Forte, Blazing Sevens lead field of 10 for Fountain of Youth

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Reigning Juvenile Champion Forte and Grade 1 winner Blazing Sevens, currently ranked second and third respectively in the latest edition of Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch, were among a field of 10 3-year-olds drawn for next Saturday’s $400,000, Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The important Kentucky Derby prep will be decided at 1 1/16 miles and will go as the finale on a 14-race program with first post at 11 a.m.

Forte, who clinched divisional honors with his 1 1/2-length victory over Cave Rock in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, drew post 4 for his 3-year-old debut and is the 7-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher, who again named Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride. Forte has had six works at his winter home at the Palm Beach Downs training center preparing for his 3-year-old debut, including five furlongs in 1:01.99 on Saturday.

Blazing Sevens finished fourth, 5 1/4 lengths behind Forte, following an eventful start in the Juvenile. He was also a distant third behind that same nemesis in the Grade 1 Hopeful last summer at Saratoga, sandwiching those setbacks around an impressive 3 1/4-length triumph in the one-mile Champagne decided over a sloppy track at Aqueduct.

Blazing Sevens is the second choice at 7-2 in the morning line and will break from post 6 under Joel Rosario. He, too, has had six works since shipping to Payson Park, completing his preparations for the Fountain of Youth going five-eighths in 1:01.60 on Saturday.

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The Fountain of Youth field will also reunite five of the eight horses who contested the Grade 3 Holy Bull here four weeks ago, led by trainer Bill Mott’s pair of Rocket Can and Shadow Dragon who finished first and second respectively in the 1 1/16-mile Derby prep. The others are Legacy Isle, Il Miracolo (5th) and Cyclone Mischief, who finished a disappointing seventh as the 6-5 favorite that day.

The remainder of the Fountain of Youth lineup includes General Jim, winner of the Grade 3 Swale going seven furlongs on the Holy Bull undercard; Dangerous Ride, a wire-to-wire allowance winner going seven furlongs in his most recent start, and the promising Mage, an impressive winner of his only previous start here January 28.

Mott said he was a bit disappointed to have drawn post 8 with Rocket Can, although it’s the same post he won from going the same distance in the Holy Bull. There is a short run to the first turn in races decided at a 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park.

“I’d rather have been in post 5, but he should be okay. The post doesn’t matter as much for the other one with his running style,” said Mott, referring to Shadow Dragon, who will break from post 3.

General Jim is favorably drawn on the rail stretching back to 1 1/16 miles, a distance he won at twice, on turf, during the fall of his 2-year-old campaign.

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