Florida Derby runner-up Pleasant Prince early 3-1 favorite for Blue Grass Stakes

Pleasant Prince early favorite for Blue Grass

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Florida Derby runner-up Pleasant Prince is the early 3-1 favorite for Saturday’s $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

The 3-year-old was edged by Ice Box at the wire at Gulfstream Park three weeks ago, a race Pleasant Prince owner Ken Ramsey says he still can’t believe his horse lost.

Pleasant Prince will start from post six and be ridden by Julien Leparoux for the 1 1-8-mile race over the Polytrack, one of the final preps for next month’s Kentucky Derby.

Tampa Bay Derby winner Odysseus will start from the rail and is the second choice in the nine-horse field at 7-2.

Stablemates Aikenite and Interactif, both trained by Todd Pletcher, are co-third choices at 4-1 and will start alongside each other on the outside.