The early 2016 Kentucky Derby betting favorite will be in action on Saturday, with the undefeated Mohaymen taking on five foes in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
The Fountain of Youth is a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race, with 50-20-10-5 points up for grabs to the top four finishers. The winner is virtually assured a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday of May for the Run for the Roses.
Mohaymen is currently fifth in the points standings with 20 points, with a win or a runner up finish likely all he needs to assure stamping a ticket to the Derby.
The Fountain of Youth serves as a final prep for the marquee event at Gulfstream Park, the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on April 2 which offers 100 points to the winner.
The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is perfect in four starts, winning the Holy Bull (G2) in his three-year-old debut on Jan. 30. His current betting price for the Kentucky Derby at Bovada is 7-2. The second choice in the early Derby wagering at Bovada is last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) champion Nyquist at 7-1.
Mohaymen will face several formidable foes on Saturday including a couple of stakes winners and an up and coming Todd Pletcher trainee.
The speedy Awesome Banner will be making his first start around two turns and is coming off victories in the Hutcheson (G3) and Swale (G2). The colt is currently at early betting odds of 33-1 for the Kentucky Derby at Bovada.
Awesome Speed is coming off a victory in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes over the Gulfstream Park main track at a mile. The Alan Goldberg trainee has now won three races in a row and should have no trouble handling his first trip around two turns.
Pletcher, who saddled last year’s winner Itsaknockout, sends out Zulu to makes his stakes debut. The colt won his first two starts, last out beating first level optional claimers by 7 ¼ lengths in a good looking outing. That victory knocked his future Derby odds at Bovada down to 25-1.
Completing the field are Holy Bull third place finisher Fellowship and Golden Ray, who was ninth in the American Fabuis Stakes in his last start.
Gulfstream Park has a 13-race card on tap on Saturday featuring eight stakes races, with a first post of 12:00 ET.
Handicapper Michael Dempsey provides his full card analysis for Gulfstream Park daily and selections for all the major Kentucky Derby prep races at turfnsport.com.