Let’s Meet the Contenders for Saturday’s Grade 2 $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The key Florida Derby lead-in offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points (50-20-15-10-5).

#1 General Jim (Luis Saez // Shug McGaughey)
He can become the first horse to win the Swale sprinting and the Fountain of Youth routing. He twice won around 2 turns on turf as a juvenile and draws an advantageous post position with a short run into the clubhouse turn. Jockey Saez won this race in 2014 and ’15 with Wildcat Red and Itsaknockout. Trainer McGaughey saddled Fountain of Youth winners Greatest Honour (2021), Code of Honor (2019) and Orb (2013).

#2 Legacy Isle (Emisael Jaramillo // Rohan Crichton)
Expected pace player has made the front in both the Mucho Macho Man and Holy Bull Stakes this meeting, but was disqualified from victory in the former due to interference and faded to fourth in the latter. Maternal grandson of 2004 Fountain of Youth winner Read the Footnotes. Sire Shackleford was fifth in this race in 2011 before going on to win the Preakness.

#3 Shadow Dragon (Jose Ortiz // Bill Mott)
Surprising Holy Bull runner-up at 34-1 odds, this New York-bred made the leap into open company to excellent reviews. Jockey Jose Ortiz aims for a Fountain of Youth three-peat after victories aboard Greatest Honour (2021) and Simplification (2022). The only jockey ever to do so was Hall of Famer Bill Hartack from 1957-’59. Expect a late rally.

#4 Forte (Irad Ortiz, Jr. // Todd Pletcher) * pictured above, outside *
Tries to become the first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner to add a Fountain of Youth trophy since Fly So Free in 1990-’91, the only horse to do so. Trainer Pletcher is a 3-time Fountain of Youth winner – Scat Daddy (2007), Eskendereya (2010) and Itsaknockout (2015). Irad Ortiz, Jr. won this race aboard Promises Fulfilled (2018). This elite jockey-trainer combination has 4 wins and 4 seconds from 10 tandem stakes tries at Gulfstream’s current Championship Meet. Typically employs a mid-pack style and strong finish.

#5 Il Miracolo (Edgar Perez // Antonio Sano)
Joins Legacy Isle as the only horses this season to contest the Mucho Macho Man, Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth, the trio of routes leading up the Florida Derby. Trainer Sano won this race a year ago with Simplification and in 2017 with Gunnevera. With just 1 win from 7 starts – and finishing off the board in all 3 stakes attempts – this will be one of the longest shots in the race.

#6 Blazing Sevens (Joel Rosario // Chad Brown)
Last year’s Grade 1 Champagne winner makes his first start since a troubled fourth-place bid in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He’ll rematch with Forte, each with 6 officially clocked workouts on their ledger. Son of BC Juvy winner and fellow Brown trainee Good Magic, who finished third as the 3-5 favorite in the 2018 Fountain of Youth while coming off the same layoff.

#7 Mage (Javier Castellano // Gustavo Delgado)
The least-experienced Fountain of Youth entrant this year with a lone, winning start on his docket. He’s also the only in this field yet to make a stakes bid. Dominated his debut over 7 furlongs on the front end at 11-1 while flying under the radar. Expect him to be on or near the lead on the stretch-out to 1-1/16 miles, a race where early speed historically has been flattered and many of this year’s top-name players want to finish from farther off the front. Jockey Castellano notched a victory in the 2017 Fountain of Youth aboard Gunnevera. Sire Good Magic, also represented here by Blazing Sevens, was third in this race in 2018.

#8 Rocket Can (Junior Alvarado // Bill Mott)
Successful stakes ascension for the first time when winning the Holy Bull Stakes over the same track and distance on Feb. 4, and once again slated to begin from post 8. Three horses have won the Holy Bull and the Fountain of Youth – Greatest Honour (2021), Mohaymen (2016) and Booklet (2002) – since the two races were both on the schedule in 1990. Jockey Alvarado guided Mohaymen to victory in the 2016 Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth. His only loss around 2 turns was a half-length runner-up at Churchill last fall to Confidence Game, who last week won the Grade 2 $1 million Rebel at Oaklawn.

#9 Cyclone Mischief (Tyler Gaffalione // Dale Romans)
Mystifying non-effort when seventh by nearly a dozen lengths in the Holy Bull as the strong 6-5 favorite. He’s alternated losses with follow-up wins throughout his career, so he’ll be looking for yet another bounce-back bid. One of three sons of top national sire Into Mischief in this field, joining General Jim and Rocket Can. Trainer Romans won this race with Promises Fulfilled (2018). Pressing style could be challenged by wide post position and potential ground loss on the clubhouse turn.

#10 Dangerous Ride (Miguel Vasquez // Carlos David)
Versatile sort owns synthetic surface wins sprinting and routing as well as a dirt sprint win last time out in allowance company. Raced on or near the lead in all 3 victories and has been much less effective when not in the early mix. Extremely difficult assignment from this post position while he makes his graded stakes first rise.