BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—D. J. Stable LLC and Robert Florida-bred Cotran’s Hades, who has been entered in Saturday’s Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington at Keeneland, will run in the mile-and-a-sixteenth contest for 3-year-olds in a quest to earn a spot in the 20-horse field for the May 4 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), trainer Joe Orseno confirmed Sunday.
“We’re going all out to get into the Derby,” Orseno said. “If he wins, he’s in.”
Hades, who sits outside the Top 20 with 30 qualifying points, would clinch a stall in the Churchill Downs starting gate with a victory in the Lexington, which offers 20 points to the winner.
Hades had earned 25 Derby points with his front-running victory in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park while winning his third career race without defeat. The gelded son of Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew, who finished three-and-a-half lengths clear of third-place finisher Fierceness in the Holy Bull, had a troubled trip and finished fifth behind that rival in the March 30 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream, picking up five Derby points.
Hades experienced early bumping and fell back to last in the nine-horse Florida Derby field before making a wide run in second turn. Orseno will add blinkers on Hades for the Lexington.
“I actually wanted to put blinkers on him before, but he kept winning,” Orseno said. “He’ll wear blinkers in the Lexington.”
Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride Hades for the first time in the Lexington. He is scheduled to face the Brad Cox-trained Encino, winner of the $142,000 John Battaglia Memorial over Turfway Park’s synthetic main track on March 2; and Robbie Medina-trained Liberal Arts, who won the Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs last year and is coming off an off-the-board finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
Hades is out of the Quality Road mare The Shady Lady and was bred by Ocala Stud, Joseph M. O’Farrell III, David O’Farrell, et. al. He has $292,900 in earnings from three wins in four starts.
Florida-breds Everdoit and Secret Chat are also entered in the Lexington.
Everdoit exits a third-place finish behind winner Pure Class in the $110,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore on Florida Cup Day, March 24, at Tampa Bay Downs. The son of Gary D out of Jaggermama, by High Cotton is a homebred for Donald L. Ming and is trained by Kevin Rice.
Secret Chat was second to Divieto in the $65,000 Aventura going a mile at Gulfstream Park on Oct. 1 for trainer Roderick Rodriguez and owner/breeder Gelfenstein Farm. In one start this year, he was second to Big Effect after a slow start in a $50,000 optional claiming at Gulfstream on March 15.
Editor’s Note: Brock Sheridan contributed to this article