(Monday, March 22) Hall of fame trainer Nick Zito, with two Kentucky Derby wins to his credit, will go for a third after Ice Box pulled off the upset in Saturday’s Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

The son of Pulpit got a solid early pace to run at thanks to Pulsion and Rule, and rallied from last to first to get his nose in front at the wire over fellow longshot Pleasant Prince, earning $450,000 in graded stakes earnings and returning $43.40.

The fourth and fifth place finishers in the Fountain of Youth Stakes completed a $2 exacta that returned $509.60.

The race certainly flattered the effort of Fountain of Youth winner Eskendereya, which was already considered by many as the most impressive Derby prep race to date.

Zito won the Kentucky Derby with Go for Gin (1994) and Strike the Gold (1991), and now has the unenviable task of prepping his three year old for the Kentucky Derby off a six week break.

After the race Zito said, “You can think about running him back in three weeks and then another three weeks (Derby), but we’ll just have to figure that out. There is a possibility that we run a race before (Derby), but this race obviously was a tough race. He’s had three tough races in a row, so I’ve got to see what I’m going to do with him.

By Sunday morning, Zito said he would ship Ice Box to Churchill Downs and train him up to the first Saturday of May.

Ice Box was purchased for $120,000 by Robert LaPenta out of the 2008 Keeneland September Sale. The colt is by Roman Ruler out of the Tabasco Cat mare Spice Island, who won 7 of 28 career starts for earnings of $487,376.

The colt made his debut at Saratoga last summer, checking in seventh behind Aikenite, who is now Grade 1 placed. In his third career start, he finished fourth behind Rule.

After breaking his maiden in his fourth career start at the Meadowlands, Zito stopped on him, bringing him back at Gulfstream Park to defeat first level allowance foes on Jan. 18 in his three year old debut.

He was off a step slow and did not threaten in the Fountain of Youth, finishing 12 lengths behind the winner.

Pleasant Prince, the runner up in the Florida Derby, earned $150,000 in graded earnings, which should get him to Louisville.

The colt is owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Wesley Ward, who was happy with what he saw on Saturday.

“I’ve always thought a lot of this horse,” Ward said. “With a little more luck and a different trip last time (4th, Fountain of Youth) he might have been second. He’s trained brilliantly since then and had a sensational work. Horses at this time of year (3-year-olds) can take such leaps, improve day-to-day, and I think this horse is has been doing that. We just have to hope he keeps moving in that direction.”

While Rule had a four race win streak snapped in his third place finish in the race, Pletcher plans on moving forward and sending him to the Kentucky Derby.

“This doesn’t really change anything. We’ll work him a few more times here and head to Kentucky,” Pletcher said.

Barbaro’s little brother Lentenor checked in a non threatening fourth, earning $37,500 in graded earnings. That makes it unlikely we will see the colt make it to the Kentucky Derby unless trainer Michael Matz decides to bring him back in three weeks for the Blue Grass or Arkansas Derby on April 10.

The biggest disappointment in the race was second choice Radiohead, who had a tough post, had to be used to get into position heading into the first turn, and weakened to finish ninth.

Jockey Edgar Prado said, “Unfortunately he drew outside and he was pretty wide through the turn. I thought he was in a good spot down the backside, and I thought I would have a little something left for the end, but he just got a little tired.”

There are four opportunities this weekend to pick up graded stakes earnings for the Kentucky Derby:

Saturday March 27
Meyden Race Course: UAE Derby (G2)
Fair Grounds: Louisiana Derby (G2)
Turfway Park: Lane's End Stakes (G2)

Sunday March 28
Sunland Park: Sunland Derby (G3)