Outofthebox, runner-up in both the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) and the Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream this winter, will be a short-priced favorite Saturday at Hialeah in the $250,000 Flamingo Stakes (gr. III) at 1 1/8 miles.
Trained by Bernie Flint, Outofthebox will face nine rivals in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prep. The field is also headed by Proud Man, a three-time graded stakes winner on turf, and the well-regarded Thunder Blitz.
Outofthebox, owned by Bertram, Elaine, and Richard Klein, was a closing second to Songandaprayer in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth on Feb. 17 prior to his runner-up effort behind Monarchos in the Florida Derby. The Florida-bred son of Montbrook was second in the What a Pleasure Stakes (gr. III) at Calder in his final race as a 2-year-old last December. Jeremy Beasley, who rode the colt in his first three starts last year, gets the call. Outofthebox has been installed the 8-5 morning-line favorite for the 70th running of the Flamingo.
Proud Man, trained by Harry Benson and owned by Robert Kaufman and Roger and Steven Weiss, is a perfect three-for-three this year, but all of his races have come over the grass. He won the Tropical Park Derby (gr. IIIT) in his 2001 debut at the end of the Calder meet, before rattling off wins in the Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) and Everglades Stakes (gr. IIIT). Another Florida-bred, Proud Man will be ridden by Rene Douglas.
Stronach Stable's Thunder Blitz, a son of Holy Bull trained by Joe Orseno, is winless in three starts this year, but has been facing top company at Gulfstream Park. Edgar Prado has the mount on Thunder Blitz who drew post 5 for Hialeah's signature race for 3-year-olds.
Daniel Borislow's Talk is Money, a $1.8 million sales yearling, drew post 2 for the Flamingo. The son of Deputy Minister seeks to get back on track after running 10th in the Fountain of Youth and eighth in the Florida Derby. Cornelio Velasquez has the mount on the 15-1 morning line shot. Another outside contender, Radial Riley, last in the Florida Derby but a winner of the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream in January, has drawn post 4 and is 10-1 on the morning line.
Post Horse Jockey ML
1 Tour of the Cat A. Cabassa 12-1
2 Talk is Money C. Velasquez 15-1
3 Outofthebox J. Beasley 8-5
4 Radical Riley E. Nunez 10-1
5 Thunder Blitz E. Prado 4-1
6 A.P. Topper A. Toribio 30-1
7 Proud Man R. Douglas 5-1
8 Wild Summer J.Eads 20-1
9 Free of Love J. Santos 8-1
10 Papa M and M J. Ferrer 8-1
