GI Florida Derby runner-up The Puma (Essential Quality) put in his final local breeze at Gulfstream Park Saturday morning in advance of shipping out to Churchill Downs for an anticipated tilt in the GI Kentucky Derby.Working five furlongs with Javier Castellano aboard, the chestnut clicked off 1:00.77 (5/15) over a fast track in his second work since being defeated by Commandment (Into Mischief) in a desperate photo in the Florida Derby. Clockers caught his six-furlong gallop out in 1:12.85 and a mile in 1:37.88.“[The work] went really well. I'm very satisfied,” Castellano said. “He's a cool horse to ride. He's classy, laid back. It was a solid work, just what we were looking for. I'm happy the way he did it. Always in hand. Good level.”Trained by Gustavo Delgado, and assisted by his son, Gustavo Jr., The Puma is expected to leave early next week for Kentucky and will have his final Derby prep at Churchill Downs. His connections are following a similar blueprint to the one which propelled them to the pinnacle when Mage (Good Magic)–also the Florida Derby runner-up–roared home best of all on the First Saturday in May three years ago. The Puma is owned by OGMA Investments, JR Ranch and High Step Racing.“By the times and the video of the work, he's certainly doing it the right way,” said Ramiro Restrepo, bloodstock and racing manager for JR Ranch and racing manager for High Step Racing. “This was his big work. He'll be leaving Monday or Tuesday, I believe, headed for Churchill.”“[He'll] do some galloping and probably have a little maintenance spin, but the heavy lifting was done today. For all intents and purposes everybody was very happy with how it went.”Restrepo continued, “The partners are thrilled, which is great. Obviously, the trainer has done a hell of a job, you've got to tip your hat to him. To have a small barn and yet have two horses in four years, one of them win the Derby and the other to have a big shot coming up, it's really great.”The post The Puma Puts in ‘Big Work’ at Gulfstream, Connections Riding High Ahead of Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.