“It didn’t unfold exactly like we had planned,” said Pletcher. “We were thinking we’d be in the same stalking position that General a Rod was in. When that didn’t happen, Javier (Castellano) called an audible and tucked into a good spot. He felt there might be a good opportunity to slip inside Wildcat Red at some point. He was able to cut the corner and get through there. You know when he gets in a battle with Wildcat Red it’s going to be a battle. It gives you confidence moving forward, knowing he got some education and got some dirt in his face.”
Winning jockey Javier Castellano knew his competition well. He rode runner-up Wildcat Red to a win in the Hutcheson (G3) and third-place finisher General A Rod to a loss by a head in the Fountain of Youth (G2), but chose to stay with Pletcher and Constitution for the Florida Derby. Castellano rode Constitution to victory in both of his two lifetime starts and said of the Tapit colt’s early prowess, “I was very confident with the horse. The first time I rode the horse, he really impressed me. As soon as I jumped off the horse, I told Mr. Walden and Mr. Pletcher, ‘That’s a super horse.’”
Garoffalo said of Wildcat Red’s gutsy second-place finish, “We lost the rail at one point and Castellano was smart enough to take the rail at the top of the stretch, and that was it. It was a hell of a race. I think we're thinking seriously to go to Kentucky if the horse comes back in good shape. I'm not disappointed, it was a hell of a race, he did a great job and he was himself like he usually is.”
Cairo Prince, who hadn’t raced since his Holy Bull win Jan. 25 needed to hit the board in the Florida Derby to ensure himself a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. By finishing fourth, the son of Pioneerof the Nile picked up 10 points and now sits at number 16 on the points leaderboard with 24 points. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin made it known early that the Florida Derby would be Cairo Prince’s final Kentucky Derby prep. With five weeks remaining before the Kentucky Derby and other runners below him on the points leaderboard yet to make their final pre-Derby starts, Cairo Prince will have to sweat it out.
