Ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, Any Given Saturday bid three wide on the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile test. After engaging pacesetter All I Can Get in the stretch, Velazquez gave the son of Distorted Humor several taps in the shoulder before the dark bay colt displayed his superiority, pulling away in the final eighth to win in a solid 1:44 1/5.

“I didn’t know we had the race won until he was under the wire,” said Velazquez.

Now a winner of three of four lifetime starts with earnings of $164,213, Any Given Saturday gives Pletcher yet another Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contender to go along with prospects that include Circular Quay, Ravel and Scat Daddy. Pletcher leads all trainers with 32 horses nominated to the Triple Crown races.

Any Given Saturday returned $2.40, $2.20 and $2.10. Local hope All I Can Get finished second by 3 1/2 lengths under Luis Gonzalez and paid $8.20 and $2.10. James Wilfred, Daniel Centeno aboard, was third and returned $2.10.

The winner tracked a middling pace (:23 4/5, :48, 1:12 1/5) set by All I Can Get before launching his bid as the field rounded the turn. He finished under a vigorous hand ride.

Any Given Saturday is to run next in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) on March 17. Last year, WinStar and Pletcher took the same path to the Derby with Bluegrass Cat, who finished second behind Barbaro in the 2006 Run for the Roses.

“That’s been the plan (for Any Given Saturday) all along," Pletcher said. "Obviously he’s going to tell us what he needs to do, but hopefully that’s the path.”