Fountain of Youth may have a full gate

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A capacity field of 12 3-year-olds could be taking shape for the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth, a critical Kentucky Derby prep to be run at Gulfstream Park next Saturday.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, a three-time winner of the Fountain of Youth, will have at least one of the favorites for the 1 1/16-mile race in Emmanuel. Pletcher also has Mo Donegal under consideration, depending on how the colt was to work this weekend at his Palm Beach Downs winter base.

Emmanuel has won his two starts by a combined 11 1/4 lengths. Mo Donegal, winner of the Remsen in early December, most recently was third as the favorite in the Feb. 5 Holy Bull, the first prep run here so far toward the May 7 Kentucky Derby.

The other likely favorites for the 74th Fountain of Youth, for which Derby points will be alotted on a 50-20-10-5 scale, are Rattle N Roll, who will be making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last October, and Simplification, the Holy Bull runner-up. The Holy Bull winner, White Abarrio, is awaiting the April 2 Florida Derby.

Gulfstream racing officials this week confirmed at least seven more starters for the Fountain of Youth, with a few more possible. Those known prospects are A. P.’s Secret, Dean Delivers, Galt, Grantham, High Oak, Howling Time, and Markhamian. Possible starters include Doppelganger for Bob Baffert, along with Giant Game, In Due Time, and Strike Hard. The field will be limited to 12.

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Markhamian, who worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 well before dawn here Friday, will be a longshot when making his first start since winning the seven-furlong Pasco at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 15. His trainer, Juan Carlos Avila, upset the Tampa Bay Derby nearly two years ago with 49-1 shot King Guillermo.

“We would like to do that here, too,” said Avila.

The Fountain of Youth is one of nine stakes to be run here Saturday. Entries will be drawn Monday, two days earlier than normal, partly to accommodate the $1 minimum Coast to Coast Dirt Pick 5 and Coast to Coast Turf Pick 5, two new wagers that will also incorporate major stakes from Santa Anita.

The other Saturday stakes at Gulfstream are led by the Grade 2 Davona Dale, a 50-20-10-5 qualifier toward the May 6 Kentucky Oaks. The others are the Grade 2 Mac Diarmida, Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Mile, Grade 3 Canadian Turf, Grade 3 The Very One, Grade 3 Honey Fox, Grade 3 Herecomesthebride, and the Palm Beach.

The Fountain of Youth is one of four Derby qualifiers across the country next Saturday. The Gotham at Aqueduct and the San Felipe at Santa Anita also will award 50 points to the winner, while points for the John Battaglia at Turfway Park will be on a 10-4-2-1 basis. The Fountain of Youth will be among the races televised live on a two-hour broadcast (4-6 p.m. Eastern) on CNBC.