Gulfstream Park: Wildcat Red targets Florida Derby after Fountain of Youth win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The top three finishers from the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday were all reported to be in good condition Sunday morning, but a potential rematch between Wildcat Red, General a Rod, and Top Billing in the Florida Derby on March 29 isn’t certain since only Wildcat Red is definitely intended for that race at this point.

Jose Garoffalo, who trains Wildcat Red, said Saturday night in the winner’s circle that the Grade 1 Florida Derby was certain for Wildcat Red, and then it would be on to the Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs. Under the system used by Churchill Downs to determine the field for the Derby, Wildcat Red earned 50 points for his win in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, which essentially guarantees him a spot in the Derby should more than the maximum of 20 runners enter the race.

Wildcat Red has made all six of his starts at Gulfstream Park. He has four wins and two seconds and was disqualified from first to second in one of those races.

General a Rod, second by a head to Wildcat Red after a spirited duel in the Fountain of Youth, “came back just fine,” trainer Mike Maker said Sunday, but Maker said a next start for General a Rod was undecided.

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

Top Billing, who rallied for third over a track that compromised his late-running style, returned to the Payson Park training center immediately after the race.

“I was disappointed he didn’t win, but I wasn’t disappointed with the effort,” his trainer, Shug McGaughey, said Sunday at Gulfstream. “A mile and a sixteenth on this track, with the short pole, the short stretch, inside taking all that dirt, and he kept coming. One thing about Top Billing, he’s learned a lot here.”

McGaughey said the Florida Derby was a possibility for Top Billing but that the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5 was under serious consideration.

“I’ve got time. I want to let him get his feet under him,” McGaughey said. “I want to see how the track plays here.

“Up there,” he added, referring to Aqueduct, “the cooler weather might jump-start him a little bit. I know it would jump-start me a little bit. It was hot here yesterday.”

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]