Held up by Irad Ortiz Jr
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Wathnan Racing's Commandment boosted his Kentucky Derby declares after swooping late to land a thrilling Grade 1 Florida Derby on Saturday night.

Often thought about the most important trial for the 'Run for the Roses', this year's Florida Derby was fiercely contested and Commandment came out on top in a thrilling surface at Gulfstream Park when overhauling The Puma on the line to win by a nose.

The Brad Cox-trained colt won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at the track last month and tuned up for Churchill Downs with a strong staying efficiency under Flavien Prat.

Cox stated: "I believed he took a crack at. At the sixteenth pole, with the ground he was making up, I thought he responded well. My mindset was ready, this is a good race and it's going to set him up for the Derby, win or lose. I'm delighted we came out on the right end."

The last horse to win the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby was Always Dreaming in 2017. The 2019 Florida Derby winner Maximum Security likewise completed the double, but was disqualified from the Kentucky Derby following disturbance.

Commandment is now the 6-1 second preferred for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 behind 9-2 market leader Renegade, who impressed in his trial when sweltering away with the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.

Held up by Irad Ortiz jr, Renegade began to circle the field on the home turn and showed a potent turn of foot to run down Silent Tactic and protect a four-length success.

Like Commandment, the colt is by leading American sire Into Mischief. He is trained by Todd Pletcher - who is now the race's most successful fitness instructor on six wins - for owners Robert and Lawana Low and Mike Repole.

Pletcher said: "I'm super happy. I liked the way he finished. I'm extremely pleased for the Lows and Repoles."

It had actually already been an impactful weekend on the Kentucky Derby front, with the UAE Derby first and second Wonder Dean and Six Speed set to make the trip to Churchill Downs.

Kentucky Derby (Churchill Downs, May 2). bet365: 9-2 Renegade, 6 Commandment, 8 Chief Wallabee, The Puma, 12 Nearly, 16 Class President, Danon Bourbon, Emerging Market, Silent Tactic, 20 bar.

Sprint ace Reve records Takamatsunomiya Kinen

In 2015's QEII Jubilee Stakes runner-up Satono Reve made it back-to-back wins in the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo.

The Japanese sprinter had actually been on his travels since winning the race last year, ending up second to Ka Ying Rising in the Chairman's Sprint Prize before filling the exact same position behind Lazzat at Ascot.

The exceptional seven-year-old completed a in the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama in September before as soon as again losing versus Ka Ying Rising in the Hong Kong Sprint in December, when he was ninth.

He was back to his finest on home grass as he settled towards the rear under Christophe Lemaire before unleashing a powerful turn of foot and slaughtering Win Carnelian, who Red Mon Reve then passed for second.

" I was reminded once again of simply how strong he truly is," Lemaire stated. "He took the bit himself when he became the straight, altered leads, and after that he showed great speed.

" His start was excellent and he had the ability to get the position I wanted. I anticipated the speed to be quickly, so I wasn't worried at all on the middle position. He had the ability to catch his breath at the corner, so he was able to run in his own rhythm."

On Satono Reve's standing, he said: "He's a top-level sprinter and he's attained good results overseas too. He has a great deal of experience. His body is genuinely that of a sprinter. I believe he'll have the ability to attain great results at Group 1 level once again this year."

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