Florida Derby
 

Can anyone explain why it is on a Sunday this year??

Because they were being criticized last year for running the race too far in advance of the Kentucky Derby.

Seriously? I can't remember a Florida Derby on a Sunday, but I am looking forward to it just the same and plan on being there!!

It rained hard all day today and the forecast is for rain tomorrow and a possibility of rain on Friday.

Since this is the driest spring that I can remember in Florida - - I am curious as to if it will affect the Gulfstream race track any ???

I believe the reason is that they wanted to make more "big days", thus putting the filly stakes races on Saturday.
They did the same thing earlier, carding the Davona Dale on SAT and the Holy Bull on Sunday, I believe.

Sundays are typically a smaller handle day, on a nationwide basis, than Fridays. I always found that interesting. People must be gambling from the office.

They would have been better off putting the filly races Sunday and the Fla Derby on Saturday. This weekend is absolutely wide-open in terms of the graded stakes calendar and GP really isn't using that to its advantage.

:tro:

I guess nobody here watches the Final Four....

I don't think that entered into the decision. At least it didn't come up when the season's schedule was announced. 'Crush has it right as to Steve Calabro's message about a Derby-Oaks style weekend:

It placed the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby on Sunday, April 3, to highlight what Calabro said will be Gulfstream’s version of a Derby-Oaks weekend. Gulfstream has renamed the 1 1/8-mile Bonnie Miss for 3-year-old fillies the Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) and placed it on Saturday, April 2. That weekend, Gulfstream also will have the Rampart (gr. III) at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on Saturday, and three graded stakes for males on Sunday.

First game starts at 6:15p by the way..