updated 9:45 p.m. ET March 31, 2007

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Todd Pletcher was in the wrong place — and thousands of miles away — when Scat Daddy won the Florida Derby.

The nation’s top trainer was in Dubai, where he went 0-for-5 at the World Cup on Saturday. Had he been at Gulfstream Park, he would have been in the winner’s circle five times.

Scat Daddy pulled away in the stretch for a 1¼-length victory over Notional in the $1 million race, beating seven other rivals. With his fifth win in eight starts, the colt becomes one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby on May 5.

“I would think any horse who is a Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby winner deserves to be ranked as high as any 3-year-old in his class,” Pletcher said by cell phone.

Unlike the Fountain of Youth, in which Scat Daddy beat Stormello by a nose four weeks ago, there was no need for a photo.

Ridden for the first time by Edgar Prado — who had six winners on the day — Scat Daddy moved into the lead on the turn for home and was never seriously threatened.

Notional, winner of the Risen Star in his last start, made a brief run but was no match for the colt owned by James Scatuorchio and Michael Tabor.

Now it’s on to the Derby, where Scat Daddy will try to duplicate Barbaro’s feat of sweeping the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. Until Barbaro, the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby coming off a layoff of five weeks or more was Needles in 1956.

Stormello, who was sent cross-country by trainer Bill Currin to avenge the tough defeat, finished fourth after setting the early pace. Currin said his colt will go on to the Derby.

Pletcher had a huge day at Gulfstream with five winners. He won three races at other tracks, but “unfortunately none were here,” in Dubai. His best finish in Dubai was Friendly Island running second in the Golden Shaheen.

John Velazquez, Scat Daddy’s regular rider, also was in Dubai. Pletcher said a decision has not been made whether Prado will ride Scat Daddy in the Derby.

Pletcher, who is 0-for-14 in the Kentucky Derby, has several other top prospects, including Circular Quay and Any Given Saturday.

“We felt for a long time this was a high-level horse,” Pletcher said, referring to Scat Daddy. “We felt like for whatever reason he hadn’t gotten the respect other horses had.”

Prado said the ride aboard Scat Daddy was “pretty easy.”

“He came out running,” he said. “I got good position and a good pace in front. When I set him down, he really responded. The Derby? He looks pretty good to me.”

The winning time for the 1 1-8 miles was 1:49.

Scat Daddy, the 2-1 favorite, returned $6.40, $3.40 and $2.80. Notional, trained by Doug O’Neill, paid $4.20 and $3, and Chelokee returned $3.80.

“I thought he ran dynamite,” O’Neill said, referring to his colt. “These kinds of races, it’s a great field of horses. I hope he comes out of it in good shape and we get a rematch with Scat Daddy and the others on the first Saturday in May.”

Boogie Boggs was fifth, followed by Imawildandcrazyguy, Birdbirdistheword, Adore the Gold and Johannesburg Star.

Chelokee’s third-place finish, worth $100,000, may not be enough to get Michael Matz back to the Derby. Matz, who trained Barbaro, said he doesn’t think Chelokee will have enough graded stakes earnings to qualify if more than 20 horses are entered in the Derby.

Chelokee looked ready to challenge but appeared to be squeezed in along the rail and jockey Ramon Dominguez had to pull up the colt for an instant to keep him out of trouble. Still, he ran on and finished well.

The win was worth $600,000, and boosted Scat Daddy’s earning to $1,334,300.

Scatuorchio, a retired Wall Street trader from New Jersey, bought Scat Daddy for $250,000 as a yearling. He gave a half-interest to Pletcher and his father, J.J. Pletcher named the horse for Scatuorchio, then sold his share to Tabor.

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The son of Johannesburg has quite a Derby resume. The bay colt won the Sanford and the Champagne as a 2-year-old before his strong 3-year-old prep season.

His only losses came in races won by other top Derby prospects — stablemate Circular Quay in the Hopeful, Street Sense in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Nobiz Like Shobiz in the Holy Bull. He also has 2-1 record against Nobiz Like Shobiz.

The Florida Derby winner has gone on to take the Kentucky Derby three times in the past 12 years. Before Barbaro’s win last year, Monarchos did it in 2001 and Thunder Gulch in 1995.

In earlier stakes races, Street Magician ($7) won the seven-furlong Aventura for 3-year-olds, Safari Queen ($4.40) and Almonsoon finished 1-2 for Pletcher in the Orchid Handicap; Jambalaya ($5.40) took the Pan American Handicap and Pletcher’s A.P. Arrow ($3) won the Skip Away Handicap.

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