Gulfstream Park gives new meaning to the term “big stakes day” on Saturday with nine stakes, eight of them graded, led by the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes. The Fountain of Youth is, of course, the local steppingstone to the Grade 1 Florida Derby, a major final Kentucky Derby prep that will be renewed April 1.

Elsewhere, Aqueduct offers the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes, the local prelude to the Wood Memorial on April 8. And Santa Anita has the Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ysabel, which lured the brilliant 3-year-old filly Unique Bella.

JENSEN
TRAINER: Larry Jones
LAST RACE: Feb. 24, 3rd
FINISH: 4^th by 1 3/4
BEYER: 79
He was projected to be near the lead trying turf for first time, but somehow wound up at the back, then got caught in a pocket way at the rear, losing position he never recovered. Came home well, and the class drop seemed to get him down to right level.

Secret Passage

Trainer: Donnie Von Hemel

Last Race: Feb. 26, 8th

Finish: 1^st by 1 1/2

Beyer: 88

He seems like one who might be sitting on a productive 4-year-old season. He defeated a deep field of older horses in an optional $40,000 claiming route, sweeping from more than 10 lengths off the pace for a clear win. Secret Passage is a well-bred sort as a son of Curlin and the Sky Classic mare Sweet Eloise.

Chief of Staff  

Hadron

Trainer: Anthony Rini

Last race: Feb. 23, 2nd

Finish: 5th by 6

Beyer: 52

He came out of a fast race in his prior try, and then landed in a race where the heavy favorite was able to control the tempo from start to finish; figures to be a live longshot back in against $5,000 nonwinners of a race in six months going long.

Shea’s Cool

Trainer: Forrest Kaelin

TimeformUS handicapper David Aragona highlights some contenders on Thursday's card at Aqueduct.

Race 2
Wingman (#3)
Mike Hushion gets a 100 TimeformUS Trainer Rating with runners dropping from maiden special weight to maiden-claiming company.
His sire, Haynesfield, is a strong route influence and this horse is a half-brother to Grade 1-winning dirt router Divine Park.
Kendrick Carmouche should send him aggressively in a race lacking much pace.
8-1 on ML

PASCHALITSA
Trainer: Eddie Truman
Last race: Feb. 24, 3rd
Finish: 2nd by 1/2
Beyer: 62
Despite a pace duel on a slow surface, this $16,000 claiming N3L filly stuck in there to deep stretch in a route before getting worn down. Sharp form, might prefer one turn.

After the Beyer Speed Figure makers go over a day’s card and load the figures into the DRF system, the process is not over. We continually look back to see if the figures need to be tweaked.

Some days are relatively easy, with the figures for each race falling into line, the variant simple to compute.

As Andrew Beyer, who does the Churchill Downs figures for the Beyer team, went over the times, it appeared that last Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs was one of those days. Appearances were deceiving.

Do Share
Trainer: Linda Rice
Last race: Feb. 25, 5^th
Finish: 2^nd by 1 1/2
Beyer: 87
Stepped up in class and continued recent improvement in form when rallying behind a heavily favored front-running winner, while matching his career top Beyer. 

Each week, TimeformUS Chief Figure Maker Craig Milkowski takes a look back at the weekend’s graded stakes and releases the TimeformUS Speed Figures for these races.

Fair Grounds

Grade 2 Risen Star
1/2 129
3/4 116
Fin 115

Top 3: Girvin 113, Untrapped 111, Local Hero 111

Note: Girvin has improved TimeformUS Speed Figure each time out – 100, 110, 113; lone loss came in previous race – second on turf

Aqueduct | Race 4 | Post Time 2:50 p.m. (ET) | Go to the TimeformUS PPs 

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