While Florida's Road to the Kentucky Derby starts Jan. 31 with the Holy Bull Stakes (G3), to the north of Gulfstream Park, the newly minted champion of last year's 2-year-old male division is busy preparing for his 3-year-old debut at the end of next month
Trainer Todd Pletcher said the unbeaten 2-year-old male champion Ted Noffey is training well at Palm Beach Downs and on track to run in the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park for his first start since a season-ending win in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
"He's had two nice breezes since we got him going again. So everything is on schedule for the Fountain of Youth." Pletcher said about Spendthrift Farm's son of Into Mischief . "We didn't expect him to grow much, but he's filled out nicely. He was a pretty good-sized colt as a 2-year-old. With some 2-year-olds, you need them to really physically change and improve at 3, but we were already there with him.
"So far we're happy,"
Ted Noffey breezed 4 furlongs in :50.81 on Jan. 23, and before that, went 3 furlongs in :37.01 on Jan. 16.
While his efforts in the upcoming Kentucky Derby (G1) preps will determine his status as a Triple Crown candidate, he is already in excellent shape in regard to qualifying points for the May 2 Run for the Roses.
A winner of all four of his starts at 2—including a trio of grade 1 wins—he already has 40 qualifying points. He received 30 points for winning the Juvenile at Del Mar and 10 for capturing the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland. Last year, the 18th and final American entrant in the 1 1/4-mile classic had 39 points, and 50 points has been a safe number for wrapping up a spot in the starting gate.
With the Fountain of Youth awarding 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five finishers, crossing the wire fourth or better should assure the colt of a spot in the Kentucky Derby.
The March 28 Florida Derby (G1) would be a likely spot for Ted Noffey's second and final prep for the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher has won the 1 1/8-mile stakes a record eight times, including 2017 with Always Dreaming, who was the last Florida Derby winner to prevail in the opening jewel of the Triple Crown.
Ted Noffey was bred by Aaron and Marie Jones LLC in Kentucky out of the Old Fashioned mare Streak of Luck. He was bought for $650,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at the Keeneland September Sale.
In the Eclipse Award voting, Ted Noffey received 218 of the 220 first-place votes cast.
