HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Ice Box, a 20-1 long shot, rallied five-wide entering the stretch Saturday to win the $750,000 Florida Derby by a nose over Pleasant Prince, another long shot.
Race favorite Rule finished third. Lentenor, a full-brother to ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, finished fourth.
Ice Box, trained by two-time, Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito and ridden by Jose Lezcano, covered the 1 1-8th mile in 1:49.19. Ice Box returned $43.40, $24.40, $9.60.
Pleasant Prince paid $26.40, $11.60 and Rule returned $3.40.
Ice Box, purchased by Robert LaPenta at auction in 2008 for $150,000, was raced last in the 11-horse field down the backstretch while Rule helped set a :23.21, :46.46 and 1:10.76 pace.
