Pletcher: Speak Easy Will Run in Fountain of Youth
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Speak Easy walks to the winner's circle after his debut victory Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed that WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Speak Easy will be withdrawn from an allowance optional claiming race March 1 in favor of a highly anticipated run in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park March 2.
Speak Easy, who drew the rail post position for the Fountain of Youth, will face eight other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the $1 million Florida Derby (G1). The son of Constitution posted a brilliant debut victory Jan. 27 at Gulfstream, where he pressed the early pace before drawing clear to win the seven-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 3/4 lengths in a sharp 1:21.96.
"We like the post and the way he's been training," Pletcher said.
Speak Easy was installed as the 3-5 morning-line favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds entered in the March 1 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claimer, carded as race 7 on a nine-race program.
Courtlandt Farms' Conquest Warrior is expected to be favored in Speak Easy's absence. The son of City of Light , who is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, is coming off a gutsy victory in a Jan. 13 maiden special weight, in which he produced an impressive rally after being pinched at the start and steadied in traffic. Irad Ortiz Jr., who was slated to ride Speak Easy Friday, will have the return mount in the Fountain of Youth.
The WinStar homebred colt will concede experience to Pletcher stablemate Locked , a son of Gun Runner who won the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park | BloodHorse.com Track Profile">Santa Anita Park.
Dornoch , a half brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage who most recently won the Remsen Stakes (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack, also will make his 2024 debut in the Fountain of Youth.