Foutain of Youth One-Two Aok

    Wildcat Red (D’wildcat) and General a Rod (Roman Ruler), the one-two finishers from Saturday’s GII Besilu Fountain of Youth S., came out of the race in fine shape and could meet up again in the Mar. 29 GI Besilu Florida Derby. 
    “He ate up and everything was fine,” Nick Galati, assistant to trainer Jose Garoffalo, said of Wildcat Red. “He came out perfect. He was full of himself and very, very happy. He’ll be laying down today. He relaxes. There’s just something about him, he does everything right. We’re very happy with the way he came out of the race.” 
    Trainer Mike Maker was also happy with the condition of runner-up General a Rod. 
    “He came out of the race just fine,” Maker said. “Everything was great, he just came out of it on the losing end. He didn’t show us anything that he didn’t show us before; he just came out of it on the losing end. We’re still undecided [about his next start]. There’s a lot of races out there, so we’re just going to take our time and make a decision.” 
    Trainer Shug McGaughey is keeping the Florida Derby open as a possibility for Fountain of Youth third-place finisher Top Billing (Curlin). “He came out of the race well,” McGaughey said. “The track was playing to speed and those two horses were out there and didn’t stop. We just didn’t get to them, going a mile and a sixteenth with a short run to the pole. I’m never happy when we don’t win, but I wasn’t disappointed in his effort. We’d like to run in the Florida Derby, but it’s a little early, so we’ll just have to wait and see.” 
    Meanwhile, likely Florida Derby favorite Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile), who skipped the Fountain of Youth, worked a half-mile at Palm Meadows Saturday in :49.90. “It was very hot [Saturday], muggy, but he ate up and he’s happy and bright, and all is well,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said of the GII Holy Bull S. winner. Click here to share this story.