Gulfstream Park: Fountain of Youth favorite Violence turns in five-furlong bullet

Tom Keyser

Violence, working outside stablemate Palace Malice, was among several high-profile Kentucky Derby prospects for Todd Pletcher to breeze Sunday morning at Palm Meadows.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -  Six potential starters for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park turned in their final preps Sunday morning at a frigid Palm Meadows. The group ncluded likely favorite Violence, who went five furlongs in 1:00.36 in company with stablemate Palace Malice.

Violence’s work was a bullet on a tab that also included Elmutahid (1:00.46); Majestic Hussar (1:00.60); Sky Captain (1:01.01), and Cerro (1:01.48). In addition, Falling Sky breezed a half-mile in 49.95 seconds. His trainer, John Terranova, then confirmed the Sam Davis winner would run in the Fountain of Youth rather than await the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 9.

Other 3-year-olds expected to enter when the Fountain of Youth is drawn on Wednesday include Speak Logistics, Joshua’s Comprise, and Orb.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. confirmed Sunday morning that Speak Logistics, a troubled fourth in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa in his 3-year-old debut, would forego the Tampa Bay Derby to run in the Fountain of Youth with Joel Rosario named to ride. Plesa also trains Holy Bull winner Itsmyluckyday, who is expected to vie for favoritism here next month with Shanghai Bobby in the $1 million Florida Derby.

Violence, undefeated in three starts, posted splits of 36.40 and 48.20 seconds before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20,  according to Palm Meadows  head clocker Bryan Walls.

“I thought he worked outstanding. I was very, very pleased with his work,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “He galloped out strongly, came back well. He’s ready to go.”

Cerro breezed five furlongs in company with the older turf horse Went the Day Well, the pair going their opening three-eighths in :37.20 before finishing in :24.20 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:15, according to Walls.

Trainer Graham Motion said he plans to enter Cerro, an impressive allowance winner here last month, in the Fountain of Youth and will make his decision on whether to run based on the post position draw.

 “I thought he went super this morning,” said Motion. “We definitely plan to enter and as long as we get a decent post position we’ll run. If he doesn’t, we’ll go back to our original plan, which is to run in the Palm Beach on the turf. I just feel   post position is so important in this race.”

The Fountain of Youth will be decided at 1 1/16 miles with a short run to the clubhouse turn.

Motion cited a couple of reasons why he has decided to possibly try the Fountain of Youth with Cerro in lieu of the Palm Beach as first mentioned after the 3-year-old’s  allowance victory.

“First of all, we saw a lot of horses skipping the race,” said Motion, referring to both Itsmyluckyday and Shanghai Bobby. “And we have to bear in mind the points. If we go to the Palm Beach, we’ll be putting all our eggs in one basket in his next start. The only thing I’d change, if I could is, that I wish the Fountain of Youth was a mile and one eighth and not a mile and one sixteenth because he’s already been a mile and one eighth.”

Pletcher worked several Derby hopefuls Sunday at Palm Meadows. That group included  Shanghai Bobby, an easy half-mile in 49.60 in company with Forty Tales; Verrazano, a half in 48 with a 1:01 five-furlong gallop out alongside stablemate Doherty;  and Overanalyze, five-eighths in 1:00.40 with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:13.40 in company with Delhomme.

Pletcher said Shanghai Bobby just breezed an easy four furlongs, his first work since finishing second in the Holy Bull.

“First work back, just a nice easy half. I thought he was moving great,” said Pletcher. “His energy level is good. I’m really happy with him too.”

Pletcher also called Verrazano’s work “awesome” on Sunday.

“He went effortlessly,” said Pletcher.

The undefeated Verrazano is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the Tampa Bay Derby.

- additional reporting by Jay Privman