Fountain of Youth Stakes

Road to the Kentucky Derby > Fountain of Youth Stakes

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
  • 2023 Purse: $400,000
  • 2023 Race Date: Saturday, March 4th

A point spread of 50-20-15-10-5 is up for grabs to the first five finishers in Florida’s first Championship Series Road to the Kentucky Derby race.

2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes Race Results

POSTHORSEJOCKEY / TRAINERWIN / PLACE / SHOW
4ForteIrad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher$3.00 / $2.40 / $2.10
8Rocket CanJunior Alvarado / William I. Mott$4.40 / $3.40
9Cyclone MischiefTyler Gaffalione / Dale L. Romans$4.80
7MageJavier Castellano / Gustavo Delgado
3Shadow DragonJose L. Ortiz / William I. Mott
5Il MiracoloEdgar Perez / Antonio Sano
10Dangerous RideLuis Saez / Carlos A. David
6Blazing SevensJoel Rosario / Chad C. Brown
2Legacy IsleEmisael Jaramillo / Rohan Crichton

Exotic Payoffs:

  • $1 Exacta (4-8) Paid: $8.50
  • $0.50 Trifecta (4-8-9) Paid: $35.20
  • $0.10 Superfecta (4-8-9-7) Paid: $33.66

Watch the 2023 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 trainers D. Wayne Lukas, Todd Plecher and Jimmy Jones have won the race a record three times.

