BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Neoequos hits the road to the Kentucky Derby Saturday when the Florida-bred colt takes on seven other 3-year-olds in the Grade 2 Coolmore Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. The $415,000 Fountain of Youth, to be run at a mile-and-a-sixteenth, offers a $15,000 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and 125 Derby Leaderboard points to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale.
In August of last year, Neoequos won a five-furlong maiden special weight by two-and-a-half lengths at Gulfstream in his second career start after losing his rider in his first race in July.
He then chased home eventual Florida-bred champion 2-year-old colt Rated by Merit in the first two legs of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes. Neoequos was second in the $100,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs on Sept. 7 and in the $200,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs on Oct. 19.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has put one start into the bay colt this year in preparing for the Fountain of Youth. He was an impressive three-and-a-half-length winner against first level allowance Florida-breds going six furlongs over a sloppy and sealed track at Gulfstream on Jan. 23.
“The question is the two turns. He’s never gone two turns. If he can get the distance, I think he has a very good chance,” Joseph said.
Joseph also worked Neoequos a half-mile in :50.28 Sunday, but it did not go exactly as planned.
“He was supposed to work in company and the riders messed it up. He ended up working by himself,” Joseph said.
Slated at 10-1 on the morning line, Neoequos looks to improve on his lifetime record of two wins and two seconds in five starts while earning $137,800 for Ian Parsard, Shining Stables LLC and Stefania Farms LLC.
Joseph purchased Neoequose for $22,000 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale where he selected him out of the Abbie Road Farm consignment.
Neoequos is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out of Bold Birdie, by Birdstone and was bred in Florida by Helen and Joseph Barbazon and Matalona Thoroughbreds LLC.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Neoequose from post seven.
Neoequos tries to become the 18th Florida-bred winner of the Fountain of Youth and first since Simplification in 2022. Simplification also stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions.
Other Florida-bred Fountain of Youth winners were In Reality (1967), Authorize (1971), Gentle Smoke (1972), Sheeky Greene (1973), Green Gambados (1974), Ruthie’s Native (1977), Star Gallant (1982), Copeland (1983), Darn That Alarm (1984), Ensign Rhythm (1986), Shot Gun Scott (1990), Duc d’Sligovil (1993), Built for Pleasure (1996), Booklet (2002), Trust N Luck (2003) and Wildcat Red (2014).
River Thames, the undefeated 2-1 morning line favorite, makes his stakes debut in his third career start.
The Todd Pletcher trainee scored in his first start, a six-furlong maiden special weight going six furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 11, winning by nearly five lengths. He then won a first level, $75,000 optional claiming for 3-year-olds by six-and-a-half lengths going a mile at Gulfstream on Feb. 1.
By Maclean’s Music out of the Discreet Cat mare Proportionality, River Thames is owned by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC, for whom he has banked $85,200.
John Velazquez will Ride River Thames from post six.
Several stakes winners will line up in the Fountain of Youth including Gate to Wire (6-1), Sovereignty (3-1), Burnham Square (5-2) and Keep It Easy (8-1).
Gate to Wire won the $155,000 Swale by five lengths after seven furlongs for Pletcher on Feb. 1.
Dylan Davis will ride him from post one.
Sovereignty makes his first start since taking the Grade 3 Street Sense, a mile-and-a-sixteenth contest at Churchill Downs on Oct. 27.
Trainer William Mott has given the riding assignment to Junior Alvarado and they have post two.
Ian Wilkes will saddle Burnham Square, winner of the Grade 3 Holy Bull going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Gulfstream on Feb. 1.
Edgard Zayas has the mount on Burnham Square from post three.
Keep It Easy makes his first start as a sophomore after finishing his juvenile campaign at Churchill Downs on Nov. 30 with a five-and-a-quarter-length victory in the $225,000 Ed Brown going six-and-a-half furlongs.
Corey Lanerie takes the call and they have the outside post eight.
Also entered are McKellan and jockey Tyler Gaffalione and Solid Left with Luis Saez in the saddle.
Return to the February 27 issue of Wire to Wire
