Gulfstream Park notes: East Hall on Kentucky Derby trail

Trainer Bill Kaplan was extremely pleased with East Hall’s fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, a performance that earned the improving 3-year-old five Kentucky Derby qualifier points. East Hall overcame a terrible starting position – post 12 on the extreme outside – and speed-favoring course to rally from last to finish 6 1/2 lengths behind Wildcat Red and General a Rod in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth. East Hall had finished third behind the same pair in the Gulfstream Park Derby on Jan. 1.

“He’s definitely on the Kentucky Derby trail with five points although we probably won’t bring him back in the Florida Derby,” said Kaplan. “I’d like to find a little easier spot if I can. We had contemplated scratching from that post on Saturday but decided to hang in there, and it worked out well. I thought he ran a superstar race.”

Kaplan has already had a taste of Derby fever, sending out Imawildandcrazyguy to finish fourth and Storm in May to be 16th in the 2007 Kentucky Derby.