Awesome Speed Back at Laurel for Tesio

Colts Neck Stables' Awesome Speed may have been in a bit over his head against Mohaymen in the Feb. 27 Fountain of Youth (gr. II) last time out, but appears to be the one to beat in the $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes April 9 at Laurel Park.

The Alan Goldberg-trained son of Awesome Again   came into the Fountain of Youth on a three-race win streak, including two consecutive stakes victories—the James F. Lewis III at Laurel and the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park—but tired late to finish fourth in the Triple Crown prep as Mohaymen rolled.

Among the four stakes winners in the Tesio—which offers an automatic Preakness Stakes (gr. I) berth to the winner—is M M G Stables' Never Gone South, who came in second behind Awesome Speed in the Lewis but won the Frank Whitely Jr. Stakes at Laurel two starts later by an impressive 7 1/4 lengths.

In the Munnings   colt's last start and first going two turns in the Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Feb. 15, however, he was defeated by fellow Tesio entrant Marengo Road.

The other stakes winner in the field is Jump Sucker Stable's Governor Malibu, who followed up his maiden-breaking win at Aqueduct Racetrack in November with a 2 1/2-length score in the Gander Stakes Feb. 6, also at Aqueduct.

The son of Malibu Moon   is one of three horses in the Tesio entering off a victory, including Parx Racing allowance winner D T Goodie and $30,000 claimer I Came to Party, who won for that tag by 4 1/2 lengths last time out at Parx and will be making his first start for trainer Gerald Brooks.

Multiple stakes placed Flash McCaul rounds out the field.