hidden Scroll (KY)
Javier Castellano
122
William I. Mott
5/2
2
2Current (KY)
Manuel Franco
122
Todd A. Pletcher
15/1
3
3Harvey Wallbanger (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
122
Kenneth G. McPeek
15/1
4
4Bourbon War (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Mark A. Hennig
7/2
5
5Everfast (KY)
Chris Landeros
122
Dale L. Romans
20/1
6
6Hard Belle (KY)
Jose A. Batista
122
Jaime Mejia
50/1
7
7Maximum Security (KY)
Luis Saez
122
Jason Servis
9/2
8
8Bodexpress (KY)
Nik Juarez
122
Gustavo Delgado
30/1
9
9Code of Honor (KY)
John R. Velazquez
122
Claude R. McGaughey III
3/1
10
10Union's Destiny (KY)
Leonel Reyes
122
Juan Carlos Avila
30/1
11
11Garter and Tie (FL)
Jeffrey Sanchez
122
Ralph E. Nicks
15/1
