Tami Bobo's Simplification (Not This Time) avoided a nasty two-horse spill on the far turn and proved much the best in Saturday's GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park while leading home an exacta for his red-hot young sire.
The unlucky last out GIII Holy Bull S. runner-up, drawn on the inside in post two, raced in midpack rounding the clubhouse turn as rail-drawn longshot Markhamian (Social Inclusion) led the way. Under a snug hold by Jose Ortiz while racing in some traffic down the backstretch, the 5-2 choice caught the eye as he began to roll with a six-wide blitz, one path to the outside of the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Emmanuel (More Than Ready), as five of them lined up nearing the quarter pole.
With Simplification traveling much the best on the outside as half of the field bunched up, the comebacking GII Saratoga Special S. winner High Oak (Gormley) dramatically clipped heels and fell, unseating jockey Junior Alvarado. His Bill Mott trained-stablemate Galt (Medaglia d'Oro) also got tripped up, leaping over the fallen runner and losing his rider Joel Rosario as well.
Both horses escaped injury and walked back to the barn. Rosario reported back soreness and Alvarado was taken to a nearly hospital to evaluate a sore ankle.
Simplification, meanwhile, swept by Emmanuel and the forwardly placed Dean Delivers (Cajun Breeze) as they straightened for home and wasn't for catching from there while hanging on his left lead down the stretch, scoring by 3 1/2 lengths. He earned 50 qualifying points for the GI Kentucky Derby.
In Due Time (Not This Time), a flashy optional claiming winner at Gulfstream Feb. 4, finished nicely for second. Huge longshot O Captain (Carpe Diem) rallied from last to complete the trifecta. Emmanuel, the second choice at 5-2, was fourth in his stakes debut after a very wide trip. Last term's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner Rattle N Roll (Connect) never factored while sixth.
The Florida-bred Simplification, a 16 3/4-length maiden winner versus state-breds Oct. 23, captured his stakes debut two starts later in wire-to-wire fashion in the Mucho Macho Man S. Jan. 1. He ran well to finish second, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, showing a new dimension after an eventful start in the Holy Bull.
Trainer Antonio Sano also won the 2017 renewal of the Fountain of Youth with Gunnevera (Dialed In).
“Five years ago here, we had [post] No. 2 [with Gunnevera], and now we have No. 2 again, Sano said. “We repeat history.”
He continued, “For me, I liked the trip. I talked to [jockey] Jose [Ortiz] this morning and said you don't need to be in the front. The start was very important. If the horse has a good start and a safe trip, you won't have a problem. I wanted him to stay outside. Our horse in front with the speed horses won't have a chance. The horse responded to Jose. He said, 'Go,' and it was all good.”
Sano added, “When my horse broke bad last time I thought, 'What a disaster.' I learned that the horse can run in the front or from behind. He doesn't have to be in the front. The plan today for the race was that he didn't need the front. If the start was good, I left it up to Jose to make the decision where to be.”
Sano said that Simplification would likely be pointed toward the GI Curlin Florida Derby.
Pedigree Notes:
Few sires are hotter right now than Taylor Made's Not This Time, who has the fewest crops of any of the top 10 sires on the 2022 general sire list. In addition to his one-two finish by Simplification and In Due Time in the Fountain of Youth, his Epicenter is also on the Derby trail with a stellar win Feb 19 in the GII Risen Star S. Not This Time also has an additional graded winner this year with Jan. 29 GII Inside Information S. winner Just One Time. His 17 black-type winners include six graded winners and his sustained success recently prompted Chris McGrath to name Not This Time possibly Giant's Causeway's “principal American successor.” Both Simplification and Epicenter are out of Candy Ride (Arg) mares, a remarkable statistic given that covers one-third of Not This Time's graded winners and 12% of his black-type winners. Candy Ride's daughters have produced 30 stakes winners to date.
Simplification's history was recently detailed, but his immediate family has some wildly familiar names. His granddam is a full-sister to 2004-05 champion Ashado (Saint Ballado), as well as additional GISW Sunriver. Hall of Famer Ashado was a $9-million purchase by John Ferguson for Godolphin at the 2005 Keeneland November sale. Simplification's dam has a 2-year-old filly by Mendelssohn (a $190,000 RNA as a Fasig-Tipton New York yearling) and a yearling filly by Audible (a $47,000 RNA at the recent OBS Winter sale). Simply Confection delivered a Union Rags filly the day before the Fountain of Youth.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FASIG-TIPTON FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH S.-GII, $400,000, Gulfstream, 3-5, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.04, ft.
1–SIMPLIFICATION, 120, c, 3, by Not This Time
      1st Dam: Simply Confection (SP, $124,688), by
                      Candy Ride (Arg)
      2nd Dam: Ballado's Halo, by Saint Ballado
      3rd Dam: Goulash, by Mari's Book
  1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($50,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV).
O-Tami Bobo; B-France & Irwin J. Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano;
J-Jose L. Ortiz. $238,080. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, $411,350.
Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
  A++.
2–In Due Time, 120, c, 3, Not This Time–Sweet Sweet Annie, by
Curlin. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($9,500
Wlg '19 KEENOV; $35,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $95,000 2yo '21
OBSAPR). O-Edge Racing, Medallion Racing & Parkland
Thoroughbreds; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY); T-Kelly
Breen. $76,800.
3–O Captain, 118, c, 3, Carpe Diem–Mama Nadine, by A.P. Indy.
. ($17,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-OGMA
Investments, LLC and Towell, Jr., Jack Hardin; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado. $38,400.
Margins: 3HF, 1, 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 6.20, 87.70.
Also Ran: Emmanuel, Dean Delivers, Rattle N Roll, A. P.'s Secret, Markhamian, Howling Time, High Oak, Galt. Scratched: Giant Game, Mo Donegal.Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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