Fountain Of Youth Stakes 2024 Runners: Todd Pletcher Eyes Fifth Gulfstream Success
The road to the Kentucky Derby continues on Saturday with the Fountain Of Youth Stakes, where a total of 105 qualifying points are on offer for the first leg of the US Triple Crown on May 4.
What Date & Time Is The Fountain Of Youth Stakes 2024?
đź“…Time/Date: 6:10pm ET (Saturday 2nd March 2024)
🏇Racecourse: Gulfstream Park (1 1/16 miles)
đź’° Purse: $400,000
đź“ş TV: FanDuel TV / CNBC / Peacock (NBC Sports)
Did You Know? Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Fountain Of Youth Stakes Four Times
Locked Heads The Fountain Of Youth Stakes Runners 2024
The best US horse racing Sportsbooks have put in the Todd Pletcher-trained Locked at the head of the Fountain Of Youth Stakes market, having won two of his four career starts – including the Grade One Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland last year.
Locked’s most recent run wasn’t a win, but another top effort when third in the highly competitive Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita (watch below) last November. Finishing fast that day to suggest he’ll be staying on well up the Gulfstream Park shoot this Saturday.
Speak Easy, who is also trained by Todd Pletcher, is next best in the betting, with recent Remsen winner Dornoch next best.
No trainer has won the Fountain Of Youth Stakes more than Todd Pletcher – with four wins over the years.
Pletcher’s first success in the Grade 2 contest came in 2007 with Scat Daddy, who was ridden by John Velazquez. The pair teamed up again in 2010 on Eskenderaya.
Todd Pletcher had to then wait till 2015 when Itsaknockout made it three for the former Trainer of the Year, with Forte 12 months ago adding a fourth.
The US handler has a strong chance of making it five too – he’s got the well-fancied pair Speak Easy and Locked entered.
Forte Won Last Year’s Fountain Of Youth Stakes
The 2023 Fountain Of Youth Stakes winner Forte (watch below), was also set to go well in the Kentucky Derby and started the day as favorite until being scratched late on due to a failed drugs test or bruised foot – depending on what reports you read.
Despite this setback Forte still went onto win the Jim Dandy Stakes last July and was last seen running fourth in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August 2023.
Before winning the Fountain Of Youth Stakes last year, Forte won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – the same race Locked ran third in last time out.
Five Past Fountain Of Youth Stakes Winners Went Onto Win The Kentucky Derby
With 105 Kentucky Derby points on the table, which are split 50-25-15-10-5, then there’s a lot at stake in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes this weekend.
It’s a race that’s also produced five Kentucky Derby winners – plus, as mentioned, last year’s winner Forte was sent off favourite for the Churchill Downs race before being withdrawn late on.
The latest horse to complete the double was the Orb in 2023, who provided jockey John Velazque with one of his five successes in the race.
Fountain Of Youth Stakes /Kentucky Derby Double Winners
2013 Orb
1995 Thunder Gulch
1979 Spectacular Bid
1966 Kauai King
1958 Tim Tam
2024 Fountain Of Youth Stakes Runners, Odds, Riders, Trainers and Recent Form
1. SPEAK EASY
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
Form: 1 run, 1 win
Prize Money: $42,000
Last Run: 1st Maiden Special Weight, Gulfstream (Jan 27, 2024)
2. LE DOM BRO
Trainer: Eniel Cordero
Jockey: Edwin Cordero
Form: 5 runs, 1 win, 3 2nds
Prize Money: $88,450
Last Run: 2nd Swale Stakes (Listed), Gulfstream (Feb 3, 2024)
3. VICTORY AVENUE
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Jockey: John Velazquez
Form: 1 run, 0 wins, 1 2nd
Prize Money: $14,000
Last Run: 2nd Maiden Special Weight, Gulfstream (Jan 27, 2024)
4. REAL MACHO
Trainer: Rohan Crichton
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Form: 4 runs, 2 wins
Prize Money: $68,320
Last Run: 1st Allowance Optional Claiming, Gulfstream (Feb 3, 2024)
5. DORNOCH
Trainer: Danny Gargan
Jockey: Luis Saez
Form: 4 runs, 2 wins, 2 2nds
Prize Money: $257,400
Last Run: 7th Southwest Stakes (G3), Oaklawn (Feb 3, 2024)
6. MERIT
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
Jockey: Edgard Zayas
Form: 2 runs, 1 win1, 1 3rd
Prize Money: $31,920
Last Run: 1st Remsen Stakes, Aqueduct (Dec 2, 2023)
7. FRANKIE’S EMPIRE
Trainer: Michael Yates
Jockey: Miguel Vasquez
Form: 7 runs, 4 wins, 1 3rd
Prize Money: $185,700
Last Run: 1st Swale Stakes (Listed), Gulfstream (Feb 3, 2024)
8. LOCKED
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Form: 4 runs, 2 wins, 2 3rd
Prize Money: $608,400
Last Run: 3rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Santa Anita (Nov 3, 2023)
9. DANCING GROOM
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Form: 5 runs, 1 win, 1 3rd
Prize Money: $129,482
Last Run: 5th Holy Bull Stakes (G3), Gulfstream (Feb 3, 2024)
Note: Odds are subject to change
Fountain Of Youth Stakes Winners (Last 10 Years)
2023: Forte
2022: Simplification
2021: Greatest Honour
2020: Ete Indien
2019: Code Of Honor
2018: Promises Fulfiled
2017: Gunnevera
2016: Mohaymen
2015: Itsaknockout
2014: Wildcat Red
