February 29, 2024
TORONTO — By Matthew Lomon
Locked In
Having not raced since finishing third in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), 3-year-old Locked is primed, ready, and fresh heading into Saturday’s $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream.
The young colt has impressed through four starts to date, running to the tune of a 2-0-2 line. Already a graded stakes winner, taking last October’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), Locked can secure a second graded tally in what will be his Gulfstream debut.
To do so, he’ll have to go through Dornoch, another graded stakes-winning 3-year-old colt who has yet to miss the podium through four starts (2-2-0, with a Grade 2 Remsen win).
?
Trying to predict the winner of this Saturday’s $300,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct feels the same as working through one of the Riddler’s puzzles.
One possible answer to the brainteaser could be Bergen (9-2), a lightly raced 3-year-old colt coming off a Jimmy Winkfield Stakes win on Jan. 27 at Aqueduct (2-1-0 in three starts).
Another could be Brad Cox trainee Just a Touch (5-2), who won his professional debut (also on Jan. 27) by 4 ¼-lengths.
If experience is a contributing factor, then maybe it’s El Grande O (8-1). Compared to his 3-year-old contemporaries, the Linda Rice charge has already competed 10 times, most recently finishing as the runner-up in the Withers (G3) on Feb. 3.
Only one will emerge as the hero Gotham deserves.
The Sequel
It’s been just 34 days since Newgrange, Newgate, and Mixto last competed against one another.
The first, second, and third place finishers from January’s San Pasqual (G2) are set to meet again at Santa Anita, this time for the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
Heading into their first showdown, 8-5 clubhouse favorite Newgate was expected to pace the group. However, Newgrange had other ideas, leading from gate-to-wire to claim the San Pasqual by one length over Newgate. Mixto missed out second by three-quarters of a length.
All eyes are now on Newgrange (5-2), as the trio prepares for round two on Saturday.
Turf, Hold the Surf
This Saturday’s $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) and 3-year-old Goliad (4-1) go together like Los Angeles Rams duo Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua.
All 16 of the colt’s starts leading up to this weekend’s contest have come on the turf at a California course (Santa Anita or Del Mar). Overall, Goliad has fared reasonably well, churning out a 4-4-1 line with a single graded stakes win over those 16 starts.
At the graded level, the Richard Mandella charge is 1-1-0 in four attempts. Saddled between a Thunder Road (G3T) win last time out, and a second in the Cecil B. Demille (G3T) back in 2019, is consecutive finishes of seventh and eighth in the 2022 editions of the Del Mar Mile (G2T) and Eddie D (G2T).
With the Kilroe, the California turf regular can secure back-to-back graded wins for the first time in his career.
Fantastic Four
It’s not often that you’ll see a horse crack the $1 million earnings mark after three starts, but 3-year-old Just F Y I isn’t your average competitor. The filly will put her unblemished 3-0-0 record on the line this Saturday at Gulfstream for a shot at the $200,000 Davona Dale’s (G2) top prize.
Just F Y I’s remarkable career arc started with a slim edge in her maiden debut in August of 2023. Two months later, the Bill Mott protégé captured her first graded attempt, the $400,000 Frizette (G1), by 3 ¾-lengths. She then really broke through by stunning the field at 7-1 to claim the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) last time out.
Not that the Junior Alvarado mount needed any added motivation, but Kentucky Oaks points are also up for grabs in the Davona Dale.
Just F Y I enters at 7-5.
