Carmouche coming from New York to ride Fire At Will in Fountain of Youth

Kendrick Carmouche, the leading jockey at the Aqueduct meet, will be here Saturday to ride Fire At Will in the Fountain of Youth and at least two other mounts.

Trainer Mike Maker initially arranged for Luis Saez to ride Fire At Will, but Carmouche got the mount after Saez committed to Essential Quality in the Southwest at Oaklawn, which will be run Saturday following several weather-related cancellations from its original Feb. 15 date.

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Carmouche, as with all jockeys who are not considered regular riders at the Gulfstream championship meet, is being permitted to ride only in graded stakes. It’s a policy Gulfstream management put into place ahead of the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup.

“We’re looking to limit the time the out-of-town jockeys spend with the other riders, with jockey-room personnel, pony people, the gate crew, anyone else,” said Mike Lakow, vice president of racing operations at Gulfstream. “These are very difficult times with all the COVID restrictions. We don’t want riders coming in here just for maiden or allowance races.”

:: Fountain of Youth Past Performances are now available

Carmouche was to undergo a COVID test Wednesday in New York, then another one Saturday in Florida. Carmouche, who started the week with a meet-high 57 wins at the Aqueduct winter meet, rode at Gulfstream during the 2013-14 season, when he went 14 for 154.