2026 Fountain of Youth Stakes Betting Odds and Contenders Preview

Key Takeaways:

• The Fountain of Youth Stakes is a pivotal 50-point Kentucky Derby prep that routinely produces elite three-year-olds and Triple Crown contenders.
• This year, the Fountain of Youth attracts a deep, pace-heavy field and multiple horses stretching out for the first time; trip, tactical positioning, and two-turn stamina will be important things come post time.
• Commandment brings sharp Gulfstream form, tactical speed, and elite connections, making him a prime candidate to move forward around two turns.
• Solitude Dude offers explosive upside, proven local ability, and a stalking trip that could maximize his stretch-out potential.
• Bravaro exits a strong Holy Bull runner-up effort, owns the right tracking style, and fits the proven winning profile for this race.

The South Florida spur of the Kentucky Derby trail returns to action Saturday, February 28, with the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. In addition to the rich $400,000 purse, the race offers 50-25-15-10-5 Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points: enough to virtually guarantee the winner a trip to the opening jewel of the Triple Crown, the first Saturday in May, and set other horses who run well up to make it to Churchill Downs if they do well in another prep race.

The marquee name in the field is Napoleon Solo, who makes his first start since winning the Champagne (G1) last October at Aqueduct; the runner-up from that race, Talkin, races here as well. Though Holy Bull Stakes (G3) winner Nearly does not return in this spot, runner-up Bravaro does. Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner Commandment stretches out to two turns for the first time, as does Swale winner Solitude Dude. These stakes horses won’t have it easy; a deep group of maiden and allowance winners will try to step up in this spot, too.

This race has a long history of producing important Kentucky Derby prospects. Sovereignty won the 2025 edition of this race and went on to win the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, Travers, and Horse of the Year honors. Others who have parlayed Fountain of Youth success into Kentucky Derby wins include Tim Tam (1958), Kauai King (1966), Spectacular Bid (1979), Thunder Gulch (1995), and Orb (2013). Some recent Fountain of Youth winners have also seen success in other jewels of the Triple Crown: Dornoch (2024) and Union Rags (2012) are both Belmont Stakes winners.

Fountain of Youth Stakes 2026 Information

• Race Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
• Track: Gulfstream Park
• Post Time: 6:11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
• Distance: 1 1/16 miles
• Age/Sex: three-year-olds
• Where to Watch: FanDuel TV, CNBC
• Where to Bet: FanDuel Racing

Fountain of Youth Stakes Odds

This is the field for the Fountain of Youth Stakes. It includes post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning-line odds.

Fountain of Youth Stakes Prep Results

Of the 11 horses in the Fountain of Youth, 10 come out of different last-out races.

A pair of horses come out of the Holy Bull on January 31, the local prep for the Fountain of Youth. Bravaro was the runner-up, no match for Nearly but clear of the rest. Global Aviator will try to bounce back after weakening to fifth in the Holy Bull.

Two others come out of graded-stakes races. Napoleon Solo, who comes in off of his Champagne victory on October 4 at Aqueduct, has not raced since last year but is the only one coming in from a top-level win. Talkin, second in the Champagne, was an empty ninth in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct on December 6 in his only start since.

Another pair comes out of one-turn stakes victories at Gulfstream and will try two turns for the first time in the Fountain of Youth. Solitude Dude won the seven-furlong Swale on January 31. Commandment starts for the first time since romping in the one-mile Mucho Macho Man on January 3.

Three others come out of allowance races. Jackson Hole beat open first-level allowance-optional claiming foes on January 17 at Fair Grounds, a race on the Lecomte (G3) day undercard. Bull By the Horns also comes out of a first-level allowance, going a mile and 40 yards on the Tampa dirt on January 16; he raced midfield and was only able to chase on for a mild third. Rockies Balboa steps up to open company after a five-length victory sprinting against first-level Florida-bred allowance company on January 29 at Gulfstream.

