Gunnevera Finds fountain of youth

Hallandale Beach, FL

The Road to the Kentucky Derby found its way back to South Florida with the $400,00 Fountain of Youth Stakes.

The 2017 edition called to post a full field of ten runners, with the third race favorite Gunnevera leaving little doubt as who was best on Saturday.

The son of Dialed In swallowed up the leaders down the stretch and kicked clear to a convincing 5 3/4 length victory.

Gunnevera made up 13 lengths en route to the win, after being last at first call behind the pace setting Three Rules. 

Jockey Javier Castellano said the colt did it "very easy" in the Fountain of Youth and trainer Antonio Sano was all smiles after the race on the Gulfstream Park broadcast.

Practical Joke, first three-year-old start, also made up good ground and finished second after taking over the lead from the pace setters. Leaving Three Rules rounding out the trifecta.

Three Rules showed heart, battling back when confronted, but this race was all for the closers. 

Gunnevera returned $10.40 to win and ran the 1 1/16 race in a standard time of 1:44.

Race favorite Irish War Car ended up an also ran Saturday, finishing a distant seventh with no legit excuse according to his connections.

Trainer Sano said the next start for his Kentucky Derby bound colt will be the $1 million Florida Derby in April.

Girvin proves best in Risen Star

New Orleans, LA

A full field of twelve lined up for the $400K Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday when Girvin stamped himself a Kentucky Derby contender. 

Girvin kept to task impressively to score in the Grade II event after brushing the starting gate.

The 3-year-old colt continued his excellent work of not finishing out of the exacta in his career, while moving to the top of the Kentucky Derby point system with the win.

Trained by Joe Sharp and ridden to victory by jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Girvin got the inside trip to grind out a win for the connections. 

The Risen Star final time came back a slow 1:43 for the 1 1/16 mile distance, but grind-it-out wins are an important part on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.  

Girvin returned $18.20 to win and finished a solid two lengths in front of Untrapped, with pacesetter Local Hero weakening to third.

Untrapped raced wide throughout the race, but ran on to complete the exacta. While the quick Local Hero weakened to third, after clearing the field on the backstretch.

Jockey Florent Geroux said Hero was a little too keen in today's race, but should improve after running a little immature. 

Girvin showed promise that he continues to have upside and Sharp said his colt will be pointed to the $1M Louisiana Derby on April 1.

One Liner powers home in Southwest

Hot Springs, AR

Trainer Todd Pletcher has another legitimate Kentucky Derby contender with One Liner.

The 3-year-old colt showed a powerful stretch running kick to take the Southwest Stakes Saturday at Oaklawn Park by 3 1/2 lengths. 

One Liner sat fourth, behind the heavy favorite Uncontested, through quick opening fractions for the distance of :22 and :46 before taking over the lead for good down the stretch.

The son of Into Mischief ran the 1 1/8 mile race in a solid final time of 1:41 for jockey John Velazquez and returned $8.80 for the win.

Second place finisher Petrov had a perfect trip, also sitting behind Contested, but could not match strides of the winner once finding himself at the front.

Lookin At Lee completed the trifecta with a belated bid for third after encountering trouble earlier in the race. He has the pedigree to get the route game, but was no threat to the top two.

The even-money favorite Uncontested weakened to sixth after setting those quick opening fractions. 

Pletcher said he was pleased with One Liner's run and said anything is on the table for his next race.

McCraken remains Perfect in Sam F. Davis

Tampa, FL

The 2017 Kentucky Derby has a new favorite and that's the three-year-old McCraken.

The son of Ghostzapper ran his unbeaten streak to four after pulling clear to a 1 1/2 length victory in the Sam F. Davis Stakes Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. guided the colt to another impressive win after saving ground throughout and striking the front for good.

McCraken was the Sam F. Davis favorite and all eyes are now on him as the Road to the Kentucky Derby continues. 

Tapwrit is also a horse to watch moving forward after showing late bid to finish second, while State of Honor stayed on in third after setting the opening fractions.

McCraken returned $5.00 to win and ran the 1 1/6 mile race is a quick time of 1:36.

Winning trainer Ian Wilkes said he wants to have "two more races" before the Kentucky Derby. 

Irish War Cry runs away in Holy Bull

Hallandale Beach, FL

Irish War Cry elevated his Kentucky Derby profile after he stole the show at Gulfstream Park in the Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday.

The three-year-old colt was guided to the front by jockey Joel Rosaro and never looked back, leaving the field of eight runners behind en route to a clear 3 3/4 length victory,

Trainer H. Graham Motion had his colt ready to fire in his big stakes debut, after two solid victories at Laurel Park, while the morning-line favorite Classic Empire didn't fire and finished third.

Classic Empire, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, was sent off as the heavy race favorite, but didn't have a response when jockey Julien Leparoux asked him for run around the far turn. The BC champ started the race in a 5-wide spot early. but was able to get into a nice stalking slot for Leparoux before weakening. After the race trainer Mark Casse said he had no excuse in the loss.

Irish War Cry returned $10.80 for the win and finished the 1 1/16 mile race in a nice time of 1:42.

Gunnevera completed the Holy Bull exacta and was a well clear second place finisher. The three-year-old showed an impressive rally, even after taking up before the stretch run, and is one to keep tabs on moving forward.

Motion said the Fountain of Youth Stakes or the Florida Derby in April are both possibilities moving forward for Irish War Cry.