Derby News

Last year, 2-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer Nick Zito brought no less than five sophomores down the Derby trail and into Louisville, only to come away with nothing on the first Saturday in May. This year, the Brooklyn-born Hall of Famer again has early strength in numbers, but this time with a trio of less-proven prospects that could, nonetheless, take giant steps forward this Saturday in two key Derby prep races down in South Florida--the Swale and Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Zito will saddle a pair in the $300,000 grade II Fountain of Youth, the 10th race on Gulfstream Park's 11-race program and arguably the more important of the two graded 3-year-old events. While post position was a concern going into the mile and an eighth event, Zito's Great Point drew the rail in the ten horse line-up, and Hemingway's Key, a son of Notebook with two wins from three starts, drew post position three.

In the case of Great Point, runner-up in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream three weeks ago, the draw was especially significant.

"What he had to do breaking from that post (post 12) last time was inhuman," Zito explained to Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch. "He had to run twice as hard as anybody else in that race, and considering what he went through, it was an exceptional performance."

And he'll need another exceptional performance this time around. While the son of Preakness and Belmont winner Point Given won't have to contend this time with Holy Bull winner Barbaro (the undefeated colt will wait for the Florida Derby on April 1), the $450,000 2-year-old in training sale purchase will still have to get past likely favorite First Samurai.

"I think First Samurai is going to be tough to beat," Zito said. "There are a lot of good colts in there that look like they needed their last race, but I love Great Point's style. He's going to love the distance, and he reminds me of Strike the Gold."

As for First Samurai, Lunsford and Robbins' son of Giant's Causeway has continued to train well at Gulfstream Park for trainer Frankie Brothers and, despite back to back losses in his two most recent starts, continues to maintain his connections' confidence. A winner in four of six starts, First Samurai suffered his first defeat in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile when finishing third, and he kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a runner-up finish in the 7-1/2 furlongs Hutcheson Stakes in the slop earlier last month.

With Edgar Prado riding the colt for only the second time, First Samurai will start in post six for the Fountain of Youth. The entire field, in post position order and with jockeys, includes: Great Point with Jeremy Rose, My Golden Song, John Velazquez aboard; Hemingway's Key and Rene Douglas; Jazil, the first of two Kiaran McLaughlin-trained runners with Cornelio Velasquez named to ride; Itsallboutthechase, Mark Guidry in the irons; First Samurai and Prado; Corinthian with Javier Castellano; Rehoboth, Shawn Bridgmohan aboard; locally-based Can't Beat It with Eddie Castro, and on the outside, McLaughlin's other entry, Flashy Bull with Raphael Bejarano.

As for the $150,000 gr.II Swale Stakes, the seventh race on the program, Zito's Beacon Shine drew post eight in a full field of twelve. The son of Montbrook has a lot to prove, as he unseated jockey Javier Castellano at the starting gate a little less than a month ago in what was supposed to be his first start of the season.

"It was terrible, and I have no idea what happened," Zito offered. "What was encouraging was the professional way he ran after that. A lot of horses, when they do that, will run out the gap, but he followed his prey and ran in a professional way. he won the race at the wire."

Beacon Shine, owned by Yankees boss George Steinbrenner, won the grade III Flash Stakes last June in New York for Bill Mott. The Swale will be a big step up, but one Zito and Steinbrenner's family believe is well within his scope.

"He was training exceptionally well before his last race," Zito explained. "In talking with the family, we thought we could take the special way he ran and go ahead and try this."

The field for the 7-furlong Swale Stakes will line up in this order: Catcominatcha, Noonmark, Bear Character, Praying for Cash, Showing Up, Yes He's the Man, Court Folly, Beacon Shine, City Attraction, Electrify, Sharp Humor and, on the outside, In Summation.

« Back To Derby News

Derby Info