Gulfstream’s final Florida Derby tune-up, the Grade 2 $415,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes leads a star-studded card over 14 races Saturday. Last year’s race produced Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch, while the 2023 renewal offered eventual Kentucky Derby winner Mage his first test in the stakes ranks. The 1-1/16 miles race has a short run into the clubhouse turn and ends at the sixteenth-pole finish line.

Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet can enjoy up to a $10 money-back special on win bets in the Fountain of Youth Stakes – as well as Santa Anita’s San Felipe Stakes and Aqueduct’s Gotham – if their selection finishes second or third.

Let’s Meet the Contenders for the Race 13 Fountain of Youth on a card that features eight additional stakes:

#1-GATE TO WIRE: Commanding, 5-length winner of the 7-furlong Swale Stakes on February 1 at Gulfstream. Son of sprinter Munnings has raced all 5 times in sprints to date. No trainer has more Fountain of Youth wins than Todd Pletcher’s 4, most recently 2 years ago with Forte. Jockey Dylan Davis hits 36% winners with Pletcher over the past year. Since inaugurated in 1985, no Swale winner has won the Fountain of Youth, though the Swale came after this race prior to 2016.

#2-SOVEREIGNTY: His 5-length victory in October’s Street Sense at Churchill Downs was one of the more promising 2-year-old stakes efforts of 2024 on dirt, his only victory in 3 starts. We haven’t seen the son of Into Mischief since, and trainer Bill Mott has mustered only 5 spottily placed workouts with him since December 24. Second dam (maternal grandmother) is Grade 1 Spinster-winning millionaire Mushka, also trained by Mott.

#3-BURNHAM SQUARE: Rallying winner of the February 1 Holy Bull at Gulfstream looks for his third straight win at the meeting over the 1-1/16 miles trip. Trainer Ian Wilkes seeks his first Fountain of Youth win, while he assisted Carl Nafzger during Vicar’s 1999 score here. Greatest Honour (2021) is the only Holy Bull-Fountain of Youth winner since Booklet (2002). Edgard Zayas has ridden in both scores and returns aboard the son of Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map.

#4-McKELLEN: Jose D’Angelo charge finished a tired sixth in the 1-turn mile Mucho Macho Man Stakes, a race whose alumni have struggled to find success since. This would be his first 2-turn effort in his fourth career start. Tyler Gaffalione will be his fourth different rider in 4 starts after Irad Ortiz Jr. has opted to ride Neoequos instead. McKinzie colt is cross-entered Thursday in allowance company.

#5-SOLID LEFT: Stretched out successfully in his second start for trainer Brian Lynch to break his maiden January 26 with addition of Lasix, which won’t be available Saturday. Jockey Luis Saez won this race last year (Dornoch) and is a 3-time winner overall. Like fellow FoY entrant McKellen, this colt by West Coast is cross-entered Thursday in allowance company.

#6-RIVER THAMES: Back-to-back easy victories to open his career has this $200,000 son of Maclean’s Music set for his stakes debut and first trip around 2 turns. Trainer Todd Pletcher seeks a record-padding fifth win in this race. Jockey John Velazquez owns a record 5 Fountain of Youth victories, most recently aboard Code of Honor (2019). Fountain of Youth will be first start without Lasix. Expected to vie with Burnham Square for favoritism.

#7-NEOEQUOS: Florida Sire Stakes veteran was twice runner-up in that series and returned January 23 to beat state-bred allowance foes to open his sophomore season. Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee has 5 sprints on his resume for the first stretch-out bid. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. won the FoY twice (Forte ’23, Promises Fulfilled ’18). $22,000 bargain already had made more than $137,000.

#8-KEEP IT EASY: 3-year-old debut for November’s daylight winner of the Ed Brown Society Stakes at Churchill Downs. Trainer Dale Romans won this race in 2018 with Promises Fulfilled, who also was making his first start since the Churchill Fall Meet. Hard Spun colt sprinted in all 4 starts to date, winning 2. Ran eighth in the Saratoga Special In his only start away from Louisville.