Orb caught Itsmyluckyday inside the eighth pole and drew clear to win the Grade 1 Florida Derby by 2 3/4 lengths yesterday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.
Trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by John Velazquez, Orb ran 1 ¹/‚ˆ miles in 1:50.87 and paid $7.80, $3.80 and $3.40 for his fourth straight win. Orb also won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream in February.
Orb entered the race already owning enough points to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. By finishing second, Itsmyluckyday earned 40 points in the points system to also qualify.
Shanghai Bobby, trained by Todd Pletcher, finished fifth. Undefeated as a 2-year-old with a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Shanghai Bobby probably needed to finish at least third to clinch a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
Itsmyluckyday returned $3 and $2.60, and Merit Man paid $8.60 to show.
The Florida Derby was one of six graded stakes races at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
In the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, Dreaming of Julia took command on the far turn and closed in dominating fashion to win by 21 ³/‚„ lengths. The Todd Pletcher-trained filly paid $5.20, $2.60 and $2.20 and covered the 1 ¹/‚ˆ miles in 1:48.97 under Velazquez.
Live Lively, who beat Dreaming of Julia by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes on Feb. 23, finished a distant second.
LOUISIANA DERBY
In New Orleans, Revolutionary made a late surge to hold off a charging Mylute in the 100th running of the $1 million Grade II race at the Fair Grounds.
Revolutionary broke poorly, a familiar trait for the 3-year-old, but Javier Castellano guided the horse to the lead and was seemingly in command. Nevertheless Mylute closed rapidly and midway down the track’s long stretch and appeared on the verge of taking the lead. Castellano coaxed one final burst of energy from Revolutionary and he held on for the win to secure a spit in the Kentucky Derby.
Revolutionary paid $6.80, $4.20 and $3.10. Mylute returned $12.60 and $6.10, and Departing paid $4.40 to show.
DUBAI WORLD CUP
Animal Kingdom pulled away down the straight to win the $10 million race and give Americans their first victory in the world’s richest horse race since 2009.
Royal Delta, ridden by U.S. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, moved out early, trailed by Side Glance and the favorite Hunter’s Light.
But Animal Kingdom, trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Joel Rosario, moved into second and took the lead with 500 meters left. Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, opened up a three-lengths lead and held off a fast-charging Red Cadeaux. Planteur was third.