Bee Bee Stables and Jacqueline Tortora's Supah Blitz, fourth in the Florida Derby and second in the Fountain of Youth (both gr. I) at Gulfstream earlier this season, may go favored in Saturday's $250,000 Aventura Stakes at the Hallandale Beach oval. Mac Fehsenfeld's Valid Video, winner of the Sunshine Millions Ocala Stud Dash at Gulfstream and the OBS Sprint Stakes in Ocala, figures to be the main rival in the field of nine mostly late starters on the Triple Crown trail. The second running of the Aventura, Gulfstream's latest stepping stone for 3-year-olds, will be contested at 1 1/16 mile. It's combined with two other 3-year-old tests Saturday – the Illinois Derby (gr. II) from Chicago and the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) from Southern California to make up Saturday's NTRA Spring Pick 3, a national wager with Gulfstream Park serving as the hub. Gulfstream will observe a special early post time of 12:30 p.m. (EST) Saturday, with the Aventura Stakes going to the post as the 11th race at 5:10 p.m. The Illinois Derby from Hawthorne Race Course will follow at 5:25 p.m., and the Santa Anita Derby from Santa Anita Park will complete the three-race wager with a 5:45 p.m. post. In the Florida Derby on March 15, Supah Blitz launched a bold bid approaching the stretch but had nothing left in the drive to the wire. Previously, he was second to Trust N Luck in the Fountain of Youth Feb. 15 while no match for the winner. Valid Video came from just off the early pace to capture the OBS Sprint at the Ocala Training Center March 17 by 3 1/2 lengths. Prior to that, he won the Sunshine Millions Dash by a half-length at Gulfstream on Jan. 25. Rosemary Homeister returns in the saddle on Supah Blitz, who drew the outside post, while Cornelio Velasquez is named to handle the reins for the first time on Valid Video, who starts from the 2 post. Facing those two in the Aventura field of nine is White Buck, Roger Velez; Dynever, Edgar Prado; Valenzo, Elvis Trujillo; Massive, Manoel Cruz; Popular Groom, Gary Boulanger; Private City, Chris DeCarlo; and Unbridels King, Eibar Coa.
$250,000 Aventura Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 mile
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. White Buck (FL), Roger I. Velez
2 Valid Video (FL), Cornelio H. Velasquez
3 Dynever (KY), Edgar S. Prado
4 Valenzo (KY), Elvis Trujillo
5 Massive (FL), Manoel R. Cruz
6 Popular Groom (KY), Gary Boulanger
7 Private City (MD), Christopher P. DeCarlo
8 Unbridels King (KY), Eibar Coa
9 Supah Blitz (FL), Rosemary B. Homeister, Jr.
All carry 122 pounds.