Gulfstream: Fountain of Youth Top Trio Head G1 Florida Derby Nominations

By David Joseph —-

Fountain of Youth Top Trio Head G1 Florida Derby Nominations

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Sovereignty, River Thames and Neoequos, the top three finishers from the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2); Holy Bull (G3) runner-up Tappan Street and Citizen Bull, the champion 2-year-old male of 2024, are among 40 3-year-olds nominated to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 29 at Gulfstream Park.

The 74th running of the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby, Gulfstream’s signature race that during its history has produced the winners of a remarkable 59 Triple Crown races, is the centerpiece of a spectacular program featuring 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.62 million in purses.

As one of the country’s premiere Triple Crown preps, the Florida Derby offers Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

Sovereignty, who graduated third time out in last fall’s Street Sense (G3) at Churchill Downs to cap his juvenile season, opened this year with a dramatic late-running neck triumph over River Thames in Gulfstream’s 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth March 1. The victory gave Sovereignty 60 points, tied for third-most on the Derby qualifying list.

River Thames, a winner of each of his two prior tries at Gulfstream this year after going unraced at 2, is one of six nominees from Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who owns a record eight Florida Derby victories including 2024 with champion Fierceness by a record 13 ½ lengths.

Among Pletcher’s other nominees are Disruptor, a 9 ¼-length maiden special weight winner sprinting seven furlongs March 1 at Gulfstream; Gate to Wire, winner of the seven-furlong Swale Feb. 1 that ran fifth in the Fountain of Youth; Grande, a 2 ½-length winner of each of his two starts, both this year, the latter Feb. 27 at 1 1/8 miles; and Skate Away, a 2 ¾-length maiden special weight winner going 1 1/8-miles Feb. 22 at Gulfstream.

Citizen Bull capped his championship season with a second Grade 1 victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), opening his sophomore season with a popular and dominant triumph in the one-mile Robert B. Lewis (G3) Feb. 1 at Santa Anita over stablemates Rodriguez and Madaket Road, both also nominated to the Florida Derby, a race Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has yet to win.

Neoequos, trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., ran second in a pair of Florida Sire Stakes, the Dr. Fager and Affirmed, sprinting last fall and stretched out to two turns for the first time in the Fountain of Youth, setting the pace before giving way and holding on to third.

Tappan Street broke his maiden by 1 ¾ lengths going seven furlongs Dec. 28 at Gulfstream, making his two-turn and stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Feb. 1. Sent off the favorite, the Into Mischief colt was in front in mid-stretch before getting passed in the final sixteenth of a mile by Burnham Square.

Also prominent among Florida Derby nominees are 2024 Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue; Owen Almighty, last-out winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) March 8; and Tappan Street’s Brad Cox-trained stablemate Passion Rules, undefeated in three starts, all going two turns.

Heading the undercard stakes is the 55th running of the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) for 3-year-old fillies, which attracted 19 nominations led by The Queens M G, who earned her third stakes victory and second against graded company in the one-mile Davona Dale (G2) March 1 at Gulfstream, beating La Cara by 2 ¾ lengths.

Eclatant won Gulfstream’s seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) Feb. 1, her most recent race and one where The Queens M G finished third. Five G was a nine-length winner of the one-mile Cash Run Jan. 1 at Gulfstream, coming back to be second in the 1 1/16-mile Honeybee Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park.

Other nominees include March 1 Busher Invitational winner Drexel Hill, 2024 Adirondack (G3) runner-up Italian Soiree, 2024 Demoiselle (G2) winner Muhimma; Paradise City, second as the favorite to Five G in the Cash Run that came back with a six-length triumph going two turns Jan. 30 at Gulfstream; and Simply Joking, unbeaten in two starts including the Jan. 18 Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds in her most recent start.

The 1 1/16-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks offers Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks, training centers and premier events including: Santa Anita Park and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and 1/ST TV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). For more information email david.joseph@GulfstreamPark.com and visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.