The Lead:
After catching a winner over the Gulfstream turf in this space last week in the Tropical Park Derby, let's go back to the South Florida green for Saturday's Grade 3 $200,000 Fort Lauderdale Stakes. This prep for next month's Pegasus World Cup Turf is 1 of 5 stakes races on an 11-race card. The Fort Lauderdale will be Race 11 with a schedule post time of 5:18 pm ET.

​​Field Depth:
Defending Fort Lauderdale champion MAJOR DUDE is a multiple Grade 2 winner. CUGINO, STEAL SUNSHINE and WOLFIE'S DYNAGHOST also are Grade 2 winners above this race's grade. CHASING THE CROWN is Grade 1-placed. MAJOR DUDE and DIVIN PROPOS have kept the most consistently strong schedules in the field.
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Pace:
WOLFIE'S DYNAGHOST and QUATROCENTO are most likely to set the tone. BEACH GOLD and MAJOR DUDE figure to be in closest pursuit of what looks to be a fair, but not overlay fast, pace for 1-1/8 miles on turf.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-STEAL SUNSHINE: Primary dirt runner seeks his first turf win with only 4 starts prior on grass. Curious spot given this one was third in the Harlan’s Holiday last year on this same card. Jockey Edgard Zayas was aboard for recent dirt victory around 2 turns and returns to the saddle for Bobby Dibona. Devoid of any speed, saves ground early in hopes of late launch.

#2-WOLFIE’S DYNAGHOST: Former synthetic star has been all turf in 2025, winning 3 of 5 while splitting between Jonathan Thomas and Brian Lynch barns. Lynch won the Fort Lauderale in 2016 with Heart to Heart. Grade 3 River City winner aims for third straight win, though jockey Luis Saez is off to Oaklawn and is capably replaced by Irad Ortiz Jr. Inside speed to catch, but could be an underlay price for red-hot barn.

#3-CHASING THE CROWN: Rallied last to third in the Pegasus World Cup Turf in January and hopes to get back to that spot with a good effort Saturday. Millionaire cashed big check at Kentucky Downs in August in a very light campaign that has him fresh for winter. Mike Maker won this race in 2018 with Shining Copper.

#4-SIEGE OF BOSTON: Jimmy Toner trainee snapped a 15-race losing skid last time with a November 15 victory at Laurel. Deep closer ran fifth in this race last year when beaten 1-1/2 lengths. Just 1-for-8 lifetime over the Fort Lauderdale’s 9-furlong turf trip, but has run well over this course.

#5-BEACH GOLD: Took 9 tries to break his maiden but then proceeded to win 4 of 5 starts, notching 3 of those scores on the Gulfstream lawn. Patrick Biancone charge wasn’t up to the Grade 1 test at Keeneland as expected at 43-1 that day but comes back to a winnable level and course he likes. Junior Alvarado rides.

#6-CUGINO: Solid, though light, 4-year-old season with 3 wins in 4 starts for Shug McGaughey. Exits back-to-back wins in the Red Bank and Red Smith at Monmouth and Aqueduc, respectively, but won the Tropical Park Derby over this course last year. Highly consistent around this class level and gets ace pilot Flavien Prat back.

#7-NAPTOWN: $40,000 claim in June by Jose Magana has won 2 of 7 for the new connections, while fourth in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and second in the Knickerbocker. Maryland-based gelding is cross-entered in Sunday’s Prairie Bayou at Turfway Park.

#8-MAJOR DUDE: Neck winner of this race a year ago at 2-1 odds, this 5-year-old looks to give trainer Todd Pletcher a fifth Fort Lauderdale victory (2012, 2015, 20202, 2024). John Velazquez guided him to the Artie Schiller Stakes win at Aqueduct in October and returns. Should be in contention throughout and is 2-for-3 over the race’s 9 furlongs.

#9-QUATROCENTO: Fausto Gutierrez trainee arrived in South Florida last week and returns to the scene of his 2024 maiden-breaking victory. Pace player wired a Kentucky Downs mile in September before leading most of the way in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile. Regular rider Julien Leparoux will try to nurse this miler farther than his most-successful efforts to date.

#10-DIVIN PROPOS: French export went 2-for-3 upon arriving in California but has lost 8 straight races since. Moved from Phil D’Amato to Saffie Joseph’s barn over the summer, dropping 2 decisions for the current regime while falling far off the early pace. Could drop far back again from this outside post as Tyler Gaffalione tries to save any grown that he can.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
CUGINO is 10-13 in the exacta lifetime (3-3 at Gulfstream) and has missed only 2 superfectas in his career.

Best Longshot Contender:
CHASING THE CROWN was 64-1 when third in the Pegasus Wold Cup Turf over this course and a poor effort last time in the River City at Churchill Downs likely inflates his price here. At 8-1 morning line, he's a fair chase.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$90 win CUGINO. $5 exacta box CUGINO with CHASING THE CROWN ($10).