A. P.'s Secret gets his shot in Fountain of Youth

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr., who entered this week with a 41-37 lead over perennial leading trainer Todd Pletcher atop the 2021-22 championship meet standings, is looking for a big run in the Fountain of Youth on Saturday from A. P.’s Secret, a last-out allowance winner making his stakes debut. Joseph already has White Abarrio, winner of the Holy Bull, as a Derby contender.

“This is a big step up, and he’s going to have to prove himself,” Joseph said of A. P.’s Secret. “But we think he’s a colt with a lot of class and we’re confident he’s going to run a big race.”

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White Abarrio, meanwhile, will train into the Florida Derby on April 2.

“He’ll breeze every weekend into the race, although we might miss one weekend on purpose,” Joseph said. “He’s doing really well.”

Joseph’s only Derby starter was Ny Traffic, eighth in the 2020 running. Ny Traffic, now 5, will have Irad Ortiz Jr. up when he returns from a four-month layoff to face the likes of Speaker’s Corner and Fearless in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile (race 10, 4:40 p.m.) on Saturday.

“Going one turn for us, he’s been plenty impressive,” Joseph said. “It’s a tough task, but he’s ready.”

The Gulfstream Mile is one of eight supporting stakes, seven of them graded, on a sensational Saturday card.

Joseph also said that Shifty She, most recently third in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf, is skipping the Honey Fox on Saturday to run instead versus Florida-breds in the $110,000 Distaff Turf on March 27, Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs.