Clear Skies Forecast for Florida Derby day

At Gulfstream Park today, the outlook is for  a rain chance less than five percent with temperatures in the 80's and the added excitement that the heavy favorite Greatest Honour will bring to the Florida Derby.

First post will be at 11:30 a.m. for a 14-race card, including ten stakes races. The $750,000 Florida Derby (Grade 1) will be the last race, with scheduled post at 6:40 p.m.

Tickets for Florida Derby day are sold out Gulfstream is limiting attendance to about 2,000 because of ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBC Sports Network will have coverage of the Florida Derby between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Tampa Bay Downs and most other pari-mutuels in Florida and other states will have simulcast wagering on the Florida Derby and Gulfstream's other races.

Most Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) services will show and have betting on the Florida Derby and Gulfstream's other races. 

Greatest Honour is among eleven entrants in the Florida Derby, at 1 1/8 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds.

The Shug McGaughey-trained colt is seeking to become the first horse to sweep Gulfstream's three graded  stakes prep races for the Kentucky Derby.

Greatest Honour won this year's Holy Bull (Grade 3) and Fountain of Youth (Grade 2)--both at 1 1/16 miles.

Those victories gave him 60 qualifying points for the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The cutoff point will probably be about 40 points for a spot in the field of 20 horses.

The Florida Derby is final round points qualifying race for the Kentucky Derby. The first four finishers will earn 100, 40, 20 and 10 points respectively.

All of the ten other Florida Derby starters will need to finish second or better to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Starting later this morning and until early evening, our coverage for Florida Derby day will  be almost entirely on this blog.