Union Rags breezes from the gate for Fountain of Youth

"We've stood him a couple times in the gate. We wanted to pop him out today

and we'll stand him in the gate again on Thursday, and then he should be ready

to go," Matz said. "He's going to be running against horses that have been

racing and he hasn't raced since November. He's a big, quiet horse, so I thought

a little reminder wouldn't hurt."

Union Rags is expected to meet the undefeated Todd Pletcher-trained duo of

Algorithms and Discreet Dancer, both of whom are two-time winners at the

Gulfstream meeting, in the Fountain of Youth. Julien Leparoux will be aboard

Union Rags for the first time, replacing Javier Castellano, who opted to ride

Algorithms in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream

on March 31.

Matz's longtime assistant Peter Brett was aboard Union Rags Sunday morning,

subbing for Leparoux, who rode Daddy Nose Best to victory in the Grade 3 El

Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields Saturday night and whose return flight

wasn't scheduled to land until 8:15 a.m.

"He said if I wanted to make it at 9, he'd try to make it," said Matz, who

decided to go ahead with the workout as planned. "I said, 'If you want to gallop

him, come up any time to gallop him."