Fountain of Youth Champ Ready for Kentucky Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Tami Bobo’s Simplification breezed five furlongs over a muddy track at Gulfstream Park Friday while completing his serious preparation for a scheduled start in the May 7 Kentucky Derby (G1).

The Antonio Sano-trained Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) winner is scheduled to leave Gulfstream for Churchill Downs at 6 p.m. Friday evening.

Simplification was timed in 1:00.44, the fastest of 10 workouts at the five-furlong distance. The son of Not This Time galloped out a mile in 1:38.60 under Junior Alvarado.

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“I’m very happy with the work,” Sano said. “He went very easy and handled everything. The jockey said he was better than last week. It was a really, really good work for the horse.”

Simplification will be Sano’s second Kentucky Derby starter, following Gunnevera, the 2017 Fountain of Youth winner (G2) who went on to finish seventh of 20 in the Kentucky Derby. The son of Dialed In amassed a career bankroll of $5.5 million.

“I am 100-percent confident in my horse. I know the race is very strong, but I’m confident in the horse,” Sano said. “I think this is a better horse than Gunnevera.”

Simplification is coming off a third-place finish in the April 2 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream after pressing the early pace between horses. The son of Not This Time has breezed five furlongs three times at Gulfstream since the Florida Derby with Alvarado aboard.

Jose Ortiz has the Kentucky Derby mount aboard the Sano trainee.

Simplification ranks ninth on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard with 74 qualifying points, guaranteeing the Florida-bred colt a place in the 20-horse field. Prior to finishing third in the Florida Derby, Simplification won the mile Mucho Macho Man in front-running fashion and captured the Fountain of Youth by 3 ½ lengths after closing from last to win going away.

C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC’s White Abarrio, the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby winner who ranks third with 112 qualifying points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard, is scheduled to have his final pre-Derby workout Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park.