Greatest Honour (Courtlandt Farms), already a prime prospect on the strength of his dominating victory in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3), will take a significant step along the Road to the Triple Crown in the $300,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, February 27.

The Shug McGaughey-trained colt will have the opportunity to virtually clinch a spot in this year's Kentucky Derby (G1) field with a win in the Fountain of Youth, a 50-20-10-5 qualifying points race, as well as the important prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill `n Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27 at Gulfstream.

The Fountain of Youth, a tradition-rich 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, will anchor Saturday's blockbuster 14-race program with nine stakes, including the $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2), featuring the 2021 debut of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) heroine and Eclipse champion Vequist.

Greatest Honour, who broke his maiden in his fourth career start Dec. 26 at Gulfstream, rallied from seventh in a field of nine to draw away by 5 ¾ lengths under Jose Ortiz in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull. The son of Tapit has shown McGaughey all the signs that he has moved forward in his training at Payson Park in Indiantown, FL since his winning stakes debut.

"He had a really good work up there Sunday morning. I was pleased with the work and was very pleased with the way he looked and the way he was acting," said McGaughey, who is hoping Greatest Honour, the 9-5 favorite, will follow the example of Orb, whom he saddled for victories in the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2013.

Courtlandt Farms' homebred colt launched his career with a pair of strong closing third-place finishes in maiden special weight sprints at Saratoga and Belmont before losing a photo finish in his first trip around two turns at Aqueduct and completing his juvenile season with his 1 1/16-mile maiden breaker at Gulfstream.

McGaughey would gladly accept a set-up in the Fountain of Youth like the one he had in the Holy Bull, in which he rated well behind a contested early pace before producing a strong stretch rally.

"We'd like to see some speed ahead of him. When you have a horse that comes from behind, if you have some pace in front of you, it helps you," said McGaughey, who saddled Code of Honor for a win in the 2019 Fountain of Youth. "But I'm not going to be overly worried if there isn't."

Jose Ortiz has the return mount on Greatest Honour, who drew Post No. 8 in a field of 10.

Drain the Clock, an impressive winner of the seven-furlong Swale (G3) on the Holy Bull undercard, is expected to be an imposing pace factor from his rail post position Saturday in his stretch-out around two turns in the Fountain of Youth. He's 5-1 in the morning line.

The son of Maclean's Music was won four of five lifetime starts, his only loss coming when he lost his rider due to a broken iron during the running of the Nov. 30 Jeanne Laffite Stakes at Delta Downs. He entered the Delta stakes off a six-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park and an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park West.

The Joseph trainee bounced back from his ill-fated trip to Louisiana with a 7 ½-length win in the Jan. 2 Limehouse and a 6 ¼-length triumph in the Swale during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet.

"He's a very talented horse. He showed that before he even ran. The second or third breeze he showed he had talent," Joseph said. "The only blemish on his record was at Delta, and that wasn't his fault. Last time, he couldn't have won any easier than he did. He's won all his races in a good fashion. Hopefully, he can keep it going."

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Racing Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock will be ridden by Edgard Zayas.

Three Diamonds Farm's Fire At Will (7-2), who captured the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) at Keeneland last time out, is set to return to dirt in the Fountain of Youth.

"It's a tough task, whether he's a dirt horse or a turf horse, but he's earned the chance," trainer Michael Maker said.

After finishing sixth on turf in his Aug. 8 debut at Saratoga, Fire At Will broke his maiden in the Sept. 2 With Anticipation Stakes over a sealed sloppy main track at the Spa. The son of Declaration of War went back to turf to capture the Oct. 3 Pilgrim (G2) at Belmont by two lengths and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf by three lengths.

Kendrick Carmouche, who guided Fire At Will to victory in the Pilgrim, returns to the saddle.

Tarantino, who is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Stables LLC and Robert Masterson, made a respectable transition from turf to dirt in the Holy Bull, in which he pressed a solid early pace before finishing second behind Greatest Honour and 3 ¾ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Prime Factor.

The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile, who was a nose away from being undefeated on turf in his first three starts. He won his debut and lost a stakes by a nose in Southern California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert before capturing a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance on turf at Gulfstream in his first start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset and finishing second in the Holy Bull on dirt.

"We're hoping he can be a couple lengths better this time," said Brisset, who expects Tarantino (8-1) to move forward from his dirt debut.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride Tarantino for the first time Saturday.

