Always Dreaming runs away with the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby for jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher!
Always Dreaming is your 2017 Florida Derby winner. State of Honor and Gunnevera round out the top three horses. Heavy will have a full rundown of the results as soon as they are released.
Gunnevera entered the race as the heavy favorite but was unable to find the winner’s circle. Always Dreaming got the victory on 4-1 odds and gets 100 points towards Kentucky Derby qualifying.
State of Honor came in second on 8-1 odds and gets 40 points towards the Kentucky Derby. Gunnevera receives 20 points while Impressive Edge gets 10 points for his fourth place finish. The race had a $1 million purse.
According to Blood Horse, John Velazquez is the jockey for Always Dreaming while Todd Pletcher is the trainer. The horse was purchased for $350,000.
Florida Derby winners have a long history of success at the Kentucky Derby. According to Blood Horse, the race has produced 23 winners at Churchill Downs. Always Dreaming will be one of the betting favorites for the Kentucky Derby.
Here’s a look at the Florida Derby results and payout courtesy of TVG.
Florida Derby 2017 Results
| PLACE | HORSE |
| 1 | Always Dreaming |
| 2 | State of Honor |
| 3 | Gunnevera |
| 4 | Impressive Edge |
| 5 | Three Rules |
| 6 | Talk Logistics |
| 7 | Coleman Rocky |
| 8 | Charlie the Greek |
| 9 | Quinientos |
Payout
| HORSE | WIN | PLACE | SHOW |
| Always Dreaming | $7.40 | $3.80 | $2.60 |
| State of Honor | $4.80 | $2.80 | |
| Gunnevera | $2.10 |