EAST - Florida - Trainer Richard Violette could not have asked for a better or more exciting day on Saturday as two of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls put themselves on the “fast track” to Louisville.

Read the Footnotes, a New York-bred son of Smoke Glacken, outdueled Second of June through the Gulfstream Park stretch for a thrilling victory in the Fountain of Youth (GII). Earlier the Violette-trained Swingforthefences won one the of several outstanding races for 3-year-olds on the Fountain of Youth undercard.

“They are a little tired, but both are doing great,” Violette said Monday. Not to be outdone, trainer Todd Pletcher, who nominated a record 35 horses to the Visa Triple Crown, also had a very successful Saturday at the South Florida track that included a win in the Hutcheson Stakes (GII).

But a tough stretch duel in the Fountain of Youth claimed a victim as runner-up Second of June came out of the race with a condylar fracture of a cannon bone, according to the Daily Racing Form.

Fountain of Youth - Entering Saturday’s marquee Derby prep race, there were two strong morning line favorites and a host of horses with questions about their Kentucky Derby future. After the race’s conclusion, there was little doubt as to which horses were the serious candidates to travel to Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

Read the Footnotes and Second of June, the top two betting choices when the starting gate opened, blew past pacesetter Frisky Spider and engaged a riveting stretch duel that saw Read the Footnotes and jockey Jerry Bailey edge past the stubborn and gutsy Second of June only yards from the finish line to win by a neck.

Violette, who has never started a horse in the Kentucky Derby, rested Read the Footnotes since a win in Aqueduct’s 1 1/8-mile Remsen (GII) in November.

“It was a very hard race and he showed he’s the real deal horse,” he said. “It was the first time Jerry (jockey Bailey) had to get into him, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. He did a lot of things very good today. He settled, attacked when Jerry was ready and won a long battle off a layoff.”

Read the Footnotes, who became the first New York-bred to win the Fountain of Youth, has won five of six career starts and is headed for the March 13 Florida Derby (GI) next.

“I’d really like to make the Florida Derby because if we don’t, then we’ll be scrambling,” said Violette. “Then, if all goes well, we’ll go to the Wood (Memorial) because it’s home and he could be back in his own stall.”

But the excitement of the race soon turned to disappointment for trainer Bill Cesare and Second of June as the leg injury was discovered after the race. He underwent surgery on Sunday and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of 2004.

Silver Wagon finished 7 ½ lengths back in third while Sir Oscar, who entered the Fountain of Youth unbeaten in six starts, finished fifth. Both colts could run back in the Florida Derby.

Hutcheson Stakes - Trainer Todd Pletcher could not have envisioned a better scenario in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (GIII) as he saw two of his horses, Limehouse and Deputy Storm, vying for the lead with no other serious challengers in sight in the final yards of the seven furlong race.

Dogwood Stables’ Limehouse, off since a third-place finish to Eurosilver in Keeneland’s Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (GII) in October, spurted away in the final sixteenth of a mile under jockey John Velazquez for an impressive 2 ½-length victory over his stablemate, who is owned by James Spence.

“This horse is super game,” Pletcher said of Limehouse. “I was a little concerned when (Silver Rapt) scratched, because you never want to be on the rail going seven-eighths, but I told John not to be concerned because this horse has done everything. He showed a lot of courage down the lane.”

Limehouse, who started his career with three wins that included the Three Chimneys Juvenile and Bashford Manor (GII) at Churchill Downs, failed to win in his final three outings of 2003. His career record is 4-0-2 in seven starts and Pletcher said several races are under consideration for Limehouse’s next start.

Gulfstream Undercard - “Sophomore Day” at Gulfstream kicked off with the highly anticipated return of Birdstone, the Nick Zito-trained colt who was last seen winning Belmont’s Champagne (GI) in October.

Sent off as an overwhelming 1-5 favorite, the son of 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone and half-brother to 2003 Kentucky Oaks (GI) victress Bird Town cruised to a three-length victory. Jockey Jerry Bailey was aboard as Birdstone covered a mile and 70 yards over a “fast” surface in 1:42.40.

Zito, who also trains major Kentucky Derby contenders Eurosilver and The Cliff’s Edge, was noncommittal as to Bird Town’s next start, but the Florida Derby remains a possibility. Eurosilver is pointing toward Gulfstream’s Swale (GIII), while The Cliff’s Edge could make his season debut in Tampa Bay Downs’ Sam F. Davis or Gulfstream’s Palm Beach, but the latter would have to be moved from the turf to the dirt.

Pletcher’s successful afternoon kicked off in a seven furlong allowance race that saw Value Plus, unraced since he unseated jockey John Velazquez at the start of Aqueduct’s Nashua (GIII) in November, score a nearly wire-to-wire victory by 5 3/4-lengths. The strapping son of Unbridled’s Song, owned by Aaron & Marie Jones, covered the seven furlongs in a quick 1:21.42. Pletcher is uncertain where Value Plus will run next.

Many thought that Pletcher would be smiling again later in the afternoon as Shaniko, an A.P. Indy colt that observers believe may be the trainer’s best 3-year-old, was favored to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance race. But Violette’s “second string” Derby hopeful altered those expectations.

Klaravich Stables’ Swingforthefences, who was coming off a second place finish to the highly regarded Mustanfar, rolled to a 5 ¼-length victory over Shaniko under jockey Jerry Bailey. He covered the distance in 1:50.67. Neither Violette nor Pletcher was certain as to where their promising colts would run next.

SOUTH - Louisiana - Trainer Neil Howard, coming off a 2003 season in which he guided “Horse of the Year” Mineshaft to seven stakes victories that included four Grade I wins, now finds himself in a prominent spot on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” and his home track of Churchill Downs.

Howard saddled Mt. Brilliant Stable LLC and William S. Farish’s Gradepoint to win Sunday’s $150,000 Risen Star (GIII) at the Fair Grounds and extend his winning streak to three races. The son of A.P. Indy was untested in stakes company but was sent off as second choice under jockey Robby Albarado. The late-running colt assumed his usual early position well behind a moderate pace set by Nightlifeatbigblue. He trailed by as many as 10 lengths before he rallied on the far turn to wear down favored Mr. Jester, winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot, to by win by a half-length.

“I felt like he’d do better today than his last effort,” said Howard. “I thought he would close the ground like he did. A.P. Indy’s needs more time to mature, and I believe this horse is beginning to mature.”

The colt, whose record is 3-0-1 in four starts, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.36 over a “fast” track. Howard indicated the colt’s next start could come in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (GII) on March 7. The Risen Star victory completed a Fair Grounds stakes sweep for Howard. Farish and Albarado, who also won Saturday’s Silverbulletday (GII) with Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender Shadow Cast.

Nightlifeatbigblue settled for third while Polish Rifle, the third-choice in the wagering, had a brief lead in the stretch but faded to fourth.

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