Burnham Square Focused on Saturday’s G2 Fountain of Youth

G3 Holy Bull Hero a Most Pleasant Surprise for Trainer Ian Wilkes
Triple Crown Prep Tops Card with 9 Stakes, 8 Graded, Worth 2.15M

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – When Burnham Square joined trainer Ian Wilkes’ stable to prepare for his career debut last season, trainer Ian Wilkes could never have imagined that the unassuming gelding would turn out to be a top contender for Saturday’s $415,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

“I wouldn’t have run him for $150,000. I would never have taken that shot. He’s just got better as I ran him. He got better and a little better,” Wilkes said. “I’m very happy with what he’s done, but if I told you I knew he was something good before I ran him, I’m lying.”

Burnham Square, indeed, looked like a good thing Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, where the son of Liam’s Map overcame early bumping to rally from seventh under Edgard Zayas to win the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) going away by 1 ¾ lengths to establish himself as a prominent player on the Road to the Triple Crown.

Saturday, the Wilkes trainee will seek his third-straight victory of the Championship Meet in the 79th Fountain of Youth, the final local prep for the March 29 $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream. The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) prep will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded, worth $2.15 million in purses. The Fountain of Youth offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. (First-race post time is set for 11:30 a.m.)

Burnham Square debuted at Keeneland Oct. 26 in a $150,000 claiming maiden race at six furlongs, in which he raced six-wide before closing to finish second, a half-length off the winner. He returned to finish a late-closing third, beaten by three-quarters of a length, in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs Nov. 30. The decision was made to equip the homebred gelding for his next start.

“He just was making mistakes in his races. He wouldn’t help the jockey. He wouldn’t go near horses, wouldn’t run into the dirt. He wouldn’t do anything until down the lane,” Wilkes said. “I put blinkers on, and they’ve helped him get a little more focus and they’ve helped him get into the race.”

Burnham Square responded to the equipment change with an eye-catching nine-length romp at Gulfstream Park December 28 in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event that set him up perfectly for his winning stakes debut in the Holy Bull.

Wilkes is confident Burnham Square’s future will not be compromised by distance limitations.

“Distance isn’t s problem. They farther they go, the better he is,” Wilkes said. “I’m not too concerned about distance. You have to find out if you’re good enough – are we better than everyone else?”

Zayas has the return call on Burnham Square, who is rated second on the morning line at 5-2 Saturday.

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc’s River Thames, a late-developing undefeated son of Maclean’s Music, and Donegal Racing’s Gate to Wire, a dominating winner of the Feb.1 Swale Stakes, will represent Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the Fountain of Youth. Pletcher will be seeking his ninth victory in the Florida Derby.

River Thames has won his only two races in fast times by a total of 11 ¼ lengths while capturing his debut at six furlongs Jan. 11 by 4 ¾ lengths and coming back to capture a mile optional claiming allowance Feb. 1 by 6 ½ lengths.

“This will be his third race in seven weeks with a step-up in class and in distance,” Pletcher said, “but he seemed to win his races pretty easy.”

Pletcher has been playing catch-up with the son of Maclean’s Music, who has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Fountain of Youth.

“We had a little setback up at Saratoga. He was almost ready to run. Everything’s gone well since he’s come back this time,” Pletcher said.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has the return mount.

Gate to Wire is a more seasoned colt coming off his five-length victory in the seven-furlong Swale in his fifth career start. The son of Munnings has run on turf or Tapeta in his four career starts before successfully transitioning to dirt in the Swale.

“He had trained well on both surfaces last summer. He won his debut on turf and he was second in the Futurity (G3), but we thought it was time to try him on the dirt,” Pletcher said.

Gate to Wire will make his two-turn debut in the Fountain of Youth.

“Munnings seems to be getting horses that are running on all surfaces at different distances, and he has a lot of stamina on the bottom of his pedigree,” Pletcher said.

Dylan Davis has the return mount on Gate to Wire.

Godolphin’s Sovereignty has been rated third on the morning line at 3-1 for his 2025 debut in the Fountain of Youth. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the son of Into Mischief concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a five-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Street Sense (G3) Oct. 27 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s had a good month behind him and a few nice works consistently, so we’re looking forward to getting him started again,” said Godolphin’s director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. “Hopefully, if he runs well for us, we can go on to the next step which would probably be a better situation for him with a bit more distance to get to, which is probably what he wants to do. Looking forward to seeing him get back on track.”

Junior Alvarado returns aboard the homebred colt, who broke his maiden in the Street Sense in his third start.

St. Elias Stable, West Point Thoroughbreds and CJ Thoroughbreds’ Keep It Easy is scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the Fountain of Youth after concluding his 2024 season with a stakes victory at Churchill Downs. Trained by Dale Romans, the son of Hard Spun captured the 6 ½-furlong Ed Brown Nov. 30 by 5 ½ lengths going away.

Keep It Easy, a $435,000 purchase at the 2023 Keeneland September sale, will be making his two-turn debut in the Fountain of Youth. Corey Lanerie has the return call on Keep It Easy.

Ian Parsard, Shining Stable LLC and Sefania Farms LLC’s Neoequos; Leon King Stable Corp.’s McKellen and Susan and Jim Hill’s Solid Left round out the field.