The other two horses come out of maiden special weight company. Chief Wallabee won his debut going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on January 10, and stretches out to two turns for the first time here. Lost Money, the lone maiden in the field, was most recently a well-beaten second in a one-mile maiden special weight at Gulfstream on January 25, and also goes two turns for the first time in this.

Fountain of Youth Stakes Contenders

These are the contenders in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, organized by post position:

1. Jackson Hole: Jackson Hole makes his first start in stakes company, but comes into the race with a lot of buzz nonetheless. He won on debut at Gulfstream coming from midpack, but then made a name for himself on the Lecomte Stakes undercard when taking a two-turn allowance by 5 ½ lengths, leading at every call. He has proven he can handle the Gulfstream footing and also that he can run in different styles, either setting the pace or passing horses. His connections are prodigious winners of this race, though he does have to handle a rail draw in a bigger field than he has ever seen, so be careful about taking too short a price.
2. Rockies Balboa: It took him four starts to get off the mark, but a move to Gulfstream and a drop to maiden-optional claiming company got him off the mark, and he followed that first win up with a score in a Florida-bred allowance. However, this’ll be a sharp step forward: he steps up to open stakes company and tries two turns for the first time. His speed is a good fit, of course, but with plenty of pace outside of him, he’ll have to get two turns while doing all of the front-end dirty work.
3. Talkin: He graduated on debut at Saratoga, going seven furlongs and wasn’t a bad second to Napoleon Solo last out in the Champagne (G1), but came up empty in the Remsen (G2) next out in his only two-turn start. The top two in the Remsen have turned out to be quality horses, Paladin and Renegade, but he was beaten 18 lengths and has a lot to prove. Still, he has proven he can pass horses, and at least on paper, he has a strong two-turn pedigree, suggesting some price potential for exotics.
4. Commandment: He needed his sprint debut at Keeneland but has won his next two, each at extended one-turn trips, including a decisive last-out win in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream. He proved that day that he could pass horses over the Gulfstream course, a skill that could prove useful this time around, too. With high-percentage connections in Brad Cox and Irad Ortiz, and an appealing pedigree for this middle distance, he has upside.
5. Bravaro: He looked like a rising star in his first two career starts, both against New York-breds, and was a respectable second in the Holy Bull (G3), his first start against open stakes horses. The only horse who beat him was Neatly, who he will not have to face again here. He has tactical speed and the ability to pass horses, even over the Gulfstream track, and trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.’s charges tend to move forward second off the lay.
6. Chief Wallabee: Bill Mott won this race last year with Sovereignty and tries again with Chief Wallabee this year. However, Chief Wallabee does not have much experience—just a seven-furlong maiden win over the local course. Mott himself was skeptical about running Chief Wallabee here, and considered several allowance spots for him, but he comes back in this tough spot instead. His pedigree suggests he will like two turns, and Mott’s charges do tend to run well when stretched to a route for the first time. However, the comparative lack of experience raises memories of a horse with whom Mott tried this move unsuccessfully in his second career start, Hidden Scroll.
7. Napoleon Solo: He dazzled in both starts at age two, a maiden sprint win at Saratoga, and then a 6 1/2 -length score in the Champagne (G1) at a one-turn mile. He has not raced since then, but has been working regularly since mid-January. If he picks up where he left off last year from a speed perspective, he shapes as a top contender; if he moves forward, he could be downright tough, especially since he has the tactical speed that plays so well at Gulfstream.
8. Bull By the Horns: The third-stringer from the Saffie Joseph barn behind Solitude Dude and Bravaro, he romped second out in a maiden mile at Gulfstream two back but could only manage third in an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs next out. He needs to take a serious step forward, which is possible if last out ended up being a question of not liking Tampa very much, but he needs to put up a serious career best against the deepest field he has ever seen. That seems a lot to ask.
9. Global Aviator: He graduated by a neck in a sprint at Gulfstream, went straight from that to the Holy Bull, and was a no-threat fifth in that race. Perhaps he improves in his second race at a two-turn trip, which is possible since he has a route pedigree. However, as strong as Rohan Crichton’s winter meet at Gulfstream is going, he tends to underperform in graded-stakes races, so some skepticism makes sense.
10. Solitude Dude: He has yet to be challenged in three starts for trainer Saffie Joseph, but all of those blowout scores have come at one turn. Now, this son of Yaupon tackles two turns for the first time. To his credit, the Gulfstream course is not a question—two of his three victories have come locally. He also has the speed to set the pace here, and showed while winning the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa that he can track the early pace as well. It’s also a positive to see Flavien Prat, perhaps the best jockey in the country, in the irons.
11. Lost Money: The only maiden in the field also has to handle the far outside post. He did hit the board for the first time in his career last out, running second in a one-turn mile, but has yet to run a race anywhere near fast enough to trouble the top contenders here. Perhaps the stretch to two turns moves him a few spots forward—he is bred to go long, top and bottom. However, given his form, he would be a better contender in a two-turn maiden race than a Kentucky Derby prep race.

