The Fountain Of Youth Stakes (Grade 2) (KYD)- $300.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 27, 2021
The second 50-point TC prep of the year will take place on Saturday as a full field of twelve goes to post in the 18th running of The Fountain Of Youth Stakes. This is always one of those preps that just feels a little more meaningful to win than some others, and recent history has been kind to winners of this race. Last year, Chai Morning won the race for Aer Stables, and ended up winning the Preakness. The winner two years ago, Questionable, ended up winning the Queens Plate, so even though they are not the KYD itself, there is nothing questionable about their prestige level. We will be hoping for a single winner of this race, as two of the last three KYD-point paying races have ended up in a dead heat. This does not count the Battaglia, which runs on Friday. Let’s run through this field!
#1- Hard To Forgive (Aer Stables, ridden by S R Bahen)- Picked up by the trainer for $589.840 in the December auction as Night Mare Racing needed to sell off some stock. He had a promising two year old career, and won the Funny Cide at Saratoga. Besides that, he has been placed in some top level races, but is still looking for a graded win. Finished third in his debut for Aer in the Swale Stakes, which is run at seven furlongs. While his works show that he should like running long, it is time for the results to start following suit.
#2- Mahogany Storm (Smokey Stover, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This one has shown plenty of talent on the grass, winning three of his last four races. That includes both the Grade 2 Bourbon, and the Grade 3 Kittens Joy. WInning the Bourbon allowed him to take part in the BC Juvenile Turf, but it was not his day. You can’t be that good on the grass this time of year without taking a shot on the main track in a prep, and therefore Mahogany Storm will run on the dirt for the first time since May.
#3- Heffalump Hanny (Jive Inc., ridden by G Saez)- Only has one race so far where he has gone long, and it was also the one time he tried running against graded competition. When running under a mile, the colt has two wins, with a NM-bred stake being his claim to fame right now. Comes off a second place run at a SUN allowance in a field of five. I’m not confident with him at this distance.
#4- Proud Crown (Mb Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- We were going to see him in the Risen Star, but Mb Stables decided the likelihood of a three-way dead heat between his horses was not as likely as the two-way winners he got in that race. It would really look like the perfect decision if Proud Crown bounced back with a win right here, and he will be a top threat here. After all, he coming off a win in the Lecomte, and overall has won three of his last four races.
#5- Get Set Gone (Serenity Stables, ridden by M J Sanchez)- I have liked this horse more in the past than I do right now. He had seemed to be on the right track, but after watching two flat performances of his, I can’t be excited. Sure, the trainer should still like what he has, but there is no question that Get Set Gone needs to bounce back here in a big way.
#6- Accountant (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D Davis)- A strong two year old saw him run decently at SAR before getting back to back runner up finishes in NY-bred stakes over the fall. That led up to his victory in the $200.000 RP Springboard Mile just a little bit before Christmas. His three year old season has seen one race, which was the Grade 3 Lecomte, where he unfortunately pulled a no-show. So far, the numbers have not added up for him in graded stakes, but don’t rule him out, especially in tax season.
#7- Dream State- Scratched
#8- Clown Face (Aer Stables, ridden by A Beschizza)- We have a filly in the race. Aer Stables is going to have this filly make her first start at going over a mile against the boys in the Fountain Of Youth. No pressure there, Clown Face. She’s won two of six, and has run well, but her performances don’t scream try a KYD prep to me. Maybe a KYO prep. But of course, Aer is much more intelligent at this than I am.
#9- Elixir (Mb Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- One of the more lightly raced horses in the field, Elixir has only made three starts so far. Two of those races have resulted in wins, and that led to Mb Stables trying the Smarty Jones with him at OP. Elixir didn’t threaten for the win, but he got a pretty good third place finish that could be a building block for future races, such as this one.
#10- Hint Of Sugar (Arindel, ridden by E Jaramillo)- After several close but no cigar finishes in maidens, Arindel resisted the urge to just enter Hint Of Sugar somewhere else, and he would finally break his maiden late last month. Now, this gelding who is working well tries to take the next step, and I do think there is a lot of talent with this one. Is he going to be one of the latest examples of a horse who, once they know how to win, they don’t stop doing so?
#11- Kentucky Growl (Alabarda Stable, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- The trainer made a good investment in him, acquiring him for $200.010 in the June 2020 auction, and so far Kentucky Growl has responded with consistent, in the money finishes. Those are all in overnights, and it is now time to see what he can do in graded company. He has earned this opportunity, and I always like this type of horse that is consistent with his production. Three straight 91 SRF’s, which puts him in the mix, but he might need to better that a tad to get a win here.
#12- Papa Nature (Night Rider Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- The Dial It In colt will make the fourth start of his career, and he comes into this race off of a third place finish at the $100.000 Winkfield at AQU in late January. That came at seven furlongs, as did his win, and it seems as though he’ll be fine with the added distance here.
#13- Walk The Moon (Greyfriars Stable, ridden by J J Castellano)- Getting in off of the also eligible list, this gelding also makes his fourth start. He’s 1-of-3, winning a TAM maiden before going to OP for the Smarty Jones. He did not show much in that race, but everyone deserves a second chance. This is his.
Prediction: 4-2-10-6
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
