Ice Box ran himself into the picture for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with a solid, rallying victory in the Florida Derby (gr. I) at 11Ú8 miles at Gulfstream Park. Last in the 11-horse field with three furlongs to run, Ice Box got up to win by a nose over Pleasant Prince, with 9-5 favorite Rule finishing third.

Ice Box is owned by Robert V. LaPenta and trained by Nick Zito, a Hall of Famer with two Kentucky Derby winners to his credit. Zito won the 1991 Run for the Roses with Strike the Gold and the 1994 running with Go for Gin.

Zito plans to get Ice Box ready for the May 1 Kentucky Derby off works alone, feeling that the colt should be fit enough because his two other races this year also have been contested at 11Ú8 miles. Ice Box started the year winning an allowance race at Gulfstream before finishing fifth in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at the track.

Strike the Gold and Go for Gin had a race between the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. Strike the Gold, who ran second in the Florida Derby, won the Blue Grass Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland, and Go for Gin, fourth in the Florida Derby, ran second in the Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I) at Aqueduct.

LaPenta sports a classic win but not in the Kentucky Derby. DaÕ Tara, trained by Zito, won the 2008 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), ending the Triple Crown threat of Big Brown.

Ice Box was bred by Kurt ButenhoffÕs Denlea Park. Butenhoff is from Connecticut. Ice Box was raised at the Hancock familyÕs Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky. His second dam, Crown of Sheba, is a half sister to 1985 Kentucky Derby winner and that yearÕs Horse of the Year Spend a Buck.

Ice Box was purchased by LaPenta in the name Whitehorse Stables for $125,000 at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale from Claiborne Farm, agent.

Pulpit, who finished fourth in the 1997 Kentucky Derby, has sired 46 stakes winners, including additional 2010 added-money winners Aurora Lights (gr. III) and On the Cover. Pulpit stands for $60,000 at Claiborne.ÑD.S.