Greatest Honour installed as 6-5 choice for 11-horse Florida Derby

Mar 24, 2021 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Winner of the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) and Holy Bull S. (G3), Greatest Honour will receive his final Kentucky Derby tune-up in Saturday’s $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. The 6-5 morning line favorite will face 10 rivals from post 7.

The 1 1/8-mile race awards 170 points (100-40-20-10 scale) as a major qualifier in the Road to the Kentucky Derby series.

A Courtlandt Farms homebred Tapit colt, Greatest Honour broke his maiden when making his fourth start at Gulfstream Park in late December. He established himself as a top Kentucky Derby contender when following with a 5 3/4-length romp in the Holy Bull a month later, but the bay sophomore didn’t have things so easy in the Fountain of Youth.

Greatest Honour appeared beat on the far turn before kicking it into overdrive in the stretch, rallying boldly to win going away by 1 1/2 lengths. Jose Ortiz retains the mount on the Shug McGaughey trainee.

Grade 2 winner Spielberg comes next on the morning line at 4-1. Last seen finishing second in the Feb. 27 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, the chestnut colt ships in for six-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert, and Javier Castellano picks up the mount.

After posting a scintillating 11-length allowance win in late February, Known Agenda will return to stakes competition for Todd Pletcher. The Grade 2-placed juvenile didn’t fire when opening his three-year-old season as the favorite in the Sam F. Davis S. (G3), but the Curlin colt is eligible to turn things around following a strong showing over the track. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides the 4-1 third choice.  

Collaborate has been pegged at 6-1 following a blistering wire-to-wire performance, defeating maiden foes by a 12 1/2-length margin the second time out in late February. The Saffie Joseph-trained Into Mischief colt will be tested for class with Tyler Gaffalione.

Sam F. Davis runner-up Nova Rags and Fountain of Youth third-placer Papetu are also part of the mix.

Quantum Leap and Soup and Sandwich will step up to face stakes opponents after posting nice wins. Jirafales, Southern Passage, and Sigiloso complete the field.