Gulfstream Park Racing Picks: Fountain of Youth Stakes Day, 3/1/2025

One of the biggest cards of the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet happens Saturday, March 1. The 14-race extravaganza features nine stakes races, including eight graded events and two points races for three-year-olds. The Fountain of Youth (G2) offers 50 Kentucky Derby points to its winner, while the Davona Dale (G2) virtually guarantees its winner a berth in the Kentucky Oaks. The races are also local preps for the Florida Derby (G1) and Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on March 29, the final races in Gulfstream’s three-year-old series.

Other stakes races Saturday include the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) for older dirt horses, the Canadian Turf (G3) for older middle-distance turf horses, the Honey Fox (G3) for filly and mare turf milers, the Mac Diarmida (G2) for older turf routers, the Very One (G3) for filly and mare turf routers, the Colonel Liam for sophomore turf milers, and the Herecomesthebride (G3) for 3-year-old turf mile fillies. First post is at 11:30 a.m. EST, and you can watch all day on FanDuel TV and bet the whole card through FanDuel.

Skies are expected to be clear on Saturday in Hallandale Beach, Florida, but make sure to check the weather and the scratch board on race day before you bet, just to make sure that your picks are running, and the pace setup remains as you expect it.

Gulfstream Park Picks

Race 9 - Canadian Turf (G3), 1 1/16 miles on the turf - Silent Heart, Major Dude

FanDuel odds: 6-1 and 2-1

Bet now at FanDuel

There isn’t much in the way of speed in the Canadian Turf, which is good news for Silent Heart (6-1). This four-year-old beat a salty bunch of optional claimers last out, in his first try against older horses, and has never run a bad race over the lawn at Gulfstream Park. He has a nice middle draw from which he won’t lose much ground, and even if one of the horses near the outside who can show speed sometimes (Omni King or Atone) does show that pace, he is tactical enough to stalk and pounce. With Luis Saez returning to the irons from that last out win, this looks like the right spot for Silent Heart to have his graded-stakes breakthrough.

Major Dude (2-1) drops in class after a try in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) last out, where he was in range mid-stretch but flattened out late. Here, he gets a class drop and a cutback in distance, both of which should suit him well. He is tactical enough to sit in range of the expected modest pace, and he consistently runs well at Gulfstream and at this 1 1/16-mile distance. Among that top echelon of proven, logical contenders, he has the most going for him based on recent form and likely pace setup.

Race 13 - Fountain of Youth (G2), 1 1/16 miles on the dirt - Burnham Square, Neoequos

FanDuel odds: 5-2 and 10-1

Bet now at FanDuel

Burnham Square (5-2) stepped up from maiden company to stakes company nicely in the Holy Bull (G3) a month ago. He broke his maiden in stalk-and-pounce fashion, then came from a little further back to win his first race against winners. Both of those races were over the same course and distance as the Fountain of Youth with Edgard Zayas in the irons; Zayas returns for this. His tactical speed appeals, as does the gradual improvement he has shown through his four starts so far. All in all, this Ian Wilkes trainee is solid and well-placed.

Neoequos (10-1) has class to prove, as four of his five starts have come against Florida-bred company. He also has to prove himself at a route, as he has yet to go past seven furlongs in a race. However, being by Neolithic out of a Birdstone mare, there is plenty of reason to think he will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles and even beyond. The switch to jockey Irad Ortiz, 25% on the Gulfstream meet and an experienced big-race rider in general, is a plus. Trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. also appeals on several counts: he can win at a price when stretching horses to a route for the first time, and also with runners second off a break.

Race 14 - Mac Diarmida (G2), 1 ⅜ miles on the turf - Sugoi, Dashman

FanDuel odds: 6-1 and 6-1

Bet now at FanDuel

Mike Maker has built a career on taking higher-priced older claimers and running them long on the grass. Sugoi (6-1) is right on brand for him: an eight-year-old now, he was claimed to the Maker barn last year for $50,000, and in six starts, he has won twice, both in stakes at 1 ½ miles on the green stuff. He was defeated in his only start at the 1 ⅜-mile distance of the Mac Diarmida, but that a half-length defeat against Webslinger last year, so still a classy form like. He is tactical enough to set the pace or track it, he can take his form to different tracks, and even though Frankie Dettori is new to ride him, Sugoi seems to click with just about any rider you put with him.

Dashman (6-1) is mired at the outside, but he was mired out there last time as well, and he hit the wire first by a nose. He should be able to work out a clean trip from the outside gate, the cut back in distance should work to Dashman’s favor, and he has run well in both of his outings over the love-it-or-hate-it Gulfstream Park grass. He also has upside second off the lay for Brian Lynch, a trainer who also has a proven record of keeping last-out winners in form.

Looking for more horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!