Swale Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Swale Winner Drain The Clock Joins Strong Field For Saturday’s Fountain Of Youth

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. confirmed Monday afternoon that Drain the Clock will run in Saturday's $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The impressive winner of the Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start was also being considered for the March 6 Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct.

“Drain the Clock is going to run in the Fountain of Youth,” Joseph said. “We get to stay at home and don't have to ship. The weather in New York can be unpredictable this time of year “

Drain the Clock has won four of five career starts, his only loss coming in his third start when his jockey was unseated when an iron broke in a Delta Downs stakes in November. The son of Maclean's Music has won all three of his races impressively at Gulfstream.

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 27 at Gulfstream, will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded. It will mark Drain the Clock's first opportunity to win around two turns.

“I think he'll get two turns. But you don't know until they do it,” Joseph said. “He has stamina on his dam's side. He's won his races very impressively, so he deserves the chance. “

Drain the Clock is scheduled to join a deep field that includes Greatest Honour, Tarantino and Prime Factor, the first three finishers, respectively, in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull (G3). The Fountain of Youth offers the winner 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

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Drain The Clock Overcomes Recent Colic, Dominates Swale Stakes At Gulfstream

Drain the Clock kept on ticking in Saturday's $100,000 Claiborne Farm Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park, running his South Florida record to 4-for-4 with a dominating 6 ¼-length triumph.

The Swale, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, was featured on a 12-race program with five graded stakes, headlined by the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3).

Drain the Clock, whose only loss in five career starts came at Delta Downs when his rider was unseated after a rein broke, was particularly impressive Saturday when it was revealed that the son of Maclean's Music was treated for a case of colic less than two weeks earlier.

“He made it easy today, but 12 days ago he colicked really bad and went to the clinic. Thank God, he got there, and he was good,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “To see him win like that today – he's a good horse. We had to make the call after he breezed on Tuesday. There was no pressure to run. He worked good Tuesday and didn't give us any reason to say, 'no.'”

Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Racing Stables LLC, Wonder Stables and Michael Nentwig, Drain the Clock was sent to post as the even-money favorite in a field of six on the strength of his 7 ½-length victory in the six-furlong Limehouse Stakes Jan. 2 at Gulfstream. The Kentucky-bred colt broke alertly from the starting gate to rate outside pacesetter Poppy's Pride, who set fractions of 22.48 and 45.27 seconds for the first half-mile. Drain the Clock moved effortless to the lead under Edgar Zayas on the turn into the stretch and continued on to score a comfortable victory.

Drain the Clock ran seven furlongs in 1:23.29 after being taken under wraps approaching the finish.

“I'm very impressed. He's just improving every race. He's such an easy horse to ride. He breaks out of the gate like a rocket and positions himself in a perfect spot, and when it's time to run he kicks on. He's a really nice horse,” Zayas said. “I think he's maturing a lot. He's running way more straight and more focused into the race. Sometimes inside the gate he was a little nervous but today he was awesome. I think he's improving; hopefully he can stretch out his speed a little bit more.”

King's Ovation and Ultimate Badger, the longest and second-longest shots on the board, finishes second and third for trainer Dale Romans.

Drain the Clock won his Sept. 12 debut in a five-furlong off-the-turf race at Gulfstream by six lengths and came right back to win a first-level optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park West. Favored in the Nov. 30 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs, Drain the Clock lost his rider after a rein broke during the race, but has rebounded nicely with back-to-back scores in the Limehouse and Swale.

The $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park will be taken into consideration for Drain the Clock's next start, Joseph said.

“Everything will be under consideration. We'll talk to the owners, obviously, but there's no pressure to push that route. If everything goes good, I'm sure we'll try it,” Joseph said. “He looks like he'll get further.”

The 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth is the major prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n Dale at Xalapa.

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Drain The Clock Will Stick To One Turn In Saturday’s Swale Stakes

Slam Dunk Racing's Drain the Clock will make his graded-stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Claiborne Farm Swale (G3) at Gulfstream Park for connections who are hoping to keep things short and sweet.

Although also nominated to the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3), the 1 1/16-mile Curlin Florida Derby prep that will headline a 12-race program with five graded stakes, Drain the Clock will seek to remain undefeated in South Florida in the seven-furlong undercard feature for 3-year-olds.

“The Swale is a good opportunity to stretch him out an eighth of a mile more. We feel like it's a race that's his for the taking,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.

Drain the Clock captured his Sept. 12 debut in a five-furlong off-the-turn maiden special weight race at Gulfstream before winning a first-level optional claiming allowance at six furlongs at Gulfstream Park West Oct. 28. The son of Maclean's Music was favored to win the Nov. 28 Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs but unseated his rider when a rein broke during the race.

The Joseph trainee rebounded in a big way at Gulfstream Park Jan. 2 while winning the six-furlong Limehouse Stakes by 7 ½ lengths.

“His last race was a breakthrough race. We always thought a lot of him. First time out he showed that he could relax. Second time out was more workmanlike. Third time out everything went wrong,” Joseph said. “To see him come back like that was more impressive than we could have imagined. It was satisfying to see him win like that.”

Joseph said he isn't ruling out a future stretch-out for Drain the Clock.

“It's definitely in the backs of our minds. We just want to take it step by step,” Joseph said. “The owners are very realistic. They're not going to get Derby Fever. They want to do what's right by the horse.”

Edgard Zayas, who has been aboard Drain the Clock for all three victories, has the return mount.

Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Stonestreet Stables LLC's Likeable will cut back in distance for the Swale after finishing far back in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland after pressing a solid early pace.

“We kind of threw him to the wolves in the Breeders' Cup. He went too fast early on,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “We've regrouped since then and he's been training well. We feel like backing up to seven furlongs will be a good distance for him.”

The son of Frosted finished second in a photo finish in his Saratoga debut Aug. 22 before graduating in a one-turn mile race at Belmont by 8 ¼ lengths.

Luis Saez has the call aboard Likeable.

Jump Sucker Stable, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider's By George will make only his second career start in the Swale, following his 5 ¼-length maiden romp at Aqueduct Dec. 19.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call aboard the Christophe Clement-trained son of Into Mischief.

Stonehedge LLC's Poppy's Pride will seek his fourth straight stakes victory Saturday. The son of Khozan, who is eligible for a $25,000 win-only bonus offered to Florida Sire Stakes-eligible runners, came off a maiden victory to capture the off-the-turf Armed Forces at Gulfstream, the Juvenile Sprint for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park and the Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs Dec. 5.

Jesus Rios, who was aboard for the Armed Forces and Juvenile Sprint wins, has the call.

Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister's Ultimate Badger and West Point Thoroughbreds and Peacock Stable's King's Ovation will represent trainer Dale Romans in the Holy Bull. Ultimate Badger finished fifth in the Mucho Macho Man Jan. 2 at Gulfstream, while King's Ovation was no factor in an optional claiming allowance at Churchill Downs after breaking his maiden in his second career start.

Jose Ortiz has the call on Ultimate Badger, while Corey Lanerie is named on King's Ovation.

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