Shotski Under Consideration for the Fountain of Youth

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable, and Howling Pigeon Farms' grade 2-winning 3-year-old Shotski, who was second in his sophomore debut this month, might take his next steps on the Triple Crown trail in South Florida.

Trainer Jerry O'Dwyer, based at Laurel Park in Maryland, said the colt's connections are considering the Feb. 29 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park for his next race. The 1 1/16-mile test carries Road to the Kentucky Derby points on a 50-20-10-4 scale to the top four finishers. Dennis' Moment, one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), is also being targeted for that race.

"For now, we're still on the trail, trying to get points and see where we go," O'Dwyer said. "I'll have to discuss it with the owners, but (for) the next step, we might go down for the Fountain of Youth. He's bright-eyed here in his stall. I gave him two days off after the (last) race and brought him back to the track. He's been a handful just walking around the shedrow, just feeling good."

A bay son of Blame  out of the Bluegrass Cat mare She Cat, Shotski was a frontrunning, half-length winner of the 1 1/8-mile Remsen Stakes (G2) in his Dec. 7 juvenile finale. He returned to Aqueduct Racetrack to launch his 3-year-old campaign in the Feb. 1 Withers Stakes (G3), also 1 1/8 miles, where he led from the gate until deep stretch before yielding late and finishing second, 3 1/4 lengths behind Max Player.

"I was very happy. Obviously in the moment, you're disappointed you didn't win, but looking back at it, I wasn't disappointed in him at all," O'Dwyer said. "He went out there on the front end and hadn't run in like seven weeks, and they pressured him the whole way. He never really got a breather or an easy time like the last time when he won the Remsen.

"I thought we were going to be able to sit in behind this time, which I would have liked to have seen, but when he got out there, he was off a little bit tardy and (jockey) Luis (Saez) just wanted to push him forward into a prominent position," he added. "He kind of just locked on for a few strides going into that first bend. Luis said he opted to just let him go on up there instead of trying to choke him down and take him back. Every time a horse came to him, he fought on and put every one of them away. I'm very proud of him. We have not lost any faith in the horse at all."

O'Dwyer said the race layout is a factor in determining Shotski's next start. New York's next points race for 3-year-olds is the one-mile Gotham Stakes (G3) March 7.

"We have him going two turns now. The Fountain of Youth is two turns, so that's kind of swaying us to go down and keep him going two turns instead of dropping back to a one-turn mile in the Gotham," O'Dwyer said. "I do think I'd like to get him off the Aqueduct surface right now because it's very testing and tiring, and I don't want to bottom him. It's going to be a long year ahead."

The Fountain of Youth is Gulfstream's final prep for the March 28 Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1), contested at 1 1/8 miles.