Fountain of Youth has field of 10

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Hallandale Beach, FL (Sports Network) - Buddy's Saint, winner of the 2009 Remsen, makes his three-year-old debut Saturday in the $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/8-mile race is historically a major stepping stone on the road to the Kentucky Derby.

A total of 10 three-year-olds have been entered in the Fountain of Youth. The supporting $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes, also for three-year-olds, has a field of eight. Both stakes lead to the Florida Derby on March 20.

Owned by Kingfield Stables, Buddy's Saint has drawn post two with regular rider Jose Lezcano in the saddle. Officially the colt, trained by Bruce Levine, has won two of three career starts for $218,600. Along with the Remsen victory he won the Nashua at Aqueduct, but was disqualified from first to second in his career debut.

Starting from the inside post will be Aikenite and jockey Alan Garcia. The colt is trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Dogwood Stable.

Aikenite, who finished a close fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, will make his second start of 2010 in the Fountain of Youth. Last month at 7-2 he was sixth in the Holy Bull Stakes behind Winslow Homer.

"The colt has been given the benefit of the doubt concerning his sixth-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes," said Pletcher, "and we feel that the extra eighth of a mile that the Fountain of Youth offers will be most beneficial."

Since winning in his first lifetime start, Aikenite was third in Saratoga's Hopeful Stakes and second in the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland. He has earned $226,000 in his five starts.

Holy Bull runner-up Jackson Bend will break from post five with Jeremy Rose in the saddle. Trained by Nick Zito, the chestnut colt is owned by Robert LaPenta and Jacks or Better Farm.

Jackson Bend is the winner of five of seven starts for $507,820. Racing primarily at Calder, he won five in a row including three straight Florida Stallion Stakes.

Here is the complete field in post position order for the Fountain of Youth: Aikenite, Alan Garcia; Buddy's Saint, Jose Lezcano; Pulsion, Mike Smith; Pleasant Prince, Julien Leparoux; Jackson Bend, Jeremy Rose; Prince Will I Am, Paco Lopez; Positive Split, Edgar Prado; Eskendereya, John Velazquez; Lost Aptitude, Rajiv Maragh and Ice Box, Joe Bravo.

In 2009 Quality Road won both the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby.

Spectacular Bid Stakes champ A Little Warm will go after his second stakes victory in the Hutcheson at seven-furlongs. The race has a post-time of 4:37 p.m. (et), a little more than hour before the Fountain of Youth.

Here is the field for the Hutcheson in post position order: Radiohead, Julien Leparoux; City Trooper, Garrett Gomez; Ibboyee, John Velazquez; Sum Champ, Cornelio Velasquez; Wildcat Frankie, Paco Lopez; Hear Ye Hear Ye, Jeffrey Sanchez; D' Funnybone, Edgar Prado and A Little Warm, Jeremy Rose.