Simplification Streaks to Fountain of Youth Score
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Lauren King
Simplification wins the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park
Tami Bobo's Simplification rebounded off a runner-up finish to White Abarrio in the Feb. 5 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) with a commanding score in the March 5 $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Antonio Sano, Simplification needed a late charge to finish second in the Feb. 5 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) following a bad break from the gate. That was not the case this time under Jose Ortiz as the son of Not This Time notched his first graded-stakes win in his first race around two turns.
"I liked the trip," Sano said of the Fountain of Youth performance. "I told Jose this morning, 'You don't need to run in the front. A good start is very important.'"
Santa Rosa Racing Stables' Markhamian , starting on the rail post position, immediately made the lead and led through fractions of :23.77 and :48.27. As the field passed the six furlong marker in 1:12.19, Simplification circled six-wide around the far turn, avoiding a two-horse spill in the process, and took the lead entering the stretch, kicking away to a 3 1/2-length victory.
Simplification paid $7.00, $4.20 and $3.60 with a winning time of 1:44.04 for the 1 1/16-miles on a fast main track.
The Kelly Breen trained-In Due Time got up for second over 87-1 longshot O Captain . Favored Emmanuel was fourth after running wide throughout.
"I knew he was going to be tough today," Jose Ortiz said of the winning colt. "I worked him last week and Antonio had a lot of confidence in him. He broke well. He pulled me into the race. He put me there. At the three-eighths pole, I decided to go wide and follow Emmanuel and he was there for me."
On the far turn, jockeys Junior Alvarado, aboard LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable's High Oak , and Joel Rosario, on Oxo Equine's Galt , were thrown from their colts. High Oak had made contact with Bobo's Saffie Joseph-trained A.P.'s Secret, and Galt then leapt over the fallen High Oak. Both Bill Mott trainees were corralled by the outriders following the spill and Alvarado and Rosario were both on their feet following the race.
"I worried for the jockeys going down, but I wasn't worried about my horse because he was outside and clear," Sano said of the incident.
Alvarado was expected to go to Aventura Hospital to get his ankle checked out. Rosario walked to the jockey's room and was expected to be evaluated for some back pain. High Oak and Galt, both trained by Bill Mott, walked back to the barn.
Simplification is following the path of Sano's Gunnevera , who won the 2017 XpressBet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) —from the same No. 2 post position—after having finished runner-up in the Holy Bull. The son of Dialed In went on to finish third in the XpressBet Florida Derby (G1) and seventh in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
"Five years later, history repeated itself," an exuberant Sano said. "We have an awesome horse. We're excited with the owners we have. Not This Time is great stallion. Simplification has done everything right with every step since he got to the barn."
Antonio Sano greets Jose Ortiz and Simplification upon their return to the winner's circle
Sano's son Alex said they would wait to make a decision on whether to run in the Florida Derby, even if Simplification came out of the Fountain of Youth with no issues.
Bobo credited Nick and Valerie de Meric, who train the owners 2-year-olds, with helping her enjoy success as an owner. It was Valerie who alerted Bobo of Simplification's effort late in the race.
"I was dealing with the grandkids, dropping stuff under the table, and then when I heard Valerie screaming, I jumped up to look," Bobo said. "I looked at the video screen and was just out of my mind."
Bobo, raised in the horse industry, has been a thoroughbred owner for 11 years. She owned Take Change Indy but sold the colt before his 2012 Florida Derby victory.
"Simplification was bought to be a yearling pinhook. He had a little more sesamoiditis than one would like," Bobo said. "I realized there was going to be a significant decrease in the value and I really wasn't in position to have to sell the colt."
Bred in Florida by France and Irwin Weiner, Simplification comes from the family of champion Ashado, grade 1 winner Sunriver, graded stakes winner Saint Stephen, and Canadian classic winner Inflexibility. He is the first stakes winner produced out of the stakes-placed Candy Ride mare Simply Confection, who is the dam of unraced Mendelssohn juvenile filly and a yearling filly by Audible. She delivered a filly by Union Rags this season.
Simplification basically earned a starting spot in the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodward Reserve (G1) by virtue of acquiring 50 points toward the Run for the Roses.
Runner-up In Due Time, owned by Edge Racing, Medallion Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds, earned 20 points toward the Kentucky Derby. Third-place finisher O Captain, owned by OGMA Investments and Jack Hardin Towell, Jr., got 10 points, and fourth-place Emmanuel, owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, earned 5 points.