Hardway Stables' Speak Logistics, third behind subsequent Besilu Stables Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Orb in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), heads a field of eight for the $250,000 Calder Derby April 6 at Calder Casino & Race Course.
The Calder Derby, which is not worth qualifying points on the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), will go as the 11th race on a 12-race opening day program with an approximate post time of 5:25 p.m. EDT.
Winner of the $300,000 In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder in 2012, Speak Logistics began his career last season at Monmouth Park when taking a mid-August maiden special weight for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. before shipping to south Florida for his Stallion Stakes success.
From there, the son of High Cotton concluded his juvenile campaign with a seventh-place performance in the Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). He has made two starts during his sophomore season, adding a fourth in the Sam F. Davis (gr. III) at Tampa Bay Downs to his aforementioned Fountain of Youth placing.
Speak Logistics has drawn post 4 and will be ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo while carrying a 122-pound impost. Kenwood Racing's Michael With Us, a son of Bluegrass Cat who won the March 11 colts and geldings division of the OBS Championship Stakes at Ocala Training Center, carries 122 pounds as well when departing post 6 under jockey Orlando Bocachica for trainer Stephen DiMauro.
Also exiting the Fountain of Youth is Rosa Stephany Taveras' Sr. Quisqueyano, a three-time winner in six starts at Calder as a 2-year-old including a 13 3/4-length victory in the Seacliff Stakes.
Trained by Luis Olivares, Sr. Quisqueyano has had little to show from his last two outings when seventh in the Fountain of Youth and eighth in the Holy Bull (gr. III), but prior to those performances the son of Exclusive Quality finished second to recent Florida Derby runner-up Itsmyluckyday in the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby. He starts from the rail under Carlos Olivero.
After a failed trip to New York to contest the March 2 Gotham Stakes (gr. III), John C. Oxley's Sky Captain returns to Florida to start from post 2 in the Calder Derby. Conditioned by Mark Casse, the son of Sky Mesa crossed the wire second in a Gulfstream allowance optional claimer in late January and was a commanding 10 1/4-length maiden winner at Churchill Downs last year. Five-time local leading rider Luis Saez has been named to ride the colt, who was never a factor when racing 10th in the Gotham.
Other notables include Gilbert G. Campbell's Reporting Star—last seen finishing third on turf in the March 3 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT)—and Shadwell Stable's Elmutahid, a 4 1/4-length maiden winner at Gulfstream two starts ago and most recently ninth for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin in the Fountain of Youth.
Completing the field are Herman Van Den Broeck's Offlee Fast and Rose Family Stable's Joshua's Comprise.
$250,000 Calder Derby (Race 11, approximate post 5:25 p.m. EDT), 3YOS, 1 1/8 miles (dirt)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Sr. Quisqueyano (FL), C. Olivero, 119, L Olivares
2. Sky Captain (KY), L. Saez, 115, M E Casse
3. Reporting Star (FL), E.O. Nunez, 115, K O'Connell
4. Speak Logistics (FL), J. Bravo, 122, E Plesa, Jr.
5. Offlee Fast (KY), J.Z. Santana, 115, R Pellegrini
6. Michael With Us (KY), O. Bocachica, 122, S L DiMauro
7. Joshua's Comprise (FL), J.J. Gonzales, 115, B R Rose
8. Elmutahid (KY), A.O. Solis, 115, K P McLaughlin
Equipment Change: #2, Sky Captain, Blinkers On
