Smooth Air, Face the Cat work for Florida Derby

Smooth Air is preparing for his reappearance in the Florida Derby (Eleanor Gustafson/Horsephotos.com) Hutcheson S. (G2) winner SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) worked seven furlongs in 1:23 3/5 over Gulfstream Park's fast main track on Sunday with exercise rider Jodi Gelb aboard. The Bennie Stutts Jr. trainee is headed for the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on March 29. "I keep saying it. This is the best horse I've ever trained," Stutts enthused. "I've never had a horse work like that. He does things so easily." Smooth Air finished third in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis S. in his first try past seven furlongs on February 16. He was shipped over to Gulfstream Park from Stutts' Calder base with a specific goal. "We had to get him tired," his conditioner explained. "He hasn't run in a month, and he's tired but he worked fast. What more can you ask? He'll get an easy five-eighths next week. That's all he really needs." The bay colt has never raced outside of Florida, and earned his first stakes victory in the Hutcheson. A good run in the Florida Derby could see him shipping on to bigger and better things.

"There's no doubt this horse has the talent to ship all over and win a lot of

money," said Stutts, before dangling a Kentucky hint. "We're of course looking

to do well in the Florida Derby, and if he can win that, you know where we're

going next."

Another hoping to stamp his ticket to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday

in May is FACE THE CAT (Tale of the Cat), who breezed five furlongs in 1:00 2/5

over the fast dirt at Palm Beach Downs on Sunday.

The chestnut colt worked in company with Clark (G2) winner and Donn (G1)

runner-up A. P. ARROW (A.P. Indy), who posted five panels in the same time. A.

P. Arrow is scheduled to ship to Dubai this week for his next engagement in the

$6 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), which will take place the same day as the

Florida Derby.

Face the Cat began his career with trainer Helen Pitts, dropping his career

debut on the turf before easily breaking his maiden in his sophomore debut at

Gulfstream Park next out. Padua Stables purchased an interest in the colt after

he added a four-length allowance win to his line last out, and transferred him

to conditioner Todd Pletcher. David and Marilyn Randal, who bred Face the Cat,

maintain a minority interest in the colt.

"We're very pleased with Face the Cat at this point," Pletcher commented. "He

will have one more breeze before the Florida Derby."

Like Smooth Air, multiple stakes winner WISE ANSWER (Wised Up) shipped to

Gulfstream from Calder for his Sunday work in advance of a March 29 rendezvous.

However, the David Brownlee-trained bay worked six furlongs in 1:22 4/5 on the

firm turf, transversing the Hallandale, Florida, green with the "dogs" well out

in the middle of the course. Also different from his shipping buddy, Wise Answer

is readying for the $150,000 Palm Beach S. (G3) going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

The three-year-old colt, sixth in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs last

out, was making only his second journey to Gulfstream to train on Sunday,

following a March 9 trip that saw him go five furlongs in 1:01 on the main

track.

"When he worked that day (March 9) we were still thinking about the Tampa

race (Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby [G3]), but I don't think he liked the track

when he ran up there (in the Sam Davis)," Brownless candidly admitted. "The

Florida Derby would be a very expensive option with the entry fees.

"We decided the Palm Beach is a nicer spot for him right now," Brownless

continued. "He ran the one time on turf in the Tropical Park Derby (G3), but he

got boxed in and didn't have the best trip. His sire was turf and all the Colony

Lights (dam sire) do well on turf. I think this (Palm Beach) is the way to go.

If he does well (on turf) then we have plenty of options."

Jorge Chavez was aboard Wise Answer for the work, and will get the mount for

the Palm Beach.