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor (5-1), who was favored in the Holy Bull, will be seeking to rebound in the Fountain of Youth. The son of Quality Rod debuted with a dazzling 8 ¾-length victory at Gulfstream Dec. 12 before taking a giant step up in the Holy Bull, in which he stalked the pace and raced evenly in the stretch to finish a distant third.

"We're hoping he shows improvement after having only two starts. He came out of that race good. He came back with two really good breezes," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "We're just hoping it was a lack of experience and seasoning. He's trained like a good horse, so we'll see what he can do."

Pletcher named Irad Ortiz Jr. to ride Prime Factor.

Magic Stable LLC's Papetu, who finished three-quarters of a length behind Prime Factor while checking in fourth in the Holy Bull, will also return in the Fountain of Youth.

"I think he made his move too soon," trainer Antonio Sano said of his 15-1 shot. "He needs to relax early and make his run at the three-eighths [pole]."

Sano, who saddled Gunnevera for a victory in the 2017 Fountain of Youth, has named Junior Alvarado to ride Papetu.

Trainer Dale Romans, who saddled Promises Fulfilled for a Fountain of Youth score in 2018, will be represented Saturday by West Point Thoroughbreds and Peacock Stable's King's Ovation (15-1), who finished second behind Drain the Clock in the Swale.

OGMA Investments LLC and Off the Hook LLC's Jirafales, Teresa and David Palmer's Sososubtle (20-1), and David Bernsen LLC's Tiz Tact Toe (30-1) round out the field.

Drain the Clock Will Run In The 2021 Fountain of Youth

FEB 22 - Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confirmed Monday afternoon that Drain the Clock will run in Saturday's Kentucky Derby prep race - the Grade 2, $300,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The impressive winner of the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start was also being considered for the March 6 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct.

"Drain the Clock is going to run in the Fountain of Youth," Joseph said. "We get to stay at home and don't have to ship. The weather in New York can be unpredictable this time of year "

Drain the Clock has won four of five career starts, his only loss coming in his third start when his jockey was unseated when an iron broke in a Delta Downs stakes in November. The son of Maclean's Music has won all three of his races impressively at Gulfstream.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 27 at Gulfstream, will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded. It will mark Drain the Clock's first opportunity to win around two turns.

"I think he'll get two turns. But you don't know until they do it," Joseph said. "He has stamina on his dam's side. He's won his races very impressively, so he deserves the chance. "

Drain the Clock is scheduled to join a deep field that includes Greatest Honour, Tarantino and Prime Factor, the first three finishers, respectively, in the January 30 Holy Bull (G3).

Fountain of Youth Field Coming Into Focus

FEB 19 - Greatest Honour (Courtlandt Farms), who established himself as a prime 2021 Triple Crown prospect with a powerful victory in the January 30 Holy Bull (G3), is scheduled to return in the $300,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (Grade 2) February 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The Shug McGaughey-trained son of Tapit is prominent on the list of 36 nominations for the 1 1/16-mile major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill `n Dale at Xalapa March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Greatest Honour, who broke his maiden in his fourth career start Dec. 26 at Gulfstream, rallied from seventh in a field of nine to draw away by 5 ¾ lengths under Jose Ortiz in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull.

"I had a lot of confidence that he'd run well, but I didn't know what that meant. I maybe was a little surprised how well he ran and how much he dominated those horses," his Hall of Fame trainer said. "I was very pleased and pleased the way he came out of it."

Courtlandt Farms' homebred colt launched his career with a pair of strong closing third-place finishes in maiden special weight sprints at Saratoga and Belmont before losing a photo finish in his first trip around two turns at Aqueduct and completing his juvenile season with his 1 1/16-mile maiden breaker at Gulfstream.

"Two turns is a big help. All of his races around two turns have been good," McGaughey said. "I think he'll run as far as a horse wants to run."

McGaughey, nevertheless, was impressed with how quickly he came to hand upon joining his stable last year.

"One of the things about him is that he's a big colt with a distance pedigree, so for him to get to the races at Saratoga shows what an athletic-type horse he is," McGaughey said. "That's a big feather in his cap. One of the things that impresses me is when I saw him in March at Courtlandt Farms and if you told me that he was going to run right off the bat at Saratoga, he didn't give me that impression. He looked more like a late-fall horse."

