Sovereignty Favored From Outside Alley In Curlin Florida Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Godolphin's Sovereignty (Into Mischief), a smashing winner of the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes on seasonal debut Mar. 1, drew widest in a field of 10 and was made the 8-5 favorite on the morning line for the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 29.

Trained by Bill Mott, looking for his first victory in the Kentucky Derby stepping-stone, Sovereignty is a homebred son of Crowned (Bernardini), whose dam Mushka (Empire Maker) was a Grade II winner of the Demoiselle Stakes as a juvenile and added the GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes for Mott in 2009. Sovereignty is the mount of jockey Junior Alvarado.

Somewhat remarkably, Bob Baffert also lacks a win in the Florida Derby, and the Hall of Famer will try to right that wrong with Madaket Road (Quality Road) next weekend. A $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate, the gray colt is winless in his two outings this season, but ran with credit when third to his Eclipse Award-winning stablemate Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes Feb. 1 ahead of a runner-up effort to Coal Battle (Coal Front) in the GII Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn three weeks later. Madaket Road is the 7-2 second choice on the morning line and will leave from the eight hole.

Disruptor (Gun Runner), a $1.15-million Keeneland September purchase, gets the litmus test for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has saddled the last two winners of this race and seven out of the last 11. Fractionally disappointing when a money-burning third on seven-furlong debut on the Pegasus World Cup undercard Jan. 25, he put it all together last time to graduate by 9 1/4 lengths en route to 'TDN Rising Star' honors. The chestnut is drawn four and is pegged at 7-2 to begin the wagering.

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