Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 18, 1990 TAG: 9003182361
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HALLANDALE, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
Ridden by Pat Day, the winning thoroughbred duplicated his strong stretch run of March 3, when he finished third in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. This time he won going away, beating Slavic in 1:52 over 1[ miles, the slowest winning time for the race since 1955 when Nashua ran 1:53.
A neck back in third was Run Turn. Top Snob was another length back in fourth.
The nine-horse field had no horses coming off a victory and was considered not up to the usual quality of this traditional Kentucky Derby prep race. The Florida Derby has produced 14 Kentucky Derby winners.
This year's 3-year-old picture has been muddled because of health problems for leading horses and inconsistent showings by others.
Among those not entered were 2-year-old champion Rhythm, who is recovering from throat surgery; Grand Canyon, out with a knee injury; and Red Ransom, recovering from with a torn tendon sheath.
Mister Frisky, a highly regarded contender, is in California and will run April 7 in the Santa Anita Derby.
Sunny Serve and Run Turn set the slow pace, running nose-to-nose the first half mile, then Run Turn took the lead.
Roanoke stayed near the leaders and moved up at the head of the stretch, but was bothered when Unbridled moved through the pack. Unbridled and Slavic took the lead and Unbridled gained command in the final eighth of a mile, pulling away from Slavic.
Slavic outran the others after his disappointing sixth place finish in heavy traffic at the Fountain of Youth.
Day took his first Florida Derby victory, after being criticized for running second with Red Ransom in an allowance race on March 3, then riding Unbridled in the Fountain of Youth.
Unbridled paid $7, $3.60 and $3.20 to backers in the crowd of 28,470. Slavic paid $3.60 and $3.40, and Run Turn returned $4.80.
Keywords:
HORSE RACING
by CNB