Napoleon Solo heads deep Fountain of Youth; On Time Girl tops Davona Dale

Unraced since romping in October’s Champagne (G1), Napoleon Solo will return to action in a competitive renewal of Saturday’s $425,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The Road to the Kentucky Derby Challenge series event offers a combined 105 qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5 basis) to the top five finishers, and an abundance of early speed is signed on for the 1 1/16-mile race.

Napoleon Solo has been on the engine in both starts, winning his debut by 5+ lengths and registering a 98 Brisnet Speed Rating for a 6 1/4-length decision in the one-mile Champagne, and the gray son of Liam’s Map will stretch to two turns for the first time. Kendrick Carmouche will be in to ride for Chad Summers.

Chief Wallabee rates as a top contender for Bill Mott following an impressive debt triumph at seven furlongs that netted a 96 Speed Rating. Bet down to 17-1 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager and 21-1 in Pool 4, the stalker will retain the services of Junior Alvarado.

Commandment has also stamped himself as promising, breaking his maiden impressively at Churchill Downs last fall and winning the Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream by 6 3/4 lengths on Jan. 3. The Brad Cox-trained son of Into Mischief will make his first two-turn attempt will Irad Ortiz Jr.

Unbeaten in three starts, Solitude Dude will add a new rider in Flavien Prat following a dominant win in the seven-furlong Swale that netted a field-best 99 Speed Rating. One of two entrants for Saffie Joseph Jr., the dark bay Yaupon colt brings serious speed to the race from the outside. Joseph will also send out Bravaro, who can’t be dismissed after finishing a clear second to Nearly in the Jan. 31 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream. Tyler Gaffalione has the call.

Nearly will skip the Fountain of Youth and wait for the Florida Derby (G1) on March 31, but Jackson Hole provides two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher with an intriguing contender. By Nyquist, Jackson Hole will enter his stakes debut with a 2-for-2 record, convincingly winning a two-turn allowance on the Jan. 17 Lecomte (G3) undercard at Fair Grounds last out, and John Velazquez will be up.

Other runners include Champagne runner-up Talkin; Rockies Balboa, who will be tested for distance/class following an eye-catching victory over Florida-bred allowance rivals; and well-regarded maiden winner Global Aviator, who will seek to rebound from a fifth in the Holy Bull.

A few races earlier on the program, On Time Girl will go favored over eight rivals in the $225,000 Davona Dale (G2). The Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier is worth a total of 105 points, and One Time Girl will stick to a one-turn distance in the one-mile race.

The Brad Cox-trained daughter of Not This Time enters with a 4-for-5 record, romping in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek S. at Churchill Downs two starts back and in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream on Jan. 31, and On Time Girl projects to be prominent from the break with Irad Ortiz.

Her rivals include Forward Gal runner-up Imperatrice and last-out maiden winners Omaha Bay, She Be Smooth, and Swing Vote.