FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes

St. Elias Stables homebred Rated by Merit (c, 2, Battalion Runner--Banner Waving, by Speightstown), featured in TDN nearly six weeks ago as Vinnie Viola's "unlikely Derby contender," showed again why he ranks at or near the top of the promising 2-year-olds for the powerful stable. The undefeated colt won Saturday's FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes at Gulfstream to sweep the Florida Sires series. With the In Reality his first try around two turns, Rated by Merit broke smoothly from the rail to set an easy :24.13 and :48.92 pace....

The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes will return to Gulfstream Park with a series of races for 2-year-olds sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida from late summer through early fall. The $100,000 Dr. Fager, a six-furlong sprint, and the $100,000 Desert Vixen, a six-furlong dash for fillies, will kick off the 2022 FSS series Aug. 6. The $200,000 Affirmed will be contested at seven-furlongs Sept. 3, the same day as the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies. The $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, the 1...

Three Rules (Gone Astray--Joy Rules, by Full Mandate), named the Florida-bred Horse of the Year and champion 2-year-old male in 2016 after sweeping the male division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes that year, has been retired and will stand the 2022 breeding season at Robert Smith's Wesfield Farm in Ocala. His fee has not been announced. Three Rules, winner of the 2017 GIII Carry Back S. and third-place finisher in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S., was bred in Florida and raced for Bert Pilcher in the name...