Simplification rallies in Fountain of Youth; Kathleen O. best in Davona Dale

Mar 06, 2022 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

The lessons Simplification learned inadvertently in last month's Holy Bull (G3) proved useful when applied in Saturday's $400,000 Fountain of Youth S.
(G2) at Gulfstream Park.

Expected to show speed in the Holy Bull, Simplification instead was forced to
take dirt in his face and rally from behind after missing the break. Despite
starting more alertly under Jose Ortiz in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth,
Simplification was in no rush to get involved in the early squabbling, which
ultimately proved beneficial.

'When my horse broke bad last time I thought, 'What a disaster.' I learned
that the horse can run in the front or from behind. He doesn’t have to be in the
front,' said trainer Antonio Sano, who also won the 2017 Fountain of Youth with
Gunnevera. 'The plan today for the race was that he didn’t need the front. If
the start was good, I left it up to Jose to make the decision where to be.'

Simplification bided his time racing in midpack between rivals down the
backside. Around the far turn, with a five-deep tussle for the lead happening
ahead of him, Simplification took the overland route into contention and with
relatively fresh set of legs having avoided a wide journey.

Seizing the lead in upper stretch, Simplification drew off to win the
Fountain of Youth by 3 1/2 lengths for owner Tami Bobo. The 5-2 favorite, he
covered the course in 1:44.04 over a fast track and paid $7.

In Due Time finished second by a length over 87-1 longshot O Captain. Second
choice Emmanuel, who endured a terribly wide trip, weakened to fourth. Dean
Delivers, Rattle N Roll, A. P.'s Secret, Markhamian, and Howling Time were next
across the wire.

The two Bill Mott-trained horses, High Oak and Galt, both failed to finish.
High Oak fell just past the quarter pole after clipping heels with a rival,
while Galt unseated his rider after attempting to avoid his fallen stablemate.
Neither horse nor jockeys Junior Alvarado and Joel Rosario appeared to sustain
serious injury.

Simplification earned 50 Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points, boosting his
total to 54 and cementing his position in the starting gate for the May 7
classic at Churchill Downs. In Due Time earned 20 points, O Captain 10 points,
and Emmanuel five points.

This was the second stakes win for Simplification, who captured the Jan. 1
Mucho macho Man S. by four lengths prior to the Holy Bull. He won one of three
starts as a juvenile.

Simplification was bred in Florida by France Weiner and Irwin Weiner. A son
of Not This Time, who is also the sire of Fountain of Youth runner-up In Due
Time, Simplification was reared by the stakes-placed Simply Confection, a
daughter of Candy Ride. This is the family of dual champion filly Ashado.

Earlier on Saturday's card, Kathleen O. remained undefeated from three
starts following a come-from-behind victory in the $200,000 Davona Dale S. (G2)
for three-year-old fillies.

Content to race at or near the back as is her custom, Kathleen O. enjoyed a
favorable pace flow in the one-mile Davona Dale. Tipped out in upper stretch by
jockey Javier Castellano, the Upstart surged past the tiring leaders to win by
two lengths as the 2-1 favorite.

Owned by Winngate Stables, Kathleen O. returned $6.60 after completing the
one-turn event in 1:36.23. She earned 50 qualifying points toward the May 6
Kentucky Oaks (G1), essentially guaranteeing her spot in that nine-furlong test.

'She did break good today, but she just doesn't have the speed to stay up
with them,' said trainer Shug McGaughey, who won his only Kentucky Oaks to date
with Dispute way back in 1993. 'The way she finished, pretty remarkable,
especially over this track. I think this is a big move for a filly coming into
this race off just two starts.'

Classy Edition finished second in the Davona Dale, earning 20 Oaks points,
with Cocktail Moments third by a neck over Sweet Dani Girl. Those two earned 
10 and five Oaks points, respectively. The order of finish was rounded by
Outfoxed, Girl With a Dream, and Mi Negrita.

Victorious by a head in her Nov. 12 debut at Aqueduct over seven furlongs,
Kathleen O. was an easier winner of her stakes debut in the Jan. 1 Cash Run S.
at Gulfstream, scoring by 8 1/2 lengths going a mile. McGaughey said he was
inclined to keep Kathleen O. in South Florida for the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2)
on April 2, rather than ship to Keeneland for the Ashland (G1) the following
week.

Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Bridlewood Farm, Kathleen O.
was produced by the stakes-placed Quaver, a daughter of Blame. She was most
recently sold for $275,000 as an OBS April juvenile.