Nobiz Like Shobiz one to beat in Fountain of Youth Stakes

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Holy Bull Stakes winner Nobiz Like Shobiz headlines a field of nine for Saturday's $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/8 mile race is the major prep event for the $1 million Florida Derby on April 7.

Nobiz Like Shobiz is on a two race win streak and has won three of four career starts. Owned by Elizabeth Valando, the colt has earned $316,400.

The three-year-old will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez from post 5. Nobiz Like Shobiz is trained by Barclay Tagg who conditioned 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide.

Tagg doesn't make predictions about his horse, but anticipates a winning effort.

"Do they expect you to win by 15 lengths every time and still win the Triple Crown?" asked Tagg. "If he wins all his races by a length-and-a-half I'll be very, very happy. I told Cornelio in his last race to just win. No grandstanding. It does seem like he has a 15-length win in him, but he doesn't need to do it."

Johannesburg Star, owned by Bisnalth Parbod, enters the Fountain of Youth off a second place finish in the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct. Trained by Collin Maragh, the colt will start from the inside post with the trainer's son, Rajiv Maragh, riding.

"I expect him to give his best in the race and to do good," the trainer said. "I give him a shot because of how good he's been down here."

With one win in six career starts, Johannesburg Star has earnings of $54,191.

Highly regarded Stormello will make his 2007 debut in the Fountain of Youth. The chestnut colt has drawn post 4 with Kent Desormeaux getting the riding assignment.

After a fifth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Stormello closed 2006 with a victory in the Hollywood Futurity. He has earned $545,100 with three wins in seven starts.

Stormello is trained by co-owner Bill Currin.

Rounding out the field for the Fountain of Youth in post position order are Hal's My Hope, Drums of Thunder, Meritocracy, Divine Master, Scat Daddy and Adore the Gold.

The Fountain of Youth Stakes has a scheduled post-time of 5:24 p.m. (et).