The Fountain of
Youth Stakes is open to three-year old thoroughbred as part of the Kentucky
Derby Trail. There are 10 entries in this race and my top five contenders have
morning line odds and percentages to win.
Forte (7-5)
Currently the
early favorite to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby, Forte is making a three-year
debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes with Todd Pletcher as his trainer and
Irad Ortiz Jr. as his jockey. He won his last three Grade 1 events as a
juvenile, starting with a victory in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 5.
Forte won the
2022 Breeders’ Futurity on Oct. 8 before taking first place in Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile on Nov. 4. He covered 1 1/16 miles on dirt in 1:43.06 over Cave Rock
and National Treasure in the BC Juvenile. Bred in Kentucky, these Grade 1
stakes were at Keeneland.
Odds of
Winning: 65%
Blazing
Sevens (7-2)
Trained by Chad
Brown, he is starting at No. 6 for his race with jockey Joel Rosario. Blazing
Sevens is another Kentucky-bred colt starting out his three-year career in the
Fountain of Youth Stakes. He finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile
after winning the nongraded Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 1.
As a son of
Good Magic, Blazing Sevens was bred to go over a mile on dirt in a major graded
event and he should finish in the money in this race.
Odds of
Winning: 10%
General Jim
(6-1)
In the 2023
Swale Stakes, General Jim placed first with a time of 1:23.34 over Super Chow
and Two of a Kind. He has raced at Saratoga, Keeneland, Aqueduct and Gulfstream
Park. Trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey, he is ridden by jockey Luis Saez out
of the No. 1 gate in this race.
General Jim has
gone over a mile on turf and won. However, his mixed results on dirt is a
sticking point in the Fountain of Youth.
Odds of
Winning: 5%
Rocket Can
(8-1)
At Gulfstream
Park as a three-year old, Rocket Can won the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes on Feb.
4. He has finished first or second in his last three races going back to a 1
1/16-mile Maiden Special Weight race at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30 in 2022. As
a sire of Into Mischief, he went more than a mile on dirt in all three races.
Rocket Can is
probably not going to win the Fountain of Youth. However, he could place second
or third in the standings.
Odds of
Winning: 15%
Shadow
Dragon (12-1)
The New
York-bred colt finished second in the Holy Bull Stakes in the beginning of last
month at Gulfstream Park. Also trained by William Mott and ridden by jockey
Jose Ortiz, Shadow Dragon has good odds as a longshot in this race. He is
starting at the No. 3 gate and a clean break could result in a top three
finish.
Odds of
Winning: 5%
Previously post at Doc's Sports Service