The hottest prep race of the year will be contested at Gulfstream Park on Saturday when twelve sophomores take to the gate for the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I). Recently, the 1 1/8 mile race has produced horses like Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Barbaro and Belmont Stakes (gr. I) victor Empire Maker.

The 2008 running of the race has been billed as an intense match up in a wide open division. The most intriguing horse in the field is Tomcito, a South American wonder horse who won four of his five starts in Peru. He has already won at 1 ¼ and 1 ½ miles, and was technically a year younger than his rivals due to his Northern Hemisphere foaling date. The son of Street Cry will be ridden by Jorge Chavez and although many experts are tossing him due to his slow race times, Tomcito fired a bullet on March 17th of 5 furlongs in :58.4.

Elysium Fields probably should have won the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) last month. His inspiring performance ended in a 2nd place finish to Cool Coal Man, beaten only a half length. The Barclay Tagg trainee broke his maiden impressively by eight lengths prior to that effort.

Hey Byrne and Big Brown are often mentioned in the same breath. Hey Bryne has won back to back allowance races, first winning by 14 ½ lengths and then by 6. The son of Put if Back is 3 for 6 lifetime for trainer Edward Plesa, Jr. Big Brown is undefeated in two career starts, taking a maiden race on the turf at Saratoga by 11 ¼ and then returning to the races in March of this year to win an allowance race on the dirt by 12 ¾. Kent Desormeaux will ride for Richard Dutrow, Jr. Unfortunately, Big Brown will start from the "impossible" outside post.

Face the Cat makes his first start for Padua Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher, having previously been campaigned by trainer Helen Pitts. The son of Tale of the Cat has won both of his races this year, both at Gulfstream, including an allowance in January by 4 lengths.

Other contenders include Sam F Davis Stakes winner Fierce Wind who ships in from Tampa Bay Downs for trainer Nick Zito. Cornelio Velasquez will ride the son of Dixie Union. Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) winner Smooth Air, third in the Sam F Davis, is also entered, as is last year's Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner Majestic Warrior, who will go to the post under new rider Rene Douglas after Garrett Gomez's admittedly poor ride in the Louisana Derby (gr. II). Bill Mott trains Majestic Warrior, a son of A.P. Indy.