Following a quick half-mile breeze in :47.45 from Classic Causeway at Palm Meadows Training Center March 26, trainer Brian Lynch said the dual stakes-winning colt is likely to start in the April 2 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.
Should he run in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race, his preparations for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, would include a three-race schedule at age 3, all in Florida. The Giant's Causeway colt previously won the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Sam F. Davis Stakes this winter at Tampa Bay Downs.
Lynch had originally leaned toward running in the April 9 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland before ultimately favoring the Florida Derby. Races in early spring in Florida provide more consistent and predictable weather, he said, and the Florida Derby will give the colt an extra week of recovery leading into the Kentucky Derby.
Running in the Florida Derby also means a shorter turnaround into that race.
"It is coming back a little bit quicker than I would really like, in three weeks, but he seems to be thriving down here," he said. "I thought I would let this work be the gauge and it was nice solid work, and his recovery rate was very quick."
He said Classic Causeway rated off a workmate kindly in his Saturday breeze before finishing well and galloping out with energy. Lynch added he "would sleep on it a night" before fully committing the colt to the Florida Derby.
Irad Ortiz Jr. would have the Florida Derby mount, according to the trainer.
"That's another bonus," Lynch said.
If Classic Causeway runs as intended in the Florida Derby, Lynch said the colt would leave Florida April 6, ship into Churchill Downs, and train there for the month leading up to Kentucky Derby.
Classic Causeway is a homebred for owners Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper. He is a winner three of five starts, with his only losses coming last fall when second to Smile Happy in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs and third behind Rattle N Roll in the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.
Charge It , O Captain, Pappacap , Simplification , Shipsational, Steal Sunshine, and White Abarrio are other potential Florida Derby starters. Many had workouts Saturday.
Charge It went a half-mile in :48.30 at Palm Beach Downs; O Captain breezed five furlongs in 1:03.11 at Gulfstream Park; Pappacap went a half in :47 4/5 at Casse Training Center; Simplification breezed five furlongs in :59.91 at Gulfstream; Shipsational worked five furlongs in 1:02 at Tampa Bay Downs; and Steal Sunshine breezed five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.57 at Gulfstream.
