Top two from Fountain of Youth highlight Florida Derby

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Fountain of Youth Stakes winner Scat Daddy and runner-up Stormello are back for Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. The key Kentucky Derby prep race at 1 1/8 miles has attracted nine three-year-olds.

Scat Daddy caught Stromello at the wire to win the Fountain of Youth to set-up Saturday's rematch. Joining these two colts will be Risen Star Stakes winner Notional.

Scat Daddy is the 5-2 morning line favorite followed by Stormello at 3-1 and Notional is 4-1.

Owned by James Scatuorchio and Michael Tabor, Scat Daddy is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden for the first time by champion jockey Edgar Prado. The three-year-old has won four of his seven career starts for $734,300 and will start from post 3.

Scat Daddy closed 2006 with a fourth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He opened this year with a third place finish behind Nobiz Like Showbiz in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream.

Stormello, fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, set the pace in the Fountain of Youth under Kent Desormeuax. Trainer and co-owner Bill Currin has brought Victor Espinoza back to ride the colt with Desormeaux in Dubai. Espinoza rode Stormello in the thoroughbred's first three starts and the pair will break from post 5 on Saturday.

Stormello's two stakes wins as a two-year-old came in the Norfolk at Santa Anita and the Hollywood Futurity. He has earned $615,100 in his eight career starts.

J. Paul Reddam's Notional goes after his third straight win of the year. He opened 2007 with a victory in the San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita before shipping to the Fair Grounds to win the Risen Star.

Trainer Doug O'Neill has retained the services of jockey Robby Albarado to ride Notional from the inside post. The colt was sixth to Stormello in the Hollywood Futurity, beaten by just 2 1/2 lengths. He has $313.200 in earnings with three wins in five starts.

Completing the field for the Florida Derby in post position order are Imawildandcrazyguy, Adore the Gold, Chelokee, Boogie Boggs, Johannesburg Star and Birdbirdistheword.