Fountain of Youth Points to Likely Florida Derby Winner
Horses that hit the board in Gulfstream Park’s second oldest stakes race triumphed in the South Florida track’s showcase event nearly 58 percent during the past two decades.
Saturday’s 63rd running of the $250,000 Fountain of Youth is being staged at a mile — the sixth different distance since favored Twenty Thirty won the inaugural at 1 1/16 miles in 1945.
Since ’91, three winners repeated in the Florida Derby while four runners-up and two third-place finishers scored, all at 1 1/16 miles. Two won both races the past four years at 1 1/8 miles.
Several contenders will relish the shorter distance. Notonthesamepage, who rolled to an impressive 8 ¼-length victory in the Spectacular Bid in near record time for the six furlongs, has been training well since Jan. 3.
Trainer Wesley Ward described his Feb. 14 five-furlong breeze in a minute at Gulfstream as perfect.” On Feb. 21, the son of Catienus went the same distance in 59 2/5. Said Ward: “Usually, he shoots right to the front. I would expect that’s probably what will happen again.”
Capt. Candy Man Can, who captured the Hutcheson at seven furlongs by 1 ½ lengths on Jan. 30, has worked more leisurely at nearby Prairie Meadows Training Center.
Another 3-year-old that has performed well at shorter distances is This Ones for Phil, who surprised in the Sunshine Millions Dash at six furlongs on Jan. 24. On Feb. 21, the son of Untuttable drilled six furlongs in a speedy 1:11 2/5.
Trainer John Kimmel expects Break Water Edison to rebound from his sixth-place finish in the Hutcheson from the No. 1 post. “Every time he’s drawn inside he hasn’t run really well.”
The son of Lemon Drop Kid captured the Nashua last fall at Aqueduct running the mile in 1:35 4/5 breaking from post 6.
Kimmel isn’t concerned about the gaudy speed figures by Notonthesamepage and This Ones for Phil. “Big speed figures earned in sprint races mean nothing to me,” he told Brisnet.com.
“It’s good for me because it means there will be a lot of speed in the race and the pace scenario should be pretty good. The main thing I want to see in this race is for him to keep his focus, finish up and stay tuned to what we’re trying to do.”
Other speedsters in the field are Theregoesjojo, victorious in a seven-furlong allowance contest Jan. 10; Quality Road, runner-up in that race; and Taqarub, unbeaten in three six-furlong contests.
The big question mark is Beethoven, who ran a disappointing fourth in the Holy Bull at 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 31. Last November, the son of Sky Mesa won a pair of 1 1/16-mile races, defeating Capt. Candy Man Can in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs.
On Feb. 14, the colt worked a slow five furlongs in 1:04 4/5 over the main track. “I would have liked to see a little more speed from him, but we’ve been easing back a bit on him and he’s responding,” trainer John Ward said.
On Feb. 20, Beethoven breezed five furlongs in 1:00
4/5, finishing strongly. “If you look at all his workouts, he throws in some slow ones, so that wasn’t much of a concern,” Ward said. “He’s finishing the way a good mile-and-a-quarter horse should. We’re finding out what he likes, and as long as I can figure that out, we can keep pleasing him.”
Across the country at Santa Anita, another prep on the Road to the Roses is less complicated and competitive. The small field features three key contenders in the $200,000 Sham at 1 1/8 miles.
Likely favorite is The Pamplemousse, going for his third consecutive triumph on synthetic surfaces. The son of Kafwain, coming off a two-length victory at a mile in the San Rafael on Jan. 17, worked six furlongs in a snappy 1:12 2/5 on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface Feb. 18.
Other challengers include Take the Points, stretching out after winning twice at a mile, the latest by two lengths on Jan. 31 in a Gulfstream allowance contest; Merus Miami, third in the California Derby on Jan. 17 at Golden Gate Fields; and Balfour Park, winner of a mile claiming race.
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