Fountain of Youth Stakes Past Winners Past Performances

In the recent history of the Fountain of Youth, the key recent prep for finding winners is the obvious one: the Holy Bull. Four of the last ten winners have last raced in the Holy Bull. They don’t have to win the Holy Bull to win the Fountain of Youth, but they do have to run well. Mohaymen (2016) and Greatest Honour (2021) came out of Holy Bull wins and repeated in the Fountain of Youth, while Gunnevera (2017), Ete Indien (2020), and Simplification (2023) were second in that prep.

All five of the winners who didn’t come in from the Holy Bull did race in other stakes last out. Eventual Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty won the race in his first start since a score in the Street Sense (G3) the previous October at Churchill Downs. Dornoch (2024) won it in his first start since winning the Remsen (G2) the previous year, while Forte (2023) won the Fountain of Youth in his first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Code of Honor (2019) had been fourth in the Mucho Macho Man, while Promises Fulfilled (2018) had last run third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2).

Fountain of Youth Stakes: 3 Best Bets

These are the three best bets in the 2026 Fountain of Youth Stakes:

1. Commandment (2-1)

Though this Brad Cox trainee has yet to try two turns, he has done plenty of other things to suggest he can shine in this spot. He comes in out of an impressive win in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream, suggesting not only that he is going the right way but that he can take his form to this sometimes love-it-or-hate-it track. In that outing, he showed tactical pace, sitting a few lengths off an honest enough setup for the distance and then taking total command.

With plenty of speed drawn into this large field, a horse coming in from a couple of lengths off the pace will be in a good spot, especially since he won’t be losing too much ground from this nice middle gate. Especially under high-percentage jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.—who rode him to victory in the Mucho Macho Man as well—Commandment can put together the pieces to shine at two turns in the Fountain of Youth and step onto the Kentucky Derby trail.

2. Solitude Dude (5-1)

Worse comes to worst, Solitude Dude could be a huge factor in big one-turn races like the Pat Day Mile (G2) and the Woody Stephens (G1) come Triple Crown season. However, there’s plenty of reason to think he can nab some Kentucky Derby qualifying points and try this route, too. Two of his three wins have come at Gulfstream, meaning the footing is no question. Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. shines when stretching horses out to routes for the first time. And, though he loses Irad Ortiz to Commandment, he gets a more than able replacement in Flavien Prat, the best big-race jockey based in the United States today.

The question really does end up being whether he wants two turns. Sire Yaupon made a name for himself at one turn, but he is by the solid Uncle Mo, and there are enough flashes of middle-distance ability in the family. The Classic distance on Kentucky Derby day seems like too much, but 1 1/16 miles in the Fountain of Youth is possible, especially if he can work a nice outside-stalking trip from a sufficiently far outside post to place him outside the rest of the speed in the race.

