No need for a photo to figure out the winner this time.

Scat Daddy pulled away in the stretch for a 1 1/4-length victory against Notional in the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., yesterday and became one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby in five weeks.

In the Fountain of Youth four weeks ago, Scat Daddy beat Stormello by a scant nose in a photo finish. This time, there was no doubt as Scat Daddy won for the fifth time in eight starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, who won five races on the Gulfstream card.

Stormello, who was sent cross-country by trainer Bill Currin to avenge the tough defeat, finished fourth after setting the early pace.

Scat Daddy won't race again until the Derby May 5 and will try to duplicate Barbaro's feat of sweeping the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby. Until Barbaro, the previous horse to win the Kentucky Derby off a layoff of five weeks or more was Needles in 1956.

Speaking on a cell phone from Dubai, Pletcher said he watched the Florida Derby on a computer, but didn't get a clear view of the entire race. However, he saw enough. "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," he said.

Other race

UAE Derby: Asiatic Boy pulled away for an easy victory in the $2 million race in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with Kentucky Derby prospect Day Pass a disappointing ninth. Asiatic Boy, bred in Argentina, finished nearly 10 lengths ahead of runner-up Jack Junior, with Adil, Kent Desormeaux aboard, taking third in the 1¹/₈ mile race. "This is the best horse in the world," winning jockey Weichong Marwing said.