2015 Florida Derby Analysis including Pace Figures and Play Recommendations.
The Grade I Florida Derby is run at 9 furlongs at Gulfstream Park, just north of Miami, Florida for a purse of $1mm USD. In its 63rd
year, the Florida Derby is an important race towards the road to the Kentucky Derby as the first and second place finishers are guaranteed a spot in the Derby starting gate on the first Saturday in May. Here is the current
Road to the Derby point standings with the Top 50 Derby eligible horses.
Here are the Pace Figures and Past Performances for the Florida Derby.
Ami's Flatter (8/1)
An improving horse, Ami's Flatter draws the rail and picks up leading jockey Javier Castellano, both considered positives. He ran a closing second in the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby, beaten handily by Carpe Diem who ran one of the better Derby preps this spring, (in our opinion, as he ran a final/4f figure of 77.6.76.6).
His Pace Figures have the looks of a runner who has established a foundation as seen by the tight range of his lifetime final figures from 72.4-74.4. The 74.4/73.3 COMP and 72.4/78.5 NPT positive patterns in his first two career starts followed by consistent final figures with a more compressed 4f figure and tighter dirt spreads, show a runner who is improving.
The Play: Contender – lots to like with positive jockey and post combined with solid figures make for a value play underneath.
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