Notonthesamepage Among Top Hopefuls for Fountain of Youth Stakes
by Patricia Woo | Feb 23 2009
The road to the
Kentucky Derby continues with a thrilling collision of big-name contenders in the 1-mile $250,000 Gr. 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes this Saturday, Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park. Featuring one of the most exciting fields to hit the track so far this year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes will offer horse bettors a second chance to examine some of their favorite Derby hopefuls. Look for Notonthesamepage, This Ones for Phil and Beethoven, among others, to vie for top spot in this important Kentucky Derby prep race.
After a commanding 8-length win in the Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 3 at Churchill Downs, Notonthesamepage has been atop many horse bettors’ list of Kentucky Derby contenders. Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, this 3-year-old colt has been prepping for the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, pleasing trainer Wesley Ward with a recent five-furlong workout in a bullet time of :59 2/5. Speed is one of Notonthesamepage’s greatest assets: This son of Catienus temporarily held a track record at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old last April, and horse bettors can expect him to make a bid for the lead right from the gate. “Usually he shoots right to the front,” said Ward. “Obviously, if they go something crazy, we might not be up there. We’ve been breezing him hoping he can learn to adapt, but he’s been trained his whole life to run on the lead. I would expect that’s probably what will happen again.” Regular rider Elvis Trujillo, who was aboard for the Spectacular Bid victory, will again get the mount.
This Ones for Phil also has incredible speed, something he demonstrated to devastating effect in the 6-furlong Sunshine Millions Dash on Jan. 29 where he rallied from fourth for the win. He, too, has been training at
Gulfstream Park and so far, trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. has liked what he is seeing in his Kentucky Derby prospect. “I’m very happy with ‘Phil’ right now,” Dutrow said after the gelding’s latest workout of six furlongs in 1:11 2/5.
Hoping to bounce back from a poor race in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan 31. is Beethoven, John Ward’s star pupil. Hampered by an outside post position draw and traffic problems, Beethoven has likely yet to show his full potential. This Sky Mesa colt catapulted to the forefront of horse bettors’ minds when he defeated a field of eight in the Gr. 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in November 2008 and will be looking to return to his winning ways for owner John Oxley in the Fountain of Youth Stakes.
Others possible for this important Kentucky Derby prep include the inconsistent Break Water Edison, (sixth in the Gr. 2 Hutcheson Stakes), Capt. Candyman Can (showing improvement in form with his first-place finish in the Hutcheson Stakes) and one-two finishers in an allowance dash at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 10, Theregoesjojo and Quality Road.
In 2008, Cool Coal Man held on to win the Fountain of Youth Stakes in a dramatic finish. Who will win this year’s Fountain of Youth Stakes?
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