Unbridled the Favorite for $500,000 Fla. Derby

HALLANDALE, Fla. —  Unbridled was installed today as the favorite for Saturday’s $500,000 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, and the long shot claimed the rail.

Chuck Streava, official odds maker for the track, didn’t wait for the drawings before making Unbridled, who finished third in the Fountain of Youth stakes, a 5-2 pick.

Ross’s Warning, the long shot at 20-1, drew the rail.

Pat Day will ride Unbridled, which drew the fourth position in the nine-horse field. Slavic was rated second at 3-1 and drew the eighth position; Single Dawn was set at 4-1 and drew the ninth position for the 1 1/8-mile course.

Roanoke was at 6-1 and drew the sixth position, followed by Country Day at 8-1 starting in the fifth position. Run Turn, at 10-1, was at the seventh position and Top Snob, at 12-1, drew the third slot. Late entry Sunny Serve, also at 12-1, claimed the second spot.

Track officials also announced that the Swale Stakes will be moved up to the fifth race because of the interest in several potential contenders in this year’s somewhat muddled 3-year-old field.

The race was originally scheduled to be run 11th, after the Florida Derby.

Gulfstream officials expect a fast track Saturday with warm and breezy weather.

In the Swale Stakes, Summer Squall, on medication after bleeding in a workout a month ago, was installed as a slight favorite at 8-5 with Housebuster at 9-5.

Carl Nafzger, trainer for Unbridled, said he was a little surprised that his horse was picked as a Florida Derby favorite but said: “I don’t get too excited about that.”

He was pleased with the position drawings for his two horses, Unbridled and Top Snob.

“We’re real happy. . . . You don’t want the rail and you don’t want to be too far on the outside,” he said.

Because of injuries and lackluster performances this year for some of the early Kentucky Derby contenders, the Florida Derby and the 3-year-old picture remain filled with question marks.

“To me, the race is wide open,” said Sonny Hine, trainer for Ross’s Warning. “That’s why we’re going to run it.”

Craig Perret, who will be riding Roanoke, said he feels that the best horses this year have yet to have strong showings.

“That’s what makes the Florida Derby a wide-open thing,” he said.