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

YearWinnerJockey / TrainerDist.
(Miles)
(Furlongs) / Time
2023ForteIrad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher1-1/16 M / 1:43.12
2022SimplificationJose L. Ortiz / Antonio Sano1-1/16 M / 1:44.04
2021Greatest HonourJose L. Ortiz / Claude R. McGaughey III1-1/16 M / 1:44.02
2020Ete IndienFlorent Geroux / Patrick Biancone1-1/16 M / 1:43.02
2019Code of HonorJohn Velazquez / C. R. McGaughey III1-1/16 M / 1:43.85
2018Promises FulfilledIrad Ortiz Jr. / Dale Romans1-1/16 M / 1:44.17
2017GunneveraJavier Castellano / Antonio Sano1-1/16 M / 1:44.25
2016MohaymenJunior Alvarado / Kiaran McLaughlin1-1/16 M / 1:42.84
2015Itsaknockout †Luis Saez / Todd A. Pletcher1-1/16 M / 1:46.28
2014Wildcat RedLuis Saez / Jose Garoffalo1-1/16 M / 1:41.85
2013OrbJohn Velazquez / C. R. McGaughey III1-1/16 M / 1:42.24
2012Union RagsJulien Leparoux / Michael Matz1-1/16 M / 1:42.68
2011SoldatAlan Garcia / Kiaran McLaughlin1-1/8 M / 1:50.23
2010EskendereyaJohn Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher1-1/8 M / 1:48.87
2009Quality RoadJohn Velazquez / James A. Jerkens1 M / 1:35.01
2008Cool Coal ManKent Desormeaux / Nick Zito1-1/8 M / 1:50.07
2007Scat DaddyJohn Velazquez / Todd A. Pletcher1-1/8 M / 1:49.11
2006First Samurai †Edgar Prado / Frank L. Brothers1-1/8 M / 1:49.00
2005High FlyJerry D. Bailey / Nick Zito1-1/8 M / 1:49.70
2004Read the FootnotesJerry D. Bailey / Richard Violette1-1/16 M / 1:42.71
2003Trust n LuckCornelio Velásquez / Ralph Ziadie1-1/16 M / 1:43.33
2002BookletJorge Chavez / John T. Ward Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:44.49
2001SongandaprayerEdgar Prado / John F. Dowd1-1/16 M / 1:43.48
2000High YieldPat Day / D. Wayne Lukas1-1/16 M / 1:42.56
1999VicarShane Sellers / Carl Nafzger1-1/16 M / 1:45.64
1998Lil's LadJerry D. Bailey / Neil J. Howard1-1/16 M / 1:42.63
1997PulpitShane Sellers / Frank L. Brothers1-1/16 M / 1:41.86
1996Built For PleasureGary Boulanger / Tommy Heard Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:43.64
1995Thunder GulchMike E. Smith / D. Wayne Lukas1-1/16 M / 1:43.21
1994DehereCraig Perret / Reynaldo Nobles1-1/16 M / 1:44.70
1993 (Division 1)Duc d'SligovilJulie Krone / Jeremy McNeill1-1/16 M / 1:45.16
1993 (Division 2)Storm TowerRick Wilson / Benjamin W. Perkins Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:44.98
1992Dance FloorChris Antley / D. Wayne Lukas1-1/16 M / 1:45.32
1991Fly So FreeJosé A. Santos / Scotty Schulhofer1-1/16 M / 1:44.30
1990Shot Gun ScottDave Penna / Ronald J. Sarazin1-1/16 M / 1:44.60
1989Dixieland BrassRandy Romero / Charles Peoples1-1/16 M / 1:44.60
1988Forty NinerEddie Maple / Woody Stephens1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1987Bet TwiceCraig Perret / Warren Croll1-1/16 M / 1:43.40
1986 (Division 1)Ensign RhythmJulio Pezua / Leo Azpurua Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:45.60
1986 (Division 2)My Prince CharmingJosé A. Santos / Newcomb Green1-1/16 M / 1:45.00
1985Proud TruthJorge Velásquez / John M. Veitch1-1/16 M / 1:43.60
1984Darn That AlarmMike Venezia / George Gianos1-1/16 M / 1:43.00
1983 (Division 1)Highland ParkDon Brumfield / Anthony L. Basile1-1/16 M / 1:44.60
1983 (Division 2)CopelanLaffit Pincay Jr. / Mitch Griffin1-1/16 M / 1:43.60
1982Star GallantSandy Hawley / Leonard Imperio1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1981AkureyriEddie Maple / Woody Stephens1-1/16 M / 1:44.40
1980Naked SkyJerry D. Bailey / Neal Winick1-1/16 M / 1:43.80
1979Spectacular BidRon Franklin / Bud Delp1-1/16 M / 1:41.20
1978Sensitive PrinceMickey Solomone / H. Allen Jerkens1-1/16 M / 1:41.00
1977Ruthies NativeCraig Perret / Eugene Jacobs1-1/16 M / 1:42.00
1976SonkisserBraulio Baeza / Stephen DiMauro1-1/16 M / 1:43.80
1975Greek AnswerMickey Solomone / Frank H. Merrill Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:42.80
1974Green GambadosChuck Baltazar / John W. Jacobs1-1/16 M / 1:42.40
1973Shecky GreeneBraulio Baeza / Lou M. Goldfine1-1/16 M / 1:43.80
1972Gentle SmokeWalter Blum / David Sazer1-1/16 M / 1:42.00
1971AuthorizeJacinto Vasquez / John W. Russell1-1/16 M / 1:42.60
1970Corn off the CobAngel Cordero Jr. / Arnold N. Winick1-1/16 M / 1:44.60
1969Al HattabRay Broussard / Warren A. Croll Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:42.60
1968Wise ExchangeEddie Belmonte / Hirsch Jacobs1-1/16 M / 1:43.80
1967In RealityEarlie Fires / Melvin Calvert1-1/16 M / 1:44.40
1966Kauai KingDon Brumfield / Henry Forrest1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1965MaribeauSam Boulmetis / Joseph W. Mergler1-1/16 M / 1:44.60
1964Dandy KMickey Solomone / Robert E. Wingfield1-1/16 M / 1:44.80
1963Cool PrinceJimmy Combest / Nick Combest1-1/16 M / 1:45.80
1962Sharp CountBill Shoemaker / Lester G. Joffrion1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1961Beau PrinceEddie Arcaro / Jimmy Jones1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1960Eagle AdmiralManuel Ycaza / Charles E. Whittingham1-1/16 M / 1:41.80
1959Easy SpurBill Hartack / Paul L. Kelley1-1/16 M / 1:41.80
1958Tim TamBill Hartack / Jimmy Jones1-1/16 M / 1:42.80
1957Gen. DukeBill Hartack / Jimmy Jones1-1/16 M / 1:44.00
1956Oh JohnnyHedley Woodhouse / Norman R. McLeod1-1/16 M / 1:44.20
1955Nance's LadJohn Choquette / Hilton A. Dabson1-1/16 M / 1:43.20
1954Sea O ErinJohn H. Adams / Harry Trotsek1-1/16 M / 1:48.60
1953 (Division 1)Ram o' WarDouglas Dodson / Jerome J. Sarner Jr.1-1/16 M / 1:42.60
1953 (Division 2)TribeBennie Green / James W. Healy1-1/16 M / 1:43.40
1952Race not held
1951AlertedWilliam M. Cook / James Penrod7 F / 1:24.20
1950Black GeorgeKenneth Church / R. Earl Barnett7 F / 1:23.40
1949Count-a-BitJack Robertson / George E. Roberts1-1/16 M / 1:44.20
1948Race not held
1947 (Division 1)Tight SqueezeRocco Sisto / Merritt C. Buxton6 F / 1:11.80
1947 (Division 2)Atomic PowerMerritt A. Buxton / Merritt C. Buxton1 M, 70 yds. / 1:40.60
1946Race not held
1945Twenty ThirtyRobert Watson / Cecil Howard1-1/16 M / 1:45.20