Cole Pepper
The Kentucky Derby will have a decidedly Florida feel to the field on Saturday.
In the 151st Run for the Roses, 13 of the 20 horses have Florida ties. Among them are the top five favorites.
Journalism (3-1) is owned in partnership with Ocala-based Bridlewood Farm, where he received early training. Sovereignty (5-1) also participated in the early training program at Bridlewood Farm and finished second at the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. He trains at Payson Park in Indiantown, west of Jupiter.
Sandman (6-1) graduated from the early training program of Tom McCrocklin in Ocala and is now trained by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse of Ocala. The horse was purchased at the Ocala Breeders Sales for $1.2 million and is now owned in part by Florida breeders St. Elias Stables.
A pair of 12-1 picks also have Florida connections. Rodriguez graduated from the early training program at Eddie Woods Stable in Ocala, while Burnham Square received early training at Roy Lerman’s Lambholm South in Ocala and was later trained at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach.
Other Derby horses with Florida ties include:
— Neoequos (30-1): Florida-bred, Florida-owned, and receiving training by Saffie Josephs Jr. in Florida. He is a graduate of the 2023 Ocala Breeders Sales Yearling Sale by Josephs. He received his early training at Susan Montanye’s SBM Training and Sales in Ocala and finished third in the Florida Derby.
— American Promise (30-1): Graduate of the early training program at Rice Family’s Woodside Ranch near Ocala in Fort McCoy.
— Citizen Bull (20-1): Graduate of the early training program at Eddie Woods Stable in Ocala.
— East Avenue (20-1): Graduate of early training program at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala.
— Grande (20-1): Received early training from Karl Keegan’s Lucan Bloodstock based at Oak Ridge Training Center in Morriston.
— Flying Mohawk (30-1): Owned by former Major League Baseball outfielder Jayson Werth in Sarasota.
— Render Judgment (30-1): Received his early training at trainer Ken McPeek’s Silverleaf Hills Training Center in Summerfield.
— Owen Almighty (30-1): Winner of the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.
One other horse without a direct Florida connection has a nod to the state in its name: Admire Daytona is a Japanese horse who has been tabbed as a 30-1 shot to win.
