by Mike Curry

The $1-million Florida Derby (G1) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park will bring together several accomplished stakes winners as well as a number of horses attempting to make the jump to stakes company.

The 1 1/8-mile race could become one of this year’s key Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) prep races as the Florida Derby drew a deep, talented field. Among the entrants are the winners of the Sam F. Davis Stakes and Hutcheson Stakes (G2), the runner-up in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), and a Grade 1 winner.

The Florida Derby also will mark the North American debut of dual Peruvian classic winner Tomcito and the stakes debut of multiple three-year-olds who enter the race off head-turning victories in allowance races.

Fierce Wind totes a three-race winning streak into the Florida Derby and enters off a half-length score in the Sam F. Davis Stakes on February 16 at Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Nick Zito. He was purchased by Halsey Minor from previous owner Four Roses Thoroughbreds following the Sam F. Davis win and drilled a bullet four furlongs in :46.80 on Monday at Palm Meadows Training Center.

Smooth Air won the Hutcheson Stakes on January 5 at Gulfstream and will attempt to improve upon a third-place finish in the Sam F. Davis Stakes for trainer Bennie Stutts Jr..

Peruvian standout Tomcito win the 2,000-meter (9.94-furlong) Clasico Ricardo Ortiz de Zevallos (Per-G1) on October 20. The Street Cry (Ire) colt added a second classic win in Peru in the 2,400-meter (11.93-furlong) Derby Nacional (Per-G1) on November 17 and enters the Florida Derby off a four-month layoff.

As a juvenile, Majestic Warrior won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) for trainer Bill Mott. He was sidelined with an injury to his left front hoof following an unplaced finish in the Champagne Stakes (G1) and enters off an unplaced finish in his season debut on March 8 in the Louisiana Derby (G1).

Elysium Fields turned in a strong effort in his stakes debut on February 24 at Gulfstream, where he finished second to Cool Coal Man in the Fountain of Youth.

The Florida Derby contenders who will be making their stakes debut on Saturday are Big Brown, B B Frank, Da’ Tara, Face the Cat, and Hey Byrn, all of whom will try to demonstrate the potential to be considered for this year’s Triple Crown

Big Brown delivered an eye-opening 12 3/4-length romp in a one-mile allowance race on March 5, but must overcome the far outside post position in the 12-horse field. Hey Byrn has won consecutive allowance races at Gulfstream Park by a combined 20 1/2 lengths, and Face the Cat enters the Florida Derby off a four-length victory in a one-mile allowance race at Gulfstream on January 30.

B B Frank enters off clear allowance wins at Gulfstream, and Da’ Tara enters off a third-place finish behind B B Frank. Stakes-placed Nistle’s Crunch posted a two-length win in an allowance race on March 1 at Gulfstream and Grade 3-placed winner Cool Gator will attempt to halt a four-race winless stretch.

Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor

The field, in post-position order, with (sire), jockey, weight, trainer, and odds:

1. Fierce Wind (Dixie Union), Cornelio H. Velasquez, 122, Nicholas P. Zito, 6-to-1;

2. Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz), Manoel R. Cruz, 122, Bennie F. Stutts, Jr., 12-to-1;

3. Da' Tara (Tiznow), Joe Bravo, 122, Nicholas P. Zito, 20-to-1;

4. Tomcito (Street Cry [IRE]), Jorge F. Chavez, 122, Dante Zanelli, Jr., 12-to-1;

5. Cool Gator (Macho Uno), Eddie Castro, 122, Daniel J. Vella, 20-to-1;

6. Nistle's Crunch (Van Nistelrooy), Julien R. Leparoux, 122, Kenneth G. McPeek, 10-to-1;

7. B B Frank (Came Home), Javier Castellano, 122, Amy Tarrant, 20-to-1;

8. Elysium Fields (El Prado [IRE]), Eibar Coa, 122, Barclay Tagg, 4-to-1;

9. Hey Byrn (Put It Back), Jose Lezcano, 122, Edward Plesa, Jr., 5-to-1;

10. Majestic Warrior (A.P. Indy), Rene R. Douglas, 122, William I. Mott, 15-to-1;

11. Face the Cat (Tale of the Cat), John R. Velazquez, 122, Todd A. Pletcher, 8-to-1; and

12. Big Brown (Boundary), Kent J. Desormeaux, 122, Richard E. Dutrow, Jr., 3-to-1.