Cairo Prince took the money early and often and finished as the even money favorite. Constitution was bet down to the 2nd favorite at 5/2. Wildcat Red and General A Rod continued to get no respect on the tote board!
Solid start to the Florida Derby clean break for everyone and Wildcat Red got a flyer from JR and floated out until the 4th path. Constitution was trapped in third and head strong down the backstretch. Spot ranged up on the outside. The quarter was slow 24 flat for the opening quarter with Wildcat Red and General A Rod on the lead. The half was 48 with Wildcat Red and General A Rod doing their thing.
Wildcat red led them into the stretch with Cairo Prince making a 4 wide move and Constitution opting for the rail. General A Rod made a 3-wide move and with an 1/8th of a mile to run it looked like any one of 4 horses could win the race.
Wildcat Red was a bulldog and took the lead, Constitution opted for the rail down the stretch and steadily wore down the leader down the stretch with a game performance in tight quarters. Wildcat Red keeps on running his race and proved today even with the step up in class
Constitution did break a little slow and was rank trying to go to the lead down the backstretch and tried to get outside of horses a couple of times before setting into stride down the backstretch. Patiently waited until the turn to make his move. A tremendous warm-up for constitution before the race and he really looked on his toes going into the gate. This was a big performance but it was his third lifetime start many horses improve 3rd lifetime start. He was rank for the 3rd straight race.
Cairo Prince was flat off the layoff and ran the wide of all down the backstretch, widest into the turn and widest down the stretch. The long layoff and slow fractions relegated his turn into a stretch run with proven horses coming into the race sharp. With 24 points he will be clearly on the bubble going into the Derby.
General A Rod was 3 wide all the way around and had dead aim on the leaders as they entered the stretch but was out-finished by a game Constitution who traveled less distance and his old nemesis Wildcat Red. Strong effort for the son of Roman Ruler again. General A Rod has been battle tested like few other horses in recent years and will be interesting how he trains in the next few weeks.
The top 4 all could end up in Louisville. Constitution has 100 points, Wildcat Red and General A Rod both have enough points to get in the starting gate. Cairo Prince will be anxiously awaiting the results of the other big races and see who may get taken off the trail in the next couple of weeks.