Fountain of Youth Stakes
Road to the Kentucky Derby > Fountain of Youth Stakes
Fountain of Youth Stakes Race Facts
- Location: Gulfstream Park, Hallandale Beach, FL
- Inaugural Race: 1945
- Current Distance: 1 1/16 miles
- Track Type: Left-Handed, Dirt
- Age Qualifications: Three-year-olds
- Status: Grade 2
- 2024 Purse: $400,000
- 2024 Race Date: Saturday, March 2nd
A point spread of 50-25-15-10-5 is up for grabs to the first five finishers in Florida's first Championship Series Road to the Kentucky Derby race.
2024 Fountain of Youth Stakes Race Results
| POST | HORSE | JOCKEY / TRAINER | WIN / PLACE / SHOW |
|---|
5 | Dornoch | Luis Saez / Danny Gargan | $2.40 / $2.10 / $2.10 |
2 | Le Dom Bro | Edwin Gonzalez / Eniel Cordero | $7.40 / $3.40 |
7 | Frankie's Empire | Miguel Angel Vasquez / Michael Yates | $2.60 |
4 | Real Macho | Tyler Gaffalione / Rohan Crichton | |
9 | Dancing Groom | Javier Castellano / Antonio Sano |
Exotic Payoffs:
- $1 Exacta (5-2) Paid: $8.40
- $0.50 Trifecta (5-2-7) Paid: $11.40
- $0.10 Superfecta (5-2-7-4) Paid: $3.62
Watch the 2024 Fountain of Youth Stakes
The History of the Fountain of Youth Stakes
The first real major test for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Kentucky Derby is the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). The race is run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL just North of Miami Beach. The race is open to 3-year-olds going a distance of 1 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs). It currently offers a purse of $400,000 and is the final stakes prep to the Florida Derby. The Fountain of Youth serves as an official prep race for the Kentucky Derby, and the top-5 finishers are awarded Derby qualifying points (50-20-15-10-5). The winner earns a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.
What makes the Fountain of Youth such an important race is not only does the winner get to run in the Kentucky Derby, but historically speaking it is a proven foundation for race horses that go on to be stallions. A typical stallion impregnates 100-125 mares a year, and a proven stallion can collect stud fees upwards of 10-plus years.
The race was named for the mythical Florida spring that granted eternal youth. The race was inaugurated in 1945, and the 1 1/16 mile race record holder is 1978 winner Sensitive Prince (1:41.00). In 2005 the race was changed to a distance of 1 1/8 miles, and Eskenderaya (2010) set the record with a time of 1:48.87. In 2012, it was changed back to the 1 1/16 mile distance.
Jockey John Velazquez has won the race a record five times (2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2019), and trainer Todd Plecher has won the race a record four times (2007, 2010, 2015, 2023).
In the past 25 years, just one Fountain of Youth winner has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby, Orb (2013). One other was victorious in a Triple Crown race when Union Rags (2012) won the Belmont Stakes. Thunder Gulch (1995) won the Fountain of Youth, Kentucky Derby (25-1) and Belmont Stakes.
Fountain of Youth Stakes Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Jockey / Trainer | Dist. (Miles) (Furlongs) / Time |
|---|
2024 | Dornoch | Luis Saez / Danny Gargan | 1-1/16 M / 1:43.64 |
2023 | Forte | Irad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher | 1-1/16 M / 1:43.12 |
2022 | Simplification | Jose L. Ortiz / Antonio Sano | 1-1/16 M / 1:44.04 |
2021 | Greatest Honour | Jose L. Ortiz / Claude R. McGaughey III | 1-1/16 M / 1:44.02 |
2020 | Ete Indien | Florent Geroux / Patrick Biancone | 1-1/16 M / 1:43.02 |
2019 | Code of Honor | John Velazquez / C. R. McGaughey III | 1-1/16 M / 1:43.85 |
2018 | Promises Fulfilled | Irad Ortiz Jr. / Dale Romans | 1-1/16 M / 1:44.17 |
2017 | Gunnevera | Javier Castellano / Antonio Sano | 1-1/16 M / 1:44.25 |
2016 | Mohaymen | Junior Alvarado / Kiaran McLaughlin | 1-1/16 M / 1:42.84 |
2015 | Itsaknockout † | Luis Saez / Todd A. Pletcher | 1-1/16 M / 1:46.28 |
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