The $400,000 Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes is the featured event on a stellar February 21 card at Gulfstream Park as a field of eight three year-old colts will battle for the 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points awarded to the winner.
Upstart is the deserving 8/5 morning line favorite in the mile and one sixteenth race after powering away to a five length victory in the Grade 2 Holy Bull January 24 in his three year-old debut. The Richard Violette trainee posted an impressive 106 Beyer Speed Figure for his effort stamping himself an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Upstart will attempt to maintain that momentum breaking from post seven under regular jockey Jose Ortiz.
Frosted (5/2) also exits the Holy Bull, where he finished second, well-beaten by Upstart. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin adds blinkers to the colt for the Fountain of Youth – a move that could have the son of Tapit more focused early in the race. Frosted has recorded one win in four career starts for earnings of $227,400. He will break just inside of Upstart with Irad Ortiz in the irons.
Itsaknockout (4/1) is unbeaten in two races including a $75,000 allowance score January 4 at Gulfstream for trainer Todd Pletcher. The lightly-raced son of Lemon Drop Kid has the pedigree to improve with more ground and will be running around two turns for the first time. Gorgeous Bird (6/1) fits the same profile after winning an identical allowance race January 24 at Gulfstream.
The field is set for the $1 million Haskell, where Nyquist will be trying to re-stake his claim as the top three-year-old in the country.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $300,000 United Nations Stakes. Scheduled to be run at a mile and three-eighths on the turf, the Grade 1 event has drawn a field of ten colts and geldings.
On Sunday at Monmouth Park, the featured race is the $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, a key prep race for the Haskell Invitational (G1). The Grade 3 event will be contested at a mile and a sixteenth and has drawn a field of seven three-year-olds.
With five grade 1 races and a grade 2, the undercard for the June 11 Belmont stakes could be the best single day of racing on the calendar outside of the Breeders’ Cup.
Leave a comment