HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Ron Paolucci resisted the urge to run the maiden filly Nikki and Papa in the Fountain of Youth on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, but perhaps only in deference to his ownership partners.

“I had somebody just buy in for 20 percent of the filly,” Paolucci said Monday from Texas, “and now I own 50 percent of her. I’d love to have run her against the boys if this was like her third start, but she’s only run the one time. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do it when the circumstances are a little more in our favor.”

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Americanus earned himself an opportunity to compete in one of the upcoming Kentucky Derby preps after winning a loaded first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs Saturday.

Americanus slipped up the rail under jockey Javier Castellano to register a one-length victory over debut winner Violent City, with the highly regarded pair of Silver Ratio and Cost Basis also in his wake. The win was the second in four starts for Americanus, a son of War Front who posted a career-high 82 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Two local jockeys with ties to three horses currently considered major players on the Kentucky Derby trail will be sidelined indefinitely after sustaining injuries in two separate riding mishaps occurring less than 24 hours apart here last week.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Green Light Go is in but Structor will be out when entries are drawn early Wednesday afternoon for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Monday he intends to run his Grade 2 winner Green Light Go in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, but the much-anticipated 3-year-old and main-track debut for the undefeated Chad Brown-trainee Structor will have to wait another day.

A strong recent work has sent Sir Rick back into stakes company Sunday for the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park, according to his trainer, Robertino Diodoro.

The 1 1/16-mile race is one of four stakes on the card, and it serves as the final local prep for next month’s Grade 3, $700,000 Sunland Derby. The program includes the $75,000 Island Fashion, a prep for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks, and an allowance that drew Grade 3 winner Runaway Ghost.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Max Player, the Grade 3 Withers Stakes winner and a member of Daily Racing Form’s Derby Watch, returned to the work tab Wednesday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:03.75 over the Belmont Park training track.

Max Player, a son of Honor Code trained by Linda Rice for owner George Hall, is pointing to the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4.

Like Willie Nelson, Bill Mott just can’t wait to get on the road again. The Derby road, that is.

Mott is the defending training champ for the Kentucky Derby, winning it last year when his colt Country House was placed first following the disqualification of Maximum Security. Mott last Saturday put himself in position to get back to this year’s Derby when Modernist scored an upset victory in the second division of the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Modernist

Uncle Mo – Symbolic Gesture, by Bernardini

Bred in Kentucky by Wygod Family, LLC

WHO’S HOT

Modernist, Mr. Monomoy, and Silver Prospector – all of whom won graded stakes races last weekend – are the newest members of the Derby Watch top 20. Mr. Monomoy, who won the faster division of the Risen Star, is 15-1 on the Kentucky Derby future line set by Marty McGee of Daily Racing Form. Modernist and Silver Prospector are both 20-1. Gouverneur Morris, winner of an allowance race last Friday in his 3-year-old debut, is down to 12-1 after being 20-1 a week ago. Tiz the Law remains the 4-1 favorite.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gouverneur Morris has eased back into training at Palm Beach Downs following a successful 3-year-old debut as trainer Todd Pletcher considers what will come next for his top prospect for the 146th Kentucky Derby.

Gouverneur Morris won a first-level allowance last Friday at Tampa Bay Downs in his first start since finishing second to Maxfield in the Breeders’ Futurity last October at Keeneland. A Constitution colt, Gouverneur Morris most likely will have just one chance to earn enough qualifying points to make the May 2 Derby, Pletcher said.