With the morning-line favorite in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby (G1) and the third choice in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1), trainer Todd Pletcher is well positioned to add to his success in two of the biggest prep races for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
When Pletcher sends out Centennial Farms' Nearly in the Florida Derby and Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low's Renegade in the Arkansas Derby, he'll be looking to sweep those two races for the third time overall and first time since 2018.
With the Florida Derby scheduled for 6:42 p.m. ET as the final race March 28 at Gulfstream Park and the Arkansas Derby scheduled to go at 7:48 p.m. ET at Oaklawn Park, the Racing Hall of Fame trainer is hoping for a big couple of hours Saturday.
Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner Nearly is 3-1 on the morning line for his grade 1 debut Saturday in the Florida Derby. Nearly has breezed six times since his 5 3/4-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Jan. 31 at Gulfstream, as the son of Not This Time will stretch out a bit more for the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby when he puts his three-race win streak on the line.
John Velazquez, who was aboard for all three of those wins—which Nearly secured by a combined 20 lengths—will be back aboard Saturday. In the Holy Bull, his first try at two turns, Nearly was on or near the lead throughout.
At Oaklawn, Renegade enters the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby off a 3 3/4-length win in the Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs. The late-running son of Into Mischief also owns a runner-up finish to the most recent Kentucky Derby future wager individual favorite Paladin in the 2025 Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack.
This will be Renegade's third stakes start and, like the first two, Irad Ortiz Jr. will be aboard.
In 2018, Pletcher swept the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby with Audible and Magnum Moon, respectively. In 2014, he pulled off the double with Danza at Oaklawn and Constitution at Gulfstream.
Overall, Pletcher has won the Arkansas Derby five times, with his other winners being Overanalyze in 2013, Balto Star (2001), and Graeme Hall (2000). He's won the Florida Derby a record eight times with his other winners being Fierceness (2024), Forte (2023), Known Agenda (2021), eventual Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (2017), Materiality (2015), and Scat Daddy (2007).
Since 2014, Pletcher has nine combined wins in the Arkansas Derby and Florida Derby.
Other trainer stats of note:
- Bob Baffert will attempt to win the Arkansas Derby for a sixth time when he sends out grade 2 winner Litmus Test off a third-place finish in the Rebel Stakes (G2). That group of Arkansas Derby winners includes eventual 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah as well as 2020 winners Nadal and Charlatan , when the race was split into divisions.
- Trainer Mark Casse will attempt to win the Arkansas Derby in consecutive years. Casse captured last year's race with Sandman and this year will send out Southwest Stakes (G3) winner Silent Tactic. The son of Tacitus is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
- Brad Cox will try to win the Florida Derby a second straight year as he'll send out Commandment off a narrow victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). He's the second choice on the morning line at 5-2. Last year, Cox won the Florida Derby with Tappan Street.
