Happy Fountain of Youth Day! 

Gulfstream has monster card with eight graded stakes today. The winner of the Fountain of Youth will receive fifty Kentucky Derby points and that should be sufficient to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby field, especially with the Baffert trainees unable to Run for the Roses. 

Trivia question: Who is the only three year old filly to win the Kentucky Oaks, the Black Eyed Susan, and then sweep the Acorn, the Mother Goose, and the Coaching Club American Oaks? 

 

Gulfstream Park Race 9  – The Davona Dale – Grade II 

One Mile on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies  

1. Miss Sayley: Most experienced filly in the field with seven career starts with five of those against Florida breds. Lasix come OFF. She’ll likely be sent from the rail post even with Blinkers OFF. Early pace.
2. Leslie’s Rose: Broke her maiden at first asking for Pletcher at Aqueduct with nice 87 Beyer. She came back to win in N1X company where she had to work all the way to the wire (88 Beyer) as she finished strong after being close to a soft pace. Lasix comes OFF. Using. 
3. Just F Y I: Reigning two year old filly champ is undefeated in three career starts with stakes wins in the Frizette and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly (79 Beyer). In the Breeders’ Cup she gained position from an outside post and then kicked away after pressing the pace. Mott wins at a 30% clip first off this type of layoff. The Pick.
4. Fiona’s Magic: Finished a good second in the Forward Gal going seven furlongs over this course last month (75 Beyer). She was inside and under pressure the entire way. She’s a front end runner who will have to learn to ration out speed in a race with plenty of pace. Don’t see it.
5. Whocouldaskformo: In her last effort in the Suncoast at Tampa Bay she was cut off coming out of the chute and had to severely check. She settled and made a sustained run to get second (66 Beyer). Should get pace up front to run into. Underneath in exotics.
6. Queen’s Martini: In her second career start in the Cash Run Stakes on New Year’s Day she was forced out at the break and had a wide trip the whole way – she did get to the lead but couldn’t hold off the winner (74 Beyer). Could contend with a step forward. Exotics.
7. New Diamond: Three weeks ago she was a distant third sprinting in N1X a race (64 Beyer). Will need to move forward in her second race off a layoff. Lasix comes OFF. Demand a price.
8. Into Champagne: In the Glitter Woman, which was the first start off a seven month layoff, she sat behind the pace, then found room between horses in the stretch and easily bested the field on a sloppy track (72 Beyer). Stalk and pounce type who stretches out to a mile today and is tactical enough to pick her spot from the outside post. Could upset the apple cart.

Picks 3-2-8-6 

Gulfstream Park Race 14 – The Fountain of Youth – Grade II 

One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Olds  

This is a nice field for the local Florida Derby prep.  Note that this race features a short stretch as they run to the first finish line in a mile and a sixteenth dirt races. 

1. Speak Easy: Cross entered on Friday but the connections say he will run here. Posted a big time 100 Beyer in winning his career debut where he pressed the pace set by Victory Garden and then drew off in the stretch. Inside draw should force his hand and will be sent from the gate. Come and catch me. Contender.
2. Le Dom Bro: Finished second in the Swale where he sat on the rail while stalking, but Frankie’s Empire got the jump on him. Solid performance but the speed fig is lite (74 Beyer).  Two back he wanted no part of a muddy Aqueduct track in the Remsen.  Would be a surprise.
3. Victory Avenue: Earned 97 Beyer while finishing second to Pletcher’s Speak Easy in his debut.  This colt who looks more like a sprinter than a router to my eye. Does he want two turns in a race with plenty of pace?  Gets cooked.
4. Real Macho: Visually impressive win last out against N1X company going the flat mile, where he was off the pace but ran down the leaders via a sustained drive (87 Beyer). Tries stakes company for the first time. Lasix comes OFF. Possible small slice. 
5. Dornoch: Winner of the Remsen (91 Beyer) runs here off a three month layoff. In the Remsen he had the lead, was passed by Sierra Leone, but then battled back to win after having an issue changing leads and brushing off the rail. Remsen looks like a key race with two next out stakes winners. Should tuck behind the inside speed and then get first jump on the leaders. The Pick.
6. Merit: Cross entered on Friday in an allowance race and his connections indicate he will run there instead. Didn’t have him contending with this stakes group anyway.
7. Frankie’s Empire: Four time winner comes into this race having done a bit of everything including turf sprinting in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth.  Last out he won the Swale Stakes with an outside sweeping move to roll past the leaders (81 Beyer).  Has shown he can rate which should help against this speedy field. Minor award.
8. Locked: Well-regarded Pletcher trainee missed the Sam F. Davis with a fever and was then pointed here for his first start since a solid third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (94 Beyer). There should be pace for him to run at, but remember there is a short stretch in this race which typically comprises late runners a bit. Logical.
9. Dancing Groom: In the Holy Bull last month he had a rough start and was shuffled back to last. He came running on the turn from the back of the pack to get an OK fifth.  Was no match in his other two stakes starts last Fall in the Champagne and Kentucky Jockey Club. Not today.

Picks 5-1-8-7 

Trivia Answer:  Hall of Famer Davona Dale is the only filly to win those five stakes races.