Expert Pick of the Week: 2026 Fountain of Youth Stakes

Feb 25, 2026

Napoleon Solo wins the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct. (Photo by Coglianese Photo)

A total of 105 qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5) on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby are up for grabs at Gulfstream Park on Saturday in the $425,000 Fountain of Youth (G2). The fantastic race attracted an excellent cast of 11 three-year-olds who will run 1 1/16 miles on the dirt in the compelling feature. Grade 1 winner Napoleon Solo will make his much-anticipated return to action in the race for trainer Chad Summers, and I expect him to come out running in his 2026 debut.

Purchased for a bargain $40,000 as a yearling in 2024, the son of Liam’s Map made his first start at Saratoga in the summer and came away with a dominant, 5 1/4-length win in a six-furlong dash on Aug. 8. In his second start, Napoleon Solo went to Aqueduct and stretched out in distance to one-mile in the historic Champagne (G1). He went off at 6-1 odds and was never troubled en route to a front-running, 6 1/2-length romp over a nice field.

Napoleon Solo resumed training in mid-January and has been working in very swift fashion, with four bullet morning moves in his six drills in advance of his return. The fleet colt should have little trouble enduring 1 1/16 miles on the South Florida surface with Kendrick Carmouche in the saddle.

Commandment pushes through rivals to break his maiden in R6 at @churchilldowns under @jaimetorresjcky for trainer @bradcoxracing! 🤩

🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/dw9V66VFZ2

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 1, 2025

The Brad Cox-trained Commandment was fourth in his first appearance at Keeneland in October but has been excellent in two races since that debut, with both efforts resulting in wins. By standout sire Into Mischief, the $500,000 yearling purchase graduated with authority at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1 prior to dusting his opposition in the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream on Jan. 3. The bay colt has displayed a strong closing kick in all three runs to date and will appreciate the two-turn configuration on Saturday, too. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. has ridden the three-year-old twice in his lifetime and will be in the irons once again in this race.

Expert Pick

An exacta with #7 Napoleon Solo on top of #4 Commandment in the 2026 Fountain of Youth is the Best Bet of the Week.