HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – When the pace didn’t develop the way many expected, Wathnan Racing’s Commandment showed exactly why he belongs at the top of the Kentucky Derby conversation. The Brad Cox trainee overcame a slow early tempo and delivered a relentless late rally to capture the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park, stamping himself as a major player heading into Churchill Downs.
Coming off a narrow victory in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2), Commandment once again showed his determination, grinding out a nose victory over The Puma in the 1 1/8-mile test. The win not only solidified his credentials but also gave Cox back-to-back Florida Derby victories after last year’s success with Tappan Street.
“I’m proud of the horse. He’s a solid horse,” Cox said. “This is a good race and it’s going to set him up for the Derby. Win or lose. I’m glad we came out on the right end.”
This year’s Florida Derby, run as part of a loaded 14-race card, carried major implications on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, awarding points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale. Historically, the race has been a key stepping stone, producing 26 Kentucky Derby winners and 63 total Triple Crown race victories.
From a physical standpoint, Cox continues to emphasize Commandment’s durability and consistency as key strengths heading into the biggest race of his career.
“He’s a big sturdy horse, I’ve said that several times. He takes his races really well and a couple people told me he was the paddock pick,” Cox said. “He’s a big sturdy horse and once again, if he comes out of it in good order, I think it will set him up for five weeks.”
The race itself unfolded with Wayne’s Law setting moderate fractions while Nearly—sent off as the post-time favorite—tracked closer than usual early. That change in running style, combined with a surface that didn’t appear to suit him, ultimately worked against one of the most hyped runners on the Derby trail.
Commandment, the 9-5 second choice, lagged near the back under Flavien Prat and appeared to have plenty of work to do turning for home. Nearly made his move on the far turn and briefly took command, but The Puma quickly countered and surged to the lead at the top of the stretch.
It looked for a moment like The Puma might have stolen it, but Prat had other plans.
Swinging Commandment five-wide into the lane, Prat asked for run, and the colt responded with a steady, determined drive that culminated in a dramatic finish at the wire.
“I was a bit worried because I wasn’t traveling very well the first part. The pace wasn’t very fast, and I was just in the back, and I thought I would be a bit closer. Then I tipped him out turning for home, he swapped leads and from there he gave me a good, solid run,” Prat said.
“I thought I had the bob, but I wasn’t sure,” Prat added. “He’s very workmanlike. He’s straightforward, and he’s a fighter. He showed some guts down the lane.”
Commandment stopped the clock in 1:49.99 for 1 1/8 miles, continuing a strong Championship Meet campaign that has now seen him win three times this season.
Despite the narrow defeat, The Puma exited the race with plenty of credit, backing up his Tampa Bay Derby (G3) victory with another strong effort.
“We thought we had him,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., the son and assistant to The Puma’s trainer, “but other than that, it was really, really what we wanted to see before the [Kentucky] Derby.”
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Chief Wallabee, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, finished third after a ground-saving trip but couldn’t quite deliver the acceleration his connections had hoped for in the stretch.
“The trip was OK. We were saving ground. He tipped him out and he just felt like, as easily as he was traveling, he would probably accelerate a little quicker than what he did. I mean, he came on but maybe not as quick,” Mott said.
“As well as he was traveling on the bridle, when [jockey Junior Alvarado] released him he thought he would probably quicken a little more. But, you know, it’s only his third race and they’ve got to learn to do that. He’s getting more experience, and it wasn’t a bad race. It was a good race.”
Jockey Junior Alvarado shared a similar takeaway after the race, noting that while Chief Wallabee traveled comfortably throughout, he lacked the needed acceleration when it mattered most.
“I had a good trip. To be honest, when I was turning for home I was behind those two horses and I felt like I was very loaded. Once I put him in the clear, he didn’t kick on. He just stayed the same speed. I was hoping the way I got to that point in the bridle, I figured when I ask him he’d give me at least a mild kick, but he didn’t. He just kept the same pace. We needed a little bit of a kick to get the job done. He could feel the horse on the outside and kind of shied a little bit away from him but he’s just a baby. It’s only his third start and all the horses had more experience over him. He has given us what we asked from him,” Alvarado said.
Nearly ultimately faded to fourth after looming a threat on the turn, a disappointing result for the favorite but one that may come with some built-in excuses given the conditions and race shape.
“Maybe he (Nearly) needed this to make him move forward,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We’ll see. We’ve got time to see how he comes out of it, train here a little bit, survey the complexion of everything. He [Velazquez] felt like he didn’t handle the track the way it was today, the way he handled it previously. He felt like he was sort of just spinning his wheels a little bit. He didn’t run bad. He just didn’t run as well as he’s capable of.”
“We got a good position,” jockey John Velazquez said. “The track was playing pretty slow. The track was against us today. I might have had him (Nearly) a little too tight. The track was not in our favor. His style before, he was off the pace. Now he was a little too keen, and the way the track was playing, it was not the way you wanted to be there.”
Wayne’s Law and Timeless Victory completed the order of finish.
