Winter book favorite for the 2016 Kentucky Derby Moyhamen headlines the Fountain of Youth Stakes. The speedy Zulu and Awesome Banner enter and stretch out in distance.
2016 Fountain of Youth Field
Fellowship is the veteran of the race with over 400,000 in career earnings and runs late. Running profile fits this race as speed is signed up and he should come running late. Has faced some good horses in his career and chased Moyhamen in the Fountain of Youth would need a total pace meltdown to actually win the race. Florida bred has made some serious cash and fits overall in the mix of a G2/G3 contender in most races.
Zulu dominated in the slop last race. In his career debut defeated a sharp first time starter and showed some grit down the lane. Does not need the lead and moves up in class and stretches out in distance. Has a solid work report since the last race. Tall order facing experienced stakes foes. Most likely to benefit if Awesome Banner scratches and he inherits the lead. This horse runs like a horse that wants the lead and would benefit on the lead and controlling speed.
Golden Ray was a surprise entrant and is a veteran of the turf wars with 8 lifetime starts. has lost his last 3 races by 18, 3 and 24 lengths. Has a better chance of getting hit by a Milk Truck than winning the race.
Awesome Speed completed the Natural Hat Trick winning the Mucho Macho Man stakes races. Has the speed to stay close or be on the engine. Figure makers have this guy close ability wise on the speed figures. Can he handle the rise in class and go a longer distance while facing foes that are just as fast. Will have to call on the Laurel form to bring his class level up.
Awesome Banner has flashed dominating speed in all three of his races. Big victories in all 3 of his wins. Dominated the Swale and Hutcheson. Is fast but is not headstrong and has been allowed to control the pace in all of his races. Looks like the speed of the speed on the stretch out. Possibility he may scratch if he does then Zulu most likely is the pace setter.
Moyhamen is a perfect 4 for with a dominating victory in the Holy Bull stakes. Has shown speed in his debut dueling with the speedy Seymourdin in, losing the lead and then coming back for the win. In the Nashua he passed horses from the outside. The Remsen he tracked horses at the rail and split horses down the stretch. So far has the ultimate running style and the ability to run fast. Likely favorite looks tough in this spot. Most Tapit offspring are big and bulky. Moyhamen is lightly built and more agile than most. Athletic and light on his feet, has the ability to rate. Should get a test in this spot chasing speed.
The Choice: Moyhamen has been dominating visually and on paper in all his starts. The money has flowed in on this impressive horse as a juvenile and now this winter. This is a strong field but Moyhamen looks like the deserving favorite.