Three Things to Watch: Fountain of Youth

As the Road to the Kentucky Derby heats up, each week BloodHorse.com will take a look at three things to watch from the 3-year-old division heading into the weekend's prep races.

The March 3 Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park takes center stage, as it marks the seasonal debut of reigning juvenile male champion Good Magic. Below are a trio of story lines expected to have an impact on the race itself and the forward progress of its contenders.

1. It's a prep race, right?

By virtue of his emphatic victory in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) and subsequent Eclipse Award, Good Magic rightfully stands as the favorite and class of the 10-horse Fountain of Youth field. Given the fact the son of Curlin  hasn't run since that Breeders' Cup victory in November, however, it stands to reason he may need this race from a fitness standpoint.

His connections have stated the obvious—the goal is to peak May 5, not March 3. And while his six breezes since returning to the work tab in January haven't lacked sharpness, some of his main challengers—Free Drop Billy, Strike Power, Marconi, and Gotta Go—all have the benefit of a start under their belt this year.

"I'm not really looking that much forward. I'm looking at Saturday," said Bob Edwards of e Five Thoroughbreds, who co-owns Good Magic with Stonestreet Stables. "As long as he's sound and gets enough out of it—if we win, great. If we come in second, that's great too. We just want to keep moving forward."

2. Two turns, too much?

Good Magic may not be fully cranked, but he may not have to be if the 1 1/16-mile distance takes a toll on some of his foes.

Courtlandt Farms' homebred Strike Power is unbeaten in two starts, including a victory in the Feb. 3 Swale Stakes (G3), but is stretching out to two turns for the first time. The son of champion sprinter Speightstown  not only has added ground to contend with Saturday, he will likely have company near the lead, with Promises Fulfilled also possessing early speed.

"It's a concern until they do it," trainer Mark Hennig said of Strike Power stretching out. "I've let him settle behind a horse the last couple times he worked, because that could arise at some point for him. I never would have expected off of all of his training for his first race that he would be that quick. He seemed like he's a nice horse, but he's a different horse when he gets in the game and is being competitive. Again, until they do it, you've got to have a little doubt in mind."

Gotta Go also has yet to win beyond a mile, although his 13th-place effort in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) was impacted by an incident around the first turn that saw a horse clip heels and unseat its rider.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Marconi handily broke his maiden going 1 1/8 miles but is facing a serious class test off a third-place finish in the Withers Stakes (G3).

3. Are the Romans runners for real?

Few horsemen express confidence in their charges the way trainer Dale Romans does, as evidenced by the fact he is sending three protégés to post Saturday in Free Drop Billy, Storm Runner, and Promises Fulfilled. Free Drop Billy is the most proven of the contingent. He captured the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland in October prior to a ninth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. That Breeders' Cup outing was the only time the son of Union Rags  finished worse than second in six starts. He also took the runner-up spot behind Audible in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull Stakes (G2).

Storm Runner enters off a neck victory over well-regarded Mississippi in a 1 1/16-mile allowance test at Gulfstream Feb. 4, while Promises Fulfilled returns for the first time since a third-place effort in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, where he was overtaken after setting the pace. While the Romans barn has produced some decent early returns on the Kentucky Derby trail—Tiz Mischief finished third in the Holy Bull and Hollywood Star came in a non-threatening fourth in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3)—they're going to have to start backing up their conditioner's faith with tangible evidence of improvement.

"He's been training really well. He's been kind of flying under the radar, but he's a fast horse that might keep on going," Romans said of Promises Fulfilled. Of Storm Runner, he added, "He's the one who has made the big turn from 2 to 3. He's such an inexpensive yearling, he's been under the radar behind the big horses, but he's as good as anybody."