Gulfstream Today: Forte ‘Right on Schedule’ for G2 Fountain of Youth; Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.2 Million

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Photo

Forte ‘Right on Schedule’ for G2 Fountain of Youth

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte completed his serious preparation for a highly anticipated 2023 debut in next Saturday’s $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park after breezing five furlongs Saturday morning at Palm Beach Downs.

The Todd Pletcher-trained son of Violence closed out his Eclipse Award-winning 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland to earn the role of favorite in the Fountain of Youth, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds that will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.85 million.

Forte was timed in 1:01.99 for the five-furlong distance for his sixth workout at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for his 3-year-old debut.

“Last week was the work we wanted to make sure that we were on target. We got a good strong work into him. We got a good work today, but after last week, we weren’t looking for him to do too much,” Pletcher said. “We’re right on schedule and think we are where we want to be.”

Forte won four of five starts during his 2-year-old season, which he closed out with victories in the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga and the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, where he went on to capture the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile by 1 ½ lengths.

At Gulfstream Park, Daniel Walters, Dennis Smith, Anthony Smith and trainer Rohan Crichton’s Legacy Isle, the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man winner who experienced his first career loss in a fourth-place Holy Bull finish; breezed five-furlongs in 1:00.80 for the Fountain of Youth. Albaugh Family Stables LLC’s Cyclone Mischief, the beaten favorite in the Holy Bull, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.02. Alex Andres LLC’s Il Miracolo, fifth in the Holy Bull, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.43.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $1.2 Million

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.2 million Sunday at Gulfstream Park

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for the 19th racing day following a mandatory payout.

Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence begins with Race 5, a $50,000 claiming event at a mile on the turf. Michael Dubb’s Megacity, an 8-year-old gelding with seven turf wins, is the 5-2 morning-line favorite and enters off a victory last out against similar company at Gulfstream. Team Twenty Racing’s Max K.O. was fifth in the restricted Sunshine Turf last out in his second start off a layoff. The 7-year-old won over the turf at Kentucky Downs in September.

Race 6, a maiden special weight event at 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of eight 3-year-old fillies. Todd Pletcher sends out Just My Own, third in her debut at Tampa, and Shug McGaughey sends out Biloxi Blues, third Jan. 29 here at the same distance in her second start. Graham Motion puts blinkers on Affirmative Lady, second in the Demoiselle (G2) last year and third in Aqueduct’s Busanda in January.

After 4-year-olds and up go a mile and 70 yards on the Tapeta in Race 7 and fillies and mares go six furlongs on the main track in Race 8, a full field of fillies and mares go 7 ½ furlongs on the turf in Race 9. Distinctlypossible makes her first start finishing eighth in May in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2). Improvise makes her first start in the U.S. for trainer Mark Casse after winning in Europe. The sequence ends with a $12,500 claimer for 4-year-olds and up going five furlongs on the Tapeta.

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