CODE OF HONOR TRIUMPHANT IN THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH – BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR JOEL ROSARIO

All the action this weekend was at Gulfstream Park in Florida with the running of two important Grade 2 races for three-year-old colts and fillies looking to cement their appearance in Kentucky in two months. First up was the Davona Dale which featured the 2019 debut of the juvenile champion Jaywalk. Sent off as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite over half a dozen outclassed rivals she flopped dismally finishing off the board behind 51-1 winner JELTRIN. The race was held at a very leisurely pace and Jaywalk cruised in second spot behind Cookie Dough right until the turn for home. However when Joel Rosario asked for more she had nothing to offer. Jeltrin swooped up on the outside and won in a photo finish from Cookie Dough.

Thirty minutes later in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth, Rosario was on another sure thing, the 6-5 favorite Hidden Scroll who also finished fourth behind winner Code of Honor from the Shug McGaughey barn. Hidden Scroll was coming off a 14 length maiden romp, and as expected he went into the lead on the sloppy track, running the first four furlongs in 45:3 seconds and appeared to be going easily. However as the horses turned the corner going into the stretch a whole bunch of mud drenched horses started making their move and CODE OF HONOR finished well under the urging of John Velazquez to get valuable points for the Derby. The winner’s odds were 9-1, and keep an eye out for the fast finishing second placed horse, Bourbon Wars. Next up for the winner will be the Florida Derby and as a history reminder the last horse to win the Fountain of Youth and then go on to take the Kentucky Derby was ORB.
Next week in a mouth watering clash at Santa Anita two unbeaten Bob Baffert horses face each other. They are of course Game Winner and Improbable.