3. Bravaro (10-1)

The runner-up in the Holy Bull, he held his own when trying horses bred outside New York for the first time. He also showed he could put up a good effort at Gulfstream, as well as at two turns. That race was his first start in about two months, meaning he has upside to show even more in the Fountain of Youth second off the layoff.

In terms of pace, he has a good tracking style: in his last couple of races, he tracked in range of a pretty quick pace and kept on running in the lane. With several in this field who like to be on or close to the pace, that looks like a plausible setup for him to get again under Tyler Gaffalione. He fits the winning profile in the sense of coming out of a good effort in the Holy Bull, and may be ignored on the tote board behind many newer faces to the series of points races in South Florida.

Fountain of Youth Stakes Undercard

The Fountain of Youth Stakes is the final race on a 14-race Saturday card, one of the biggest of the Championship Meet. There are eight other stakes races on the card, seven graded. One of the other graded-stakes races also offers its top five finishers points toward the Kentucky Oaks: the Davona Dale (G2), a 50-point prep for sophomore fillies.

Other stakes on the card include the $200,000 Mac Diarmida (G2) for older turf routers, the $150,000 Honey Fox (G3) for turf mile mares, the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) for older dirt horses, the $200,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) for three-year-old turf mile fillies, the $150,000 Canadian Turf (G3) for older middle-distance turf horses, the $150,000 Very One (G3) for older turf route mares, and the $200,000 Colonel Liam for three-year-old turf milers.

With classy racing and big fields all day long, make sure to stay tuned to Gulfstream Park on FanDuel TV and to bet the card through FanDuel!

Gulfstream Park

Gulfstream Park is the historic racetrack that hosts the Florida Derby, one of the major preps for the Kentucky Derby, each year. It is the only American racetrack that offers all three racing surfaces: conventional dirt, turf, and a synthetic Tapeta surface. The outer track is a dirt course measuring one and one-eighth miles around, complete with a chute that allows for classic one-turn dirt mile races. The next track inward is a one-mile and seventy-yard Tapeta track that opened in 2021. The inner course is a seven-furlong turf track.

Gulfstream Park has hosted many major races over the years, including the Breeders’ Cup in 1989, 1992, and 1999. In 2017, the race ran the rich Pegasus World Cup for the first time, which was at one time the world’s richest horse race. But the Florida Derby, run along the road to the Kentucky Derby, remains Gulfstream Park’s most established and famous race.

Fountain of Youth Stakes FAQ

Q: When is the Fountain of Youth Stakes?

A: The Fountain of Youth Stakes happens Saturday, February 28, at 6:11 p.m Eastern Standard Time. It is the last of 14 races on Saturday’s blockbuster card.

Q: Where is the Fountain of Youth Stakes?

A: It takes place at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Q: Which trainer has the most wins in the Fountain of Youth Stakes?

A: Todd Pletcher leads all trainers with four wins in the Fountain of Youth. Those winners include Scat Daddy (2007), Eskendereya (2010), Itsaknockout (2015), and Forte (2023). Pletcher can extend his record to five if Jackson Hole wins from the rail.

Q: Who is the favorite for the Fountain of Youth Stakes?

A: Commandment is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line for the Fountain of Youth, given his upward trajectory for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox. However, look for Napoleon Solo (7-2) to take money given his Grade 1 class, and it would be no surprise if last-out allowance winner Jackson Hole (8-1) is bet down significantly lower than that for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Q: Who is the best Fountain of Youth Stakes jockey?

A: Jockey John Velazquez leads all riders with five wins in the Fountain of Youth between 2007 and 2019, most notably with Kentucky Derby winner Orb (2013). He can extend that record in 2026 with Jackson Hole, one of the leading contenders.

Q: Who won the 2025 Fountain of Youth Stakes?

A: Sovereignty began his 2025 Horse of the Year campaign with a victory in the Fountain of Youth for trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado. Mott and Alvarado unite in 2026 behind Chief Wallabee.

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