Prevalence stays on course for Fountain Youth or allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Prevalence, one of the more exciting prospects for the May 1 Kentucky Derby, was out for serious work again early Friday, going five furlongs in 1:01 over a fast track at the Palm Meadows training center.

It was the second breeze for Prevalence, a Godolphin homebred, since the Medaglia d’Oro colt earned an 89 Beyer Speed Figure in an eye-catching 8 1/2-length victory in his seven-furlong career debut on the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup undercard.

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Trainer Brendan Walsh was on hand for the Palm Meadows work before leaving for New Orleans, where the 47-year-old trainer was scheduled to saddle unbeaten Maxfield in the Mineshaft at Fair Grounds the following afternoon.

“He went very well, and that’s always the main thing,” Walsh said. “He’ll work once more, right about this time next week, and then we’ll have to zero in on where we want to run.”

Walsh said he and Jimmy Bell, who manages Godolphin’s U.S. interests, have been discussing whether to run Prevalence in a 1 1/8-mile first-level allowance that’s in the Gulfstream Park condition book for Feb. 25, or make the sizable leap into graded stakes company two days later in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb. 27.

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Even with just one start, Prevalence was listed at 15-1 in Daily Racing Form’s opening Derby Watch this week, and at 20-1 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, a 50-20-10-5 qualifier for the 147th Derby, is one of nine graded stakes on the next big date at Gulfstream. Nominations for all of those races are due Sunday.