First Samurai tackles two turns in Fountain of Youth

Multiple Grade 1 winner FIRST SAMURAI (Giant's Causeway), who finished second

when making his seasonal bow in the Hutcheson S. (G2), tops a field of 10 in

Saturday's $300,000 Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The highly

rated Kentucky Derby (G1) prospect will make his two-turn debut in the 1

1/8-mile event, and he's the only main track stakes winner entered in the

Fountain of Youth.

First Samurai couldn't catch Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory) in the 7

1/2-furlong Hutcheson in early February, but he finished a commendable second,

16 lengths better than the third-place finisher. Winner of the Champagne S. (G1)

and Hopeful S. (G1) at two, the chestnut colt has won four of six overall

starts, his other setback being a solid third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

(G1). First Samurai has trained forwardly for Frank Brothers in advance of this

important test.

Trainer Nick Zito has a good-looking, uncoupled duo in GREAT POINT (Point

Given) and HEMINGWAY'S KEY (Notebook). The former exits a fine second, beaten

less than a length by Barbaro (Dynaformer), in the Holy Bull S. (G3) after

breaking from post 12. Great Point received a much better draw at the rail on

Saturday. Hemingway's Key, who captured his first two career starts in smart

fashion and may not have cared for the slop in the Holy Bull, is an interesting

bounce-back candidate.

Other contenders include MY GOLDEN SONG (Unbridled's Song), third in both the

Holy Bull and Aventura S.; Grade 2-placed FLASHY BULL (Holy Bull), who exits a

fourth in the Holy Bull; and Gulfstream allowance winners CORINTHIAN (Pulpit)

and REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit).

In post position order, the Fountain of Youth contestants and riders are

Great Point, Jeremy Rose; My Golden Song, John Velazquez; Hemingway's Key, Rene

Douglas; JAZIL (Seeking the Gold), Cornelio Velasquez; ITSALLBOUTTHECHASE (Devil

His Due), Mark Guidry; First Samurai, Edgar Prado; Corinthian, Javier Castellano;

Rehoboth, Shaun Bridgmohan; CAN'T BEAT IT (Atticus), Eddie Castro; and Flashy

Bull, Rafael Bejarano.

The $150,000 Swale S. (G2), which features a field of 12 sophomores over

seven furlongs, will be held three races earlier on the card. The Steve Asmussen-trained

NOONMARK (Unbridled's Song), a two-length allowance winner in his 2006 bow last

out, is the probable favorite. The dark bay colt will bring a two-for-three mark

in his stakes debut. Flash S. (G3) victor BEACON SHINE (Montbrook), who lost his

jockey after stumbling at the start in his return from a lengthy layoff last

time, and stakes winner ELECTRIFY (Delaware Township) are among the challengers.

Iroquois S. (G3) hero CATCOMINATCHA (Tale of the Cat) will lead the Swale

post parade under Bejarano. They'll be followed by Noonmark, Bridgmohan; BEAR

CHARACTER (Dixie Union), James McAleney; PRAYING FOR CASH (Songandaprayer),

Prado; SHOWING UP (Strategic Mission), Castellano; YES HE'S THE MAN (Yes It's

True), Castro; COURT FOLLY (Royal Academy), Chris DeCarlo; Beacon Shine, Rose;

CITY ATTRACTION (Vicar), Velasquez; Electrify, Douglas; SHARP HUMOR (Distorted

Humor), Guidry; and IN SUMMATION (Put It Back), Manoel Cruz.