With the Kentucky Derby prep races in their final few weeks, usracing.com is publishing profiles of the contenders for the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) on Saturday [March 27], a Derby points-qualifier offering 100-40-20-10 points to the first four finishers. Post-position and odds will be updated following Wednesday’s draw.
By Margaret Ransom
Collaborate faces a stiff challenge in his first start against winners after breaking his maiden in his second career outing by a massive yet geared down 12 ½ lengths over this track a month ago.
The son of leading sire Into Mischief also holds the distinction of not having started as a juvenile as he didn’t debut for owners Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing until Feb. 6, but his maiden victory showed his connections he earned the right to roll the dice against more seasoned runners in the Florida Derby (G1).
On Sunday [March 21], Collaborate breezed 5 furlongs in 1:01.18 for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in his final prep for Florida’s signature Kentucky Derby (G1) prep. He went in company with Royal Delta Stakes (G3) winner Queen Nekia, who posted a final time of 1:02.49.
“The first eighth he went off a little slow in :14 and change and picked it up after that,” Joseph said. “He galloped out well for the next eighth after the wire. Overall, I’m very pleased with the work. I’m happy with him.”
Florida Derby Contenders 2021: Collaborate
Post position: TBD
Odds: TBD
Trainer: Saffie Joseph, Jr.
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Owner: Three Chimneys Farm, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds
Age: 3
Career record: 2-1-1-0
Career earnings: $27,400
Top Equibase speed figure: 97
Pedigree: Into Mischief-Quiet Temper, by Quiet American
Color: Bay
Running style: Front-runner
Notes: Colt was purchased for $600,000 by bloodstock agent Mike Ryan at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Yearling Sale in 2019 … Dam Quiet Temper broke her maiden as a juvenile in the Delta Princess Stakes (G3) and was a Grade 2 winner as a 3-year-old … Quiet Temper also has a 2-year-old yet unnamed Gun Runner filly and was bred back to Gun Runner for a 2021 foal.
California native and lifelong horsewoman Margaret Ransom is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program. She got her start in racing working in the publicity departments at Calder Race Course and Hialeah Park, as well as in the racing office at Gulfstream Park in South Florida. She then spent six years in Lexington, KY, at BRISnet.com, where she helped create and develop the company’s popular newsletters: Handicapper’s Edge and Bloodstock Journal.
After returning to California, she served six years as the Southern California news correspondent for BloodHorse, assisted in the publicity department at Santa Anita Park and was a contributor to many other racing publications, including HorsePlayer Magazine and Trainer Magazine. She then spent seven years at HRTV and HRTV.com in various roles as researcher, programming assistant, producer and social media and marketing manager.
She has also walked hots and groomed runners, worked the elite sales in Kentucky for top-class consignors and volunteers for several racehorse retirement organizations, including CARMA.
In 2016, Margaret was the recipient of the prestigious Stanley Bergstein Writing Award, sponsored by Team Valor, and was an Eclipse Award honorable mention for her story, “The Shocking Untold Story of Maria Borell,” which appeared on USRacing.com. The article and subsequent stories helped save 43 abandoned and neglected Thoroughbreds in Kentucky and also helped create a new animal welfare law known as the “Borell Law.”
Margaret’s very first Breeders’ Cup was at Hollywood Park in 1984 and she has attended more than half of the Breeders’ Cups since. She counts Holy Bull and Arrogate as her favorite horses of all time. She lives in Pasadena with her longtime beau, Tony, two Australian Shepherds and one Golden Retriever.
