$402,000 San Felipe, March 4, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Practical Move, by Practical Joke
Trainer: Tim Yakteen
Jockey: Ramon Vazquez
Owner: Leslie Amestoy, Pierre Amestoy, Roger Beasley
Distance / time: 1 1/16 miles / 1:42.01
Win margin: 2 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 100 

$400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes, March 4, 2023
(50 qualifying points for first, 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth, and 5 for fifth) 

Winner: Forte, by Violence
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
Owner: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable
Distance / time: 1 1/16 miles / 1:43.12
Win margin: 4 1/2 lengths
Beyer: 98 

ARCADIA, Calif. – Practical Move earned a triple-digit Beyer in scoring a decisive victory in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita and emerging as a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby, while two-three finishers Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner ran well enough to earn a start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Ben Colebrook gave jockey Jose Lezcano a leg up on Raise Cain in the Aqueduct paddock, made a quick pitstop in the film theater and then jumped into an Uber headed to John F. Kennedy Airport before the horses went to post for Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes. After all, whatever was to happen in the race was now out of his control and he needed to be at Turfway Park Saturday night to saddle Scoobie Quando in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Aside from a few anxious moments, perhaps, in the run down the backstretch, the $400,000 Fountain of Youth played out about as perfectly as trainer Todd Pletcher could have hoped for his leading Kentucky Derby candidate Forte.

The reigning juvenile champion rallying to a one-sided and very easy 4 1/2-length victory over Holy Bull winner Rocket Can in his first start since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile four months earlier.

Cairo, an Irish-bred Quality Road colt trained by Aidan O’Brien, moved to the fore of the European-based hopefuls for the Kentucky Derby with a two-length win in his 3-year-old debut in Friday’s $42,300 Patton Stakes at a mile on the all-weather surface at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland.

Cairo earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with the win. One berth in the Kentucky Derby is available to the runner with the most qualifying points from the European series.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The much anticipated 3-year-old debut of reigning juvenile champion Forte will take place Saturday at Gulfstream Park when the top-rated Kentucky Derby hopeful goes a mile and one-sixteenth against eight rivals in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth. The Grade 2 fixture, which dates back to 1945, is the final event on a 14-race program that includes seven other graded stakes, including the Grade 2, $200,000 Davona Dale for 3-year-old fillies.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Eyeing Clover and Slip Mahoney won’t be mentioned on many people’s top 20 lists for the Kentucky Derby. Heck, either would have a difficult time cracking the top 10 of 3-year-olds in the barn of their trainer, Brad Cox.

Arctic Arrogance, who accrued 16 Kentucky Derby points by running second in the Grade 2 Remsen, Jerome and Grade 3 Withers, will miss Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes due to illness.

Owner Chester Broman said he was informed that there is an illness going through the barn that Arctic Arrogance is stabled in on the Belmont Park backstretch. Arctic Arrogance is trained by Linda Rice, but she was on 10-day suspension through Wednesday and could not be at the barn. Her nephew Adam Rice has been overseeing the stable.

Henry Q established himself as the early favorite for the Grade 3, $600,000 Sunland Park Derby when he obliterated his rivals in Tuesday’s local stepping-stone, the $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby.

Henry Q led at every point of call for a 14 3/4-length victory – and the margin was not the only impressive part of his performance. Henry Q covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in a quick 1:41.52, earning a solid 93 Beyer Speed Figure.