Drain the Clock to Stretch Out in Fountain of Youth

Drain the Clock has already established himself as a dominant sprinter in the 3-year-old division.

Now he'll get a chance to strut his stuff in the deeper waters of the Triple Crown Trail.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Feb. 22 the son of Maclean's Music  will stretch out to a 1 1/16-mile, two-turn distance for Saturday's $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The graded stakes for 3-year-olds will mark the practically perfect Drain the Clock's first race beyond seven furlongs and the next step after a decisive 6 1/4-length victory as the 6-5 favorite in Gulfstream's Jan. 30 Claiborne Farm Swale Stakes (G3) at seven furlongs.

"It's his home track. He's run well over the track," Joseph said. "I think he'll get a mile-and-a-sixteenth here. Gulfstream is kind to speed horses trying to stretch their stamina. I feel a mile-and-a-sixteenth is well within his range, but he now has to go out there and prove it."

The chestnut colt owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig has won four of five starts, with the lone loss coming last year in the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs when he was an even-money favorite but an iron broke during the race and the rider fell off.

Winner of the Jan. 2 six-furlong Limehouse Stakes at Gulfstream Park by 7 1/2 lengths in his 3-year-old debut, he has earned $152,550 for his connections.

The likely favorite in the Fountain of Youth, which offers 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) qualifying points to the top four finishers, is Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner Greatest Honour.

"Greatest Honour is a deserving favorite but we're going there with a big chance and hopefully we run lights out," Joseph said. "If he runs as good as he has been, he'll be a force in the race."

Out of the Arch mare Manki, Drain the Clock was bred by Nick Cosato of Slam Dunk Racing.

Joseph also said grade 1 winner Super Strong will make his United States debut March 6 in the $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs.

"He's trained well since he's gotten here," Joseph said. "He's put in some solid breezes and one more breeze this weekend and then it's on to Tampa."

The son of Super Saver  was victorious in his lone start, winning the Dec. 19 Classico Agustin Mercado Revron Stakes (G1) as a 2-year-old at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico.

The Tampa Bay Derby, at 1 1/16 miles, will also award 50-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers.

The Classico Agustin Mercado Revron was contested at seven furlongs on a sloppy surface.