The Fountain Of Youth Stakes (KYD)- $400.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
March 4, 2017
It’s time for the Fountain Of Youth at GP, and for me as a race fan this was always the race that kicked off my enthusiasm for the upcoming KYD. There are just two months to go, and while there will likely be one more race for everyone after this, the points earned or not earned here will set the tone for urgency or confidence heading into next month. In HRP, it is not really just another prep race, because by the looks of this field, you can tell that main top trainers view this race with an increased level of enthusiasm over other early March preps. It is a race that has seen Model American, Niagra, and Spotted Cat all win very recently. Last year, Edwin Drood seemed like a derby hopeful after he won the race, though the trainer bypassed the TC series for him. More then likely, the winner of this race will not follow Edwin Drood’s path of avoiding the KYD, and actually be part of the race. It’s a fascinating field that includes the great filly Snow Peak. The starting gate will be full, so let’s take a look through this field. Enjoy the race!
#1- Cuddly Brit (Maxmillion Farm, ridden by E Maldonado)- Lightly tested at this level, but did run in the Grade 3 Jerome at the beginning of the year after a few turf allowances. However, in that race, he ran in the middle of the field. Since then, he’s raced once, an allowance right here at GP, and with a tactical adjustment of going out near the lead early, he put forth an impressive looking win that also included Winter Is Coming, who is also here. Off of that, it’s only natural that the trainer wants to see what Cuddly Brit can do against this field. Starting on the rail always helps, and he may well pull of a surprise here.
#2- Virtual Knowledge (Nakamura Stables, ridden by K J Desormeaux)- A winner of five of seven career starts, and rides that five race winning streak. The streak began cheaply, very cheaply, on the free track of MNR in his third start. Still stayed running very modestly with two wins at the esteemed MD race track. Finally, the trainer started putting him against better, and in his last race, he was victorious in the $100.000 Gander for NY-breds. That’s a path that brings here, and anyone with virtual knowledge knows that anything is possible in our game.
#3- Winter Is Coming (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J R Leparoux)- Despite his name, the winter was not very kind to him after a strong summer and fall while running for Night Mare Racing. With that trainer, he had several good runs, highlighted by a win here in the Fager, part of the FL Sire Series. He was then sold to D J C for $250.000, but could only finish fifth three straight times in graded company. For his last start, he dropped into an allowance and finished 3rd, a race won by Cuddly Brit. (No word on what the second place horse from that race, Mahi Mahi, is doing). He’ll have to have shown improvement to have a chance here.
#4- Sicario (Sir Daniel Martin, ridden by V Espinoza)- The gelding has won three of nine career starts, and spent the latter portion of last year running on the grass. In that stretch, he was second in the Grade 3 Pilgrim, and that got him to the BC Juvenile Turf. He would run well in the BC, and end up with a third place finish. That’s been the last time he’s raced on the grass though, as the trainer is hoping to translate his abilities into the TC chase. SO far, the results have been ok, but he’s going to need to run well here if he wants to be KYD bound.
#5- Moving Around (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- A lightly raced colt that will just be making his fifth start of his career, and it will be the first time he has seen the main track. On the grass, he’s won twice, but after a month of exceptional mile works, including a bullet fired on Monday, Moving Around is ready to go here. This will be new to him, but the talent is clearly there. I’m thinking this will be a case of him needing a close loss before he wins a big one, and based on those works and what seems to be a good nose for the wire, there will be a big win in his future. For now though, he won’t be my first choice.
#6- Night Terra (Kopites, ridden by J J Castellano)- I wish Kopites the best with my former stable star. It is a sale that had to be made for the good of the horse, and under the guidance of Kopites, his future won’t be blocked. Now, as for him here, I can say that in no way was I targeting this race or a race this weekend for him. However, I also know that he could be ready, work wise, for a run here, so, don’t rule him out. Night Terra has a ton of heart and talent, and special things happen when he wears number six. I’m still going to be rooting for him!
#7-Acquisitive (Mb Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- Probably not the one that Mb would call his first choice to win on Saturday, but even a top trainer has got to take a chance, too. Acquisitive has never raced more then six furlongs, and has never run in anything other then smaller ungraded stakes. His only win was a MSW at FL in September. Two of his allowance runs stand out at me though, and they are the ones in October and January. It may have simply been a case of Acquisitive needing time to develop into a longer distance runner, and he has shown plenty of stretch desire. A work at AQU on the 19th of February is very intriguing. So, no, Acquisitive isn’t going to be the Mb horse in the field getting the pre-race attention, but he could get some in the winners circle afterwards if he adapts to this distance.
#8- Snow Peak (Mb Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- For all the talk about her possibly being fragile, and getting the most out of her while you can, Snow Peak is holding up quite well. And now, here it is, two months from the KYD, and the 2016 Horse Of The Year is working just as well. There’s no reason to think that she is not about to run a great race here, and I expect her too. Last month in the Holy Bull, she took on the boys for the first time, and ran a strong second, although it spoiled her perfect record. If she’s hungry for payback, all she needs to do is look in the starting gate to see the one who beat her. Now, in the showdown with Made To Sin, note that Snow Peak gained three lengths on Made To Sin in the final 2 ½ furlongs. So just a little more luck may be all it takes.
#9- Made To Sin (John Henry, ridden by R Bejarano)- Looks to follow up his terrific victory in the Holy Bull here last month, where he was able to hold off Snow Peak, but he will be doing so while in different silks. Made To Sin boarded the Downwind Stables to John Henry private sales express on the 23rd for $450.000. It’s a purchase that should bode well for the new trainer since Made To Sin still looks to be on top form right now. Other highlights to his career include a win in the DMR Futurity, and being second in the wild finish out at the BC Juvenile last November. Should be an exciting rematch between them.
#10- Profound Approach (Blushing Meadows, ridden by J R Velazquez)- The gelding has won two out of five career starts, and has never failed to hit the board. This is the toughest assignment of his career to date, but he has shown some pretty good overall potential. Highlights so far include a third place run in the Grade 2 Remsen up at AQU, which would be his final race for prior trainer Heavens Own. Blushing Meadows picked him up afterward for $375.000, and got a runner up in the CA Cup Derby, for CA-breds in late January. Interestingly, there seems to be no genetic relation between him and Profound Connection, who in my opinion, is the horse to beat right now in the TC.
#11- Farley On Wheels (Tiratzo, ridden by F Pennington)- Last month, this Charley Farley colt was up at AQU and winning the Grade 3 Withers. He’s the only one from that field that has come down south for this race, but it looks to be a great move by Tiratzo because know he can also see how Farley On Wheels fares against the top two runners of the Holy Bull. Based on the Withers win, his name should be mentioned as a top threat for the KYD at this early stage of prep season, but it is not yet. He won’t necessarily have to beat Snow Peak and Made To Sin to do so. He won the Withers by being on the lead early, but can also win from off the pace.
#12- Wicked Kruz (Brave, ridden by J Bravo)- We round this preview out with a horse that figures to be a longshot due to his inexperience at this level. This will be his fifth start and second race against graded company. Last month, he was in the Grade 3 Lewis out at SA, and put together a decent fourth place finish. That’s going to be something for him to build on here. There are only short public works to see for this one, so it’s tough for me to get a true handle on him, but he can contend here.
Prediction: 8-11-9-6
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
