The $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes is today (3/2/24) at Gulfstream Park. This is one of the last qualifying points preps for the 150th Kentucky Derby. This is only one of four prep races scheduled this Saturday, an action-packed day of racing.

A total of 105 qualifying points are available in this race for the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4th. The top five finishers are dividing the points 50-25-15-10-5. The Fountain of Youth is a 1 1/16-mile race. It usually leads into the Florida Derby, Gulfstream’s major Kentucky Derby preparation, which takes place on March 30. However, the Fountain of Youth is a prestigious race in itself as multiple Kentucky Derby winners have emerged from this race.

The Fountain of Youth is headlined by two horses with a great 2-year-old campaign, Victory Avenue and Locked. Both won significant 3-year-old Kentucky Derby preparation races and are among the top favorites in the future-book wagering for Derby 150.

My Top Picks

Before writing this post, my initial top pick was #8 Locked, but he has been scratched by the connections.

With that, my focus turns towards #5 Dornoch. I believe this horse should be an easy winner due to the significant scratches within this race. Dornoch is coming out of a 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Stake race in Aqueduct. Dornoch defeated Sierra Leone that day, who came back to win the Risen Star Stakes in New Orleans. The distance shortens up today to 1 1/16-miles, which I don’t think is an issue as this horse wants the lead.

Fun Fact – Dornoch is a full brother to last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Mage. They have opposite running styles, Mage likes to come from behind, while Dornoch wants to be upfront.

A horse I have been following is #7 Frankie’s Empire. This horse should benefit from the fast early pace I am expecting. It will help his chances of rallying into contention under local jockey Miguel Vasquez, who rode Frankie’s Empire for the first time in the Swale Stakes. Frankie’s Empire went off at 14-1 odds, the longest shot on the board for the Swale Stakes. He closed from sixth while racing wide and ran clear in the stretch to score by 3 ½ lengths over Le Dom Bro.

A horse to watch out for a bounce back is #2 Le Dom Bro, who ran a disappointing race losing to Frankie’s Empire. I am not entirely sure what to do with the rest of this field. #1 Speak Easy broke his maiden defeating Victory Avenue, but he only has one race under his belt compared to Dornoch and Frankie’s Empire. #4 Real Macho does not have the speed figures to contend with Dornoch either.

This race may just be a blowout by Dornoch, but if there is a pace meltdown, I believe Frankie’s Empire will reel them in.