Gulfstream Park’s penultimate Kentucky Derby prep, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, takes place this Saturday. Metro Bet profiles the best bets of the bunch.
Gulfstream Park Race 13 (Post time: 5:32 p.m. Eastern)
The Grade II, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes
1 1/16th-miles on dirt
A field of 11 three-year-old colts will do battle in Gulfstream’s Fountain of Youth Stakes this Saturday. The winner will receive 50 Kentucky Derby points, virtually assuring their place in the starting gate for the “Run for the Roses.”
#5 VEKOMA (7-2) went 2-for-2 in his brief juvenile campaign, breaking his maiden at Belmont Park over next-out winner and Fountain of Youth entrant #2 EPIC DREAMER before stretching out with success in the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct. He’s worked steadily since returning to the track in mid-January for George Weaver, culminating with a five-furlong bullet drill on Feb. 23 in anticipation of this heat. VEKOMA will get Lasix for the first time and keeps Manny Franco in the irons, as the jockey flies in from New York for the call. The son of Candy Ride should lay close to the lead before taking over late.
#8 GLOBAL CAMPAIGN (10-1) is an appealing longshot candidate in the Fountain of Youth. He’s won “wrapped up” in each of his first two starts, both of which were over this course. GLOBAL CAMPAIGN’s speed figures are competitive, and there’s no telling how much he could improve if asked for his best against these. Luis Saez retains the assignment for Stanley Hough, who is 10-4-2-2 at the current Gulfstream meet.
#6 SIGNALMAN (9-2) is a deep closer, and horses with that running style are typically not rewarded at Gulfstream. However, he has a case to land a share in the Fountain of Youth, his first start of 2019. SIGNALMAN has demonstrated heart and class by closing through traffic for shares in the Breeders’ Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile before hitting the wire first in the Kentucky Jockey Club when last seen. Brian Hernandez Jr. will be aboard once more for Ken McPeek.
#7 HIDDEN SCROLL (9-5, morning-line favorite) had a sensational debut, winning by 14 lengths over this course. However, that effort came in the slop on Pegasus World Cup day. It would be foolish to dismiss this runner just because he’s never raced on a fast track, but he may not be worth the bet as the favorite in this spot. Joel Rosario will fly in from California for the call for Hall-of-Famer Bill Mott.
The play: $5 exacta 5/6,7,8, $3 win 8, $2 exacta 7/5 ($20)
