Commandment, Chief Wallabee Meet Again in Florida Derby

With top-ranked Kentucky Derby (G1) prospects including three who have each raced well in graded stakes at Gulfstream Park this year in Commandment, Chief Wallabee, and Nearly, the March 28 Florida Derby (G1) shapes up as a pivotal and competitive test that figures to have major implications for the first Saturday in May. Trainer Brad Cox will seek to win a second straight Florida Derby with a son of Into Mischief as he has entered Wathnan Racing's Commandment in the $1 million race at Gulfstream. Commandment, bred in Kentucky by Lee Pokoik, is the 5-2 second choice off a hard-fought Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) win Feb. 28, which followed a win in the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream. Cox describes a stout horse that carries a lot of weight, giving him no concerns about a month turnaround. "You can't count a rib on this guy," he said. "We gave him plenty of time after the Mucho Macho Man leading up to the Fountain of Youth, so now we're starting to do a little more with him and he's responded well," he added. The 75th running of the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby offers 200 qualifying points (100-50-25-15-10 schedule) toward the Kentucky Derby, and anchors a 14-race program worth more than $3 million. Historically, the Florida Derby has been one of the most productive preps on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, producing dozens of Triple Crown race wins and continuing to serve as a key launching pad, as seen in 2025 when Cox captured the race with Into Mischief colt Tappan Street. Of course out of that race, it would be runner-up Sovereignty who would become the 26th Florida Derby runner to win the Kentucky Derby, while Tappan Street missed the Triple Crown races after injuring his right front leg in an April 26 work. Despite this year's Fountain of Youth outcome, the nine-horse Florida Derby morning line is led by Michael and Katherine Ball's homebred Chief Wallabee, who is trained by Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado. The son of Constitution boasts the same trainer and jockey as Sovereignty and is the 2-1 favorite off a close runner-up finish in the Fountain of Youth. Hall of Famer Mott still seeks his first Florida Derby victory. He has finished second three times with as many starters. "I never had the horses for it. There are some (trainers) who wake up in the morning, and that's the only thing they think about," said Mott, whose stable was dominated by later-developing runners. "Believe me, we're enthusiastic about it, and maybe more so now than ever. But you've got to have the right horses." Centennial Farms' Nearly, a son of Not This Time trained by eight-time Florida Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and ridden by six-time winner John Velazquez, is the 3-1 third choice. Bred in Florida by Wind Hill Farm, he brings a three-race win streak to the gate, including the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Jan. 31 at Gulfstream. "His races have been super. As expected, this will be the most difficult race he's been in, but at the same time he's handled everything at Gulfstream the way we hoped," Pletcher said. "He handled the stretch-out and is certainly training like you'd like to see one coming into a race like this." Nearly sat out the Fountain of Youth after a busy fall and winter at Gulfstream. "That's what we decided and hopefully it works out. We're pleased with the way he's coming up to it," Pletcher said. "His training has gone extremely well since the Holy Bull. Everything's gone according to plan, knock on wood. He's doing really great." OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, and High Step Racing's The Puma is trained by Gustavo Delgado and ridden by Javier Castellano. The 9-2 contender, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Brian Kahn, exits a Tampa Bay Derby (G3) victory. Delgado and Castellano teamed to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby with Mage, after he finished second in the Florida Derby. Baalbek Corp.'s Wayne's Law, trained by Amador Sanchez and ridden by Marcos Meneses, is a son of 2020 Florida Derby winner Tiz the Law. Wayne's Law was bred by Margaret McFarland in Florida. Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing, and Laurie Plesa's Timeless Victory is trained by Ed Plesa Jr. and ridden by Jose Morelos. The colt, bred by Allied Racing Stable, has two wins on Gulfstream's main track. JC Racing Stable's Gregarious, owned and trained by Jose Castro and ridden by Rajiv Maragh, enters as a maiden and will make just his second start. George Krikorian bred the son of Mo Town. Pin Oak Stud's Albus, trained by Riley Mott and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, is a last-out maiden winner. The son of Yaupon was bred in Kentucky by Susan Casner. Calypso Racing Stables' Redland Rebels is also entered in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park. He was bred by Hickstead Farm.