Not that getting Greatest Honour to the races came without challenges.

"He's no pushover by any means. He had some things about him in his training that we had to get out of him. Being by Tapit, they can be a little difficult at times and he wasn't an exception to that rule," McGaughey said. "But once we got him going in a forward position, he's taken everything really well. It's interesting how well he acts on race day and in the paddock and those types of things."

McGaughey is hoping that Greatest Honour will follow in the hoofprints of Orb, whom he saddled for victories in the Fountain of Youth, Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby (G1) in 2013.

Three Diamonds Farms' Fire At Will is among the most accomplished Fountain of Youth nominees, having captured the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland in his most recent start.

The Mike Maker-trained son of Declaration of War also captured the Pilgrim (G2) on turf at Belmont but broke his maiden in the off-the-turf With Anticipation at Saratoga in his second career start. Fire At Will is scheduled to make his second career start on dirt in the Fountain of Youth.

Godolphin LLC has a pair of nominees for the Fountain of Youth - Brad Cox-trained Essential Quality, last year's 2-year-old champion who is not scheduled to run, and Brendan Walsh-trained Prevalence, a dazzling 8 ½-length debut winner at Gulfstream who being considered for a return in the 75th running of the race.

Trainer Doug O'Neill has two on the list of FOY nominees - Roadrunner Racing and partners' Hot Rod Charlie, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up who finished a close third most recently in the Robert Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita; and ERJ Racing LLC and partners' The Great One, the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) runner-up who broke his maiden Jan.23 at Santa Anita.

SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and partners' Tarantino and WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor, who finished second and third, respectively, in the Holy Bull, are also notable names on the FOY nominations list.

Rodolphe Brisset-trained Tarantino, pressed the pace before finishing second in his first start on dirt. The son of Pioneerof the Nile finished 3 ¾ lengths ahead of Todd Pletcher-trained Prime Factor who raced evenly to finish third in his first start since capturing his debut by 8 ¾ lengths at Gulfstream Dec. 12.

Pletcher-trained Promise Keeper and Unbridled Honor are also FOY nominees. WinStar Farm LLC and Woodford Thoroughbreds' Promise Keeper, a son of Constitution, romped to a debut victory by five lengths in his second career start at Gulfstream Feb. 6; Whisper Hill Farm LLC's Unbridled Honor, a son of Honor Code, broke his maiden last time out at Tampa Bay Downs around two turns.

Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and partners' Drain the Clock, who is coming off a 6 ¼-length victory in the Swale (G3) and a 7 ½-length score in the Limehouse at Gulfstream for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is likely to return in either the Fountain of Youth or Gotham at Aqueduct.

Tarantino Targeting G2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth

Second in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3) while making his debut on dirt, Tarantino is scheduled to remain on the Triple Crown trail for the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile, who was a nose away from being undefeated on turf in his first three starts, earned 4 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in the Holy Bull and will go for considerably more points in the Fountain of Youth.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, a 50-20-10-5 qualifying points race, is the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill `n Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27 at Gulfstream.

"I think we've got to give him a shot to qualify on his own," trainer Rodolphe Brisset said as Tarantino schooled in the Gulfstream walking ring during Thursday's third race. "If it doesn't work, we'll focus on the grass."

Tarantino, who won his debut and lost a stakes by a nose in Southern California with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, captured a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance on turf at Gulfstream in his first start for Brisset. He pressed the early pace in the Holy Bull and held gamely to finish second, 5 ¾ lengths behind victorious Greatest Honour and 3 ¾ lengths ahead of favored third-place finisher Prime Factor.

"Based on what I've been seeing the past week and a half, I think he needed the race, to be honest," Brisset said. "I know he ran the first week in December, but I think six or seven weeks were really good timing for him. We brought him the right way for the turf and dirt, but we're hoping he can be a couple lengths better this time."

Tarantino, who is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson, breezed Sunday for the first time since the Holy Bull, timed in 49.45 seconds for a half-mile at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

"He's a cocky horse. He's never going to breeze in 47, out in 59," Brisset said. "He's a 49-and-2, but the way he does it, you can see that he's doing good."

Brisset said he won't alter Tarantino's training schedule for the Fountain of Youth.

"As of now, we're going to do the same as what we did last time. School today, breeze on Sunday and, if everything goes well, bring him here Thursday or Friday. He's going to train here a couple days," Brisset said.

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