Kentucky Derby Horse Profile: Simplification

Mar 08, 2022 John Mucciolo/TwinSpires.com

Tami Bobo’s Simplification garnered 50 points on the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby challenge series following his convincing 3 1/2-length score in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park on March 5. The Antonio Sano pupil clocked 1 1/16 miles on the fast dirt strip in 1:44.04 with Jose Ortiz in the stirrups.

'I knew he was going to be tough today,' Ortiz said of the winning colt. 'I worked him (Simplification) last week and Antonio had a lot of confidence in him. He broke well. He pulled me into the race. He put me there. At the three-eighths pole, I decided to go wide and follow Emmanuel and he was there for me.'

In Due Time, O Captain, and Emmanuel, rounded out the top four and earned qualifying points on a 20-10-5 basis.

Racing exclusively at Gulfstream Park, Simplification now boasts a lifetime line that reads 6-3-1-1, $411,350. He debuted on October 1 on the All-Weather and finished an even fifth, but he showed marked improvement in his second career outing on the move to the dirt when defeating maiden special weight foes by an impressive 16 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong dash.

A third-place finish followed in a subsequent allowance heat, which preceded a wire-to-wire tally in the Mucho Macho Man S. while making his three-year-old debut. In his most recent outing, the son of Not This Time rallied to be second in the Holy Bull S. (G3).

The winner was bred in the Sunshine State by France and Irwin Weiner, and he was a $50,000 RNA as a weanling at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. He is the first foal produced from the stakes-placed Candy Ride mare Simply Confection. This is the same female line as dual champion Ashado, winner of the 2004 Kentucky Oaks (G1), as well as Grade 1 victor Sunriver.

Simplification has registered Brisnet Speed numbers of 99-92-95 this campaign. He has also posted Late Pace figures of 95-90-94, and he gives the impression of a colt who will handle longer distances going forward. The bay has a fine foundation under him, combined with a pedigree slanted towards distance, and he will be a major factor throughout the spring with continued improvement.

The $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on April 2 is the next likely target for the rising star.