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Fountain of Youth: Irish War Cry looks to make it 4 in a row
The Fountain of Youth is one of two weekend races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby as we’re full steam ahead towards the 143rd Run for the Roses.
The Fountain of Youth is a G2 race at 1 1/16 miles for a purse of $400,000. But the prize that matters most to the connections of the 11 three-year-old runners is the 50 points the winner will earn towards a spot in the starting gate on May 6.
The favorite at 5-2 is Irish War Cry. Undefeated in three lifetime starts, the New Jersey bred son of Curlin was most impressive last time out winning the G2 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park when he was sent to the lead going two turns for the first time under jockey Joel Rosario.
Gunnevera, second in the Holy Bull, is listed as the third choice in the field at 7-2. He started his career losing his first two races before breaking his maiden in his third start going 5 1/2 at Gulfstream. With a little more than $800,000 in the bank, he’s the highest earner in the field. But that number is somewhat deceiving because the majority of it came from his victory in the G3 Delta Jackpot where the competition wasn’t what he’ll face today.
In second choice at 3-1 is Practical Joke who won his first three races including the G1 Hopeful at Saratoga last September and the G1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont before a third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile behind Classic Empire who’s currently in second place on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 32 points.
Practical Joke will be making his first start since the BC Juvenile last November and has been working well for his return to the races.
If any of the top three, Gunnevera, Practical Joke or Irish War Cry wins the Fountain of Youth, we’ll have a new leader atop the Derby Leaderboard.
