HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher continued his recent stranglehold on Gulfstream Park’s marquee event, the $1 million Florida Derby, winning the race for the fourth time in the last six years as Audible registered a popular and convincing three-length victory over the up-and-coming Hofburg in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby prep. It was nearly eight lengths farther back to third-place finisher Mississippi. By winning the Florida Derby, Audible earned 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, securing him a spot in this year’s field. Runner-up Hofburg picked up 40 points, which puts him in 14th place on the points list at the present time, a total that would historically give him enough points to also make the Derby lineup if his connections so desired.    Audible broke well under jockey John Velazquez and quickly moved into good position approaching the clubhouse turn before easing back about a dozen lengths off a lively pace set by Fountain of Youth winner Promises Fulfilled and attended by Strike Power. Audible, making his first start since winning the Grade 3 Holy Bull in similarly impressive fashion eight weeks earlier, began to advance outside horses exiting the backstretch, rallied four wide to engage the leaders nearing the stretch, readily overtook Mississippi at the head of the lane and, after moving clear, was not seriously threatened thereafter. Hofburg, making just his third career start, was taken in hand after the break to race near the rear of the nine-horse field for the opening six furlongs. He began to advance inside the winner leaving the half-mile marker, continued to remain in reserve around the second bend under patient handling by Jose Ortiz, came widest when finally roused nearing the quarter-pole, moved within striking distance upon settling into the stretch but proved no match for Audible while easily best of the others. Remsen winner Catholic Boy, who went postward the second choice in the Florida Derby at 2-1 behind only the 8-5 Audible, raced in perfect position for nearly seven furlongs, attempted to match strides with the winner on the final turn, could not keep pace at that point, and weakened steadily thereafter to finish a well-beaten fourth. Audible followed in the footsteps of Pletcher’s three recent Florida Derby winners Constitution (2014), Materiality (2015), and defending winner Always Dreaming, who also went on to capture the 2017 Kentucky Derby. Pletcher also won this race in 2007 with Scat Daddy. A New York-bred son of Into Mischief, Audible is owned in partnership by the China Horse Club International, WinStar Farm, Head of Plains Partners, and Starlight Racing.  The Florida Derby was his fourth consecutive victory following a third-place finish in his debut against statebreds last fall at Belmont Park. He completed 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:49.48 and paid $5.20. “The race unfolded with the pace that we were hoping for and we wanted to get some position into the first turn, which he was able to do beautifully,” said Pletcher. “Watching the race, I was a little concerned at the five-eighths pole because he started to drop back a little bit, but I could tell Johnny wasn’t panicked. He kind of grabbed him up, and sometime midway down the backstretch he started to pick up horses and I started to feel better and better. You could tell the pace up front had developed pretty swiftly, so you felt like those horses were going to start to come back at some stage.” Pletcher brought Audible down to South Florida a little earlier than originally planned due to the inclement weather and several cancellations at Aqueduct around the New Year including the race he had pinpointed for the colt's 2-year-old finale, the Damon Runyon for New York-breds, which was ultimately run on January 15. “They weren’t sure when they were going to reschedule the race, so at that point we just decided it was best to bring him down to Florida and regroup, and it worked out great. We had high hopes for this horse, but for him to dominate the Holy Bull the way he did took it to a new level, and we’ve been very fortunate and very blessed.” As for his recent success in the Florida Derby, Pletcher said, with a chuckle, “It took us a while to figure it out. To me, the way it’s positioned where it is, five weeks out, is perfect and it’s obviously been effective – not only for us – producing three of the last five Derby winners. It’s a great way to get to Churchill. And we’ve been fortunate to have the right horses in the right places at the right time.” Pletcher said he has no definite timetable set for getting Audible to Churchill Downs. He also has two other prime Kentucky Derby candidates currently in his barn at Palm Beach Downs, Louisiana Derby winner Noble Indy and Rebel winner Magnum Moon. Trainer Bill Mott was happy with Hofburg’s performance, even in defeat. “We’re very pleased,” said Mott. “Naturally, winning would have been the only thing that would have been better. But he ran well and galloped out well. He took a lot of dirt and was very professional. “                 Mott said the Kentucky Derby would definitely be under consideration for Hofburg, a well-bred son of Tapit, who ran only once as a 2-year-old before winning his maiden in his 3-year-old debut going 1 1/16 miles here on March 3. Trainer Jonathan Thomas had no excuses for Catholic Boy. “He had a great set up,” said Thomas. “Irad [Ortiz Jr.] said he thought he could go with Audible, but when he asked him he kind of not floundered, but he didn’t really go anywhere. He just didn’t show the turn of foot I was hoping for.”  – additional reporting by David Grening