Dornoch, Locked cross swords in Fountain of Youth

Feb 26, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Dornoch wins the Remsen

Dornoch (right) edges Sierra Leone in the Remsen (Photo by Chelsea Durand/Coglianese Photos)

Dornoch, the full brother to last year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mage, and Locked will square off in Saturday’s $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Both accomplished colts are returning to action for the first time this season versus race-fit rivals, including the top two from a key maiden race, Speak Easy and Victory Avenue. Speak Easy is a stablemate of Locked’s from the Todd Pletcher barn, and Victory Avenue has overlapping connections with Mage. Moreover, their fast-run maiden, on Pegasus World Cup Day, is the same one that Mage won a year ago.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, worth points on the 50-25-15-10-5 scale, serves as the final local stepping stone to the March 30 Florida Derby (G1).

The Danny Gargan-trained Dornoch was last seen fighting back to beat Sierra Leone in the Dec. 2 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. Sierra Leone has since boosted the form by winning the Feb. 17 Risen Star (G2).

Dornoch will try to improve on brother Mage’s fourth-place effort in the 2023 Fountain of Youth. But the sons of Good Magic and Puca have been on different arcs of development for different trainers. Mage was stepping up straight from his debut victory, while Dornoch is already a veteran.

“We’ve always been really high on him,” Gargan told Gulfstream publicity regarding Dornoch. “Everybody in barn likes him. We think he’s a nice horse.

“I just don’t want him to go too forward,” he said of Dornoch’s comeback run on Saturday. “Hopefully he doesn’t have to run a crazy, big, fast number or anything like that too soon. We just want to keep him maintained in what he’s doing, and hopefully he can be sound and be there on the first Saturday in May. Don’t get me wrong, we’d like to win the Fountain of Youth, but it’s really not the goal.”

Breeders’ Futurity (G1) star Locked was initially scheduled to reappear in the Feb. 10 Sam F. Davis (G3), only to spike a fever that required a postponement. The Gun Runner colt was a closing third to champion stablemate Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his 2023 finale.

“Once he had that temperature he recovered nicely and had a nice work last week,” Pletcher said. “He’s had a good week of training and another good breeze (Saturday) that should have him right on target.

“We’re very excited about getting him going again,” Locked’s trainer added. “He’s a horse that we’ve always thought a lot of. I think he’s going to appreciate more distance in these races as they get a little longer. He’s always been a high-class colt and he’s training very well at the moment.”

Since Mage’s trainer, Gustavo Delgado, unveiled Victory Avenue in the seven-furlong maiden on Pegasus Day, the parallel helped make him the 3-2 favorite. Victory Avenue, a son of Arrogate, showed bright speed but couldn’t hold off fellow firster Speak Easy. The stretch-out is eligible to suit Victory Avenue, who also gets a rider switch to John Velazquez.

Speak Easy didn’t gain as much support that day, going off at odds of 8-1. The son of hot sire Constitution proved that bettors underestimated him by driving to a 1 3/4-length decision in a swift 1:21.96. His lofty 103 Brisnet Speed rating is almost as fast as Locked’s top of 105. The Fountain of Youth will be a stiffer class test, if he goes; Speak Easy was cross-entered to a Friday allowance race.

Real Macho earned his way here by toppling another well-regarded Pletcher colt, Born Noble, in a one-mile allowance. Rallying relentlessly as a 25-1 shot that day, the Rohan Crichton pupil figures to be overlooked here as well. Yet Real Macho is bred to improve with distance and maturity, being by Mucho Macho Man and out of a Curlin mare. Also by Mucho Macho Man is Le Dom Bro, who was no match for Frankie’s Empire in the seven-furlong Swale S. last out, but possibly able to raise his game at this trip.

Merit, who faded to third in Real Macho’s allowance, could try again in this spot. Note that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has cross-entered him to the same Friday allowance as Speak Easy.

Dancing Groom is the only entrant advancing from the previous prep, the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3), where he was a non-threatening fifth.

The Fountain of Youth (6:10 p.m. ET) anchors a loaded 14-race card at Gulfstream that also features the return of champion filly Just F Y I in the Davona Dale (G2) on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Watch and wager at TwinSpires.com!

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