Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed Thursday that WinStar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC’s Speak Easy will be withdrawn from an optional claiming allowance on Friday’s program in favor of a highly anticipated run in Saturday’s $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
Speak Easy, who drew the rail post position for the Fountain of Youth, will face eight other 3-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) (March 30) while following a brilliant debut victory Jan. 27 at Gulfstream. The son of Constitution pressed the early pace before drawing clear to win the seven-furlong maiden special weight race by 1 ¾ lengths in a sharp 1:21.96.
He earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.
“We like the post and the way he’s been training,” Pletcher said.
Irad Ortiz Jr., who was slated to ride Speak Easy in the Friday optional claiming allowance, will have the return mount in the Fountain of Youth.
The WinStar homebred colt will concede experience to Pletcher stablemate Locked, a son of Gun Runner who won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. Dornoch, a half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage who won the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, will make his 2024 debut in the Fountain of Youth.
His two-turn debut didn’t pan out, but trainer and co-owner Rohan Crichton is eager to give his rising 3-year-old star Real Macho another chance in Saturday’s $400,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, the last local prep for the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30, will be one of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $1.85 million contested on a 14-race program that will get underway at 11:15 a.m.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Crichton, Daniel Walters and Dennis Smith’s Real Macho was an early nominee to the Triple Crown. He is by new Ontario stallion Mucho Macho Man, a career earner of more than $5.6 million who counted the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) among his nine career wins and whose bloodlines also include two-time Horse of the Year and 2014 Hall of Famer Curlin, the 2007 Preakness (G1) and Classic winner.
In his only prior two-turn attempt, Real Macho raced evenly throughout and wound up fifth of six, beaten 9 ¾ lengths in an entry-level optional claiming allowance Jan. 5 at Gulfstream, his 3-year-old debut. Each his other three races have come at one mile, including a three-quarter-length maiden triumph Nov. 25.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Crichton said of two turns. “I’m obviously biased, but I don’t think that was the issue last time. I just can’t see this horse as being a one-turn miler. I just don’t. We did a couple things with him to try and see if we can get him to just listen to the rider more and be a bit more responsive.”
One of those things was the removal of blinkers at the suggestion of Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who rode Real Macho in the allowance, for his most recent start. Without the equipment, Real Macho overcame an early bump to rally for a determined neck victory Feb. 3 under Tyler Gaffalione, who rides back from Post 4. Castellano will be aboard Antonio Sano-trained Dancing Groom from outermost Post 9.
“I credit Javier because when a horse wins with the blinkers on it takes a lot to take them off one race after,” Crichton said. “Javier rode him in the two-turn allowance and said to me on both turns [Real Macho] was looking in the blinkers. He felt he was searching for something in there.
“When he jumped off he said, ‘I want to ride him back and I think you should consider taking the blinkers off,’” he added. “That is a credit to the experience of Javier. It was his suggestion. He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason. We certainly have seen [Real Macho’s] confidence growing.”
Real Macho benefited from a strong pace in his last-out victory, one Crichton is anxious to see materialize in the Fountain of Youth with the likes of Speak Easy, Victory Avenue and Grade 2 winner Dornoch among the field.
“I’m hoping [for] the same kind of speed setup,” Crichton said. “It’s looking like a lot of these colts want to be on or close to the lead. I think our horse, the longer he goes the better he is. We’re hoping the Mucho Macho Man and the maternal grandsire kick in and he says, ‘I’m bred to do this.’”
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