Brethren seeks to remain unbeaten in Tampa Bay Derby

Brethren will attempt to win the Tampa Bay Derby, a victory that eluded brother Super Saver last year (Tom Cooley Photography) Juvenile colt champion Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) was entered in Saturday's $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) as a precaution in case the Timely Writer S. at Gulfstream Park failed to draw sufficient entries, but it now appears Uncle Mo will be staying closer to his South Florida base while stablemate BRETHREN (Distorted Humor) will fly the flag for the Todd Pletcher barn in the 1 1/16-mile test at Tampa Bay Downs. Elevated to a Grade 2 event this year, the Tampa Bay Derby has seen its significance as a classic prep rise in recent years, especially since Gulfstream Park was reconfigured from a one-mile course to 1 1/8 miles in the middle of the last decade. The Tampa Bay Derby has yielded two Kentucky Derby (G1) winners in recent years, Street Sense in 2007 and Super Saver, a half-brother to Brethren, in 2010. Like his noted half-sibling, Brethren is a homebred campaigned by WinStar Farm. He enters the Tampa Bay Derby undefeated from three outings, including a four-length demolition of nine rivals in last month's Sam F. Davis S. (G3) over the Tampa Bay Derby course and distance. The odds-on favorite in the Davis, Brethren had little trouble overcoming the widest post in a field of 10. Tracking in second to the far turn, Brethren launched his bid and had little trouble extending his lead to the wire under Ramon Dominguez, who will become the first jockey to ride Brethren in consecutive races.

Presuming no other defections other than Uncle Mo, Brethren would

face eight others in the Tampa Bay Derby. Regardless of the number of

actual participants. Brethren drew the widest post again Saturday and

will seek to avoid a wide trip around the clubhouse turn.

Three colts who passed the wire after Brethren in the Davis -- TOO EXPERIENCE

(Drewman), WATCH ME GO (West Acre) and BEAMER (Vindication) -- all return in the

hope of making amends in the Tampa Bay Derby. With the exception of Watch Me Go,

who rated in mid-pack, the other two attempted to rally from far back while

chasing a moderate pace. Too Experience did the better of the trio, finishing a

length clear in second, but only 1 1/2 lengths separated the three at the wire.

Making their stakes debuts in the Tampa Bay Derby are the Juddmonte Farms

homebred STRIDING AHEAD (Empire Maker) and two-time winner FREE ENTRY (Tale of

the Cat). A course-and-distance maiden winner by 6 3/4 lengths on February 5,

Striding Ahead is trained by Bill Mott and hails from the family of Blue Grass

S. (G1) winner Bandini and noted sire Stormy Atlantic. Striding Ahead's fourth

dam was 1965 juvenile filly champion Moccasin, who was also named Horse of the

Year by the Thoroughbred Racing Association.

Free Entry, meanwhile, is undefeated in two starts this season for Chad

Brown. Fourth behind Uncle Mo in his Saratoga debut last summer, Free Entry

captured a six-furlong maiden in January and a one-mile allowance the following

month, both at Gulfstream.

The remainder of the Tampa Bay Derby field is composed of ECONOMIC SUMMIT

(Malibu Moon), a Belmont maiden winner unraced since trailing the Nashua S. (G2)

in November, and local prospects CRIMSON KNIGHT (Leroidesanimeaux [Brz]) and

MOONHANGER (Malibu Moon).

PLUCK (More Than Ready), impressive winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf

(G2) in November after making a sustained bid from near the back of the field,

was entered in a $30,000 open allowance scheduled as the

7TH race at

one mile on the turf. He was also cross-entered in Saturday's Palm Beach S. (G3)

at Gulfstream, but has been confirmed for the Tampa allowance.

The Team Valor colorbearer stumbled badly at the start of the Juvenile Turf

and averted near disaster when a rival slipped and fell in front of him entering

the first turn. As much as 14 lengths down at one point, Pluck turned in an

explosive rally to win going away by a length over subsequent Fountain of Youth

S. (G2) winner Soldat (War Front).

Also winner last season of the Summer S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine, Pluck will

make his debut on Saturday for trainer Graham Motion, who took over training

duties from Pletcher over the winter. An overseas trip to either the French Two

Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1) or Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) is being

considered for Pluck, who could have his final tune-up for either classic in the

April 8 Transylvania S. (G3) at Keeneland.

Keertana will seek a fourth Grade 3 score in the Hillsborough (Melissa Wirth/Horsephotos.com) A solid field of nine fillies and mares will contest the $150,000 Hillsborough S. (G3) at about 1 1/8 miles on the turf. KEERTANA (Johar), who dead-heated for the win in a January 23 Tampa Bay allowance, will cut back from 1 3/8 miles after posting a half-length score in The Very One S. (G3) at Gulfstream. The multiple Grade 3 vixen was a narrowly beaten third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) to conclude her 2010 campaign. ZAGORA (Fr) (Green Tune), a multiple Group 3 winner in her native France, will make her second stateside appearance in the Hillsborough. The chestnut made up nearly 12 lengths to nab second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland in October, and will make her first start since joining the Brown stable. Invading from the Miami area are ASKBUT I WON'TTELL (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) and CHEROKEE QUEEN (Cherokee Run). Askbut I Won'ttell has strung together three big efforts in recent months, winning the Cardinal H. (G3) and My Charmer H. (G3) before finishing second in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf last time. Cherokee Queen notched her first graded win last out in the Suwannee River S. (G3), winning by two lengths for Marty Wolfson.

Others of note here are Grade 3 winner and Suwannee River fourth IT'S TEA

TIME (Dynaformer), Endeavour S. (G3) third DENOMINATION (Smart Strike), and the

multiple Grade 2-placed GENERAL CONSENSUS (Giant's Causeway).

Saturday's 12-race program also features the $75,000

Suncoast S.,

which has supplanted the Florida Oaks as the meet's top test for three-year-old

fillies on dirt. Mazarine S. (Can-G3) winner WYOMIA (Vindication), sixth in the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2) when last seen, will make her seasonal

and dirt debut but could be overshadowed in the wagering by a pair of sharp

Gulfstream maiden winners, MISS SMARTY PANTS (Smarty Jones) and ROYAL DELTA

(Empire Maker). Also expected to take plenty of betting action is DEVILISH LADY

(Sweetsouthernsaint), who captured the Sandpiper S. and Gasparilla S. earlier in

the meet before a sixth in the Forward Gal S. (G2).

Also in the lineup are the Grade 3-placed Florida Oaks third NIJI'S GRAND

GIRL (Candy Ride [Arg]) and stakes winners HER SMILE (Include), THIRD CHANCE (Kafwain)

and BLUE EYED SWEETIE (West Acre).