Undefeated Mohaymen, Nyquist Top G2 Fountain of Youth Nominations

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Nyquist, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2015, and similarly unbeaten multiple graded stakes winner Mohaymen top a total of 34 horses nominated to the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

The 70^th running of the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth is one of eight stakes, six of them graded, that help comprise next Saturday’s program. Also on tap are the $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Davona Dale (G2), $150,000 Palm Beach (G3) and $150,000 Herecomesthebride (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on turf, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3), $100,000 Sand Springs and $75,000 Texas Glitter.

Reddam Racing’s Nyquist opened his sophomore season by winning the San Vicente (G2) Feb. 15, following a juvenile campaign where won all five of his starts, four graded stakes and three Grade 1 races, capped by the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Oct. 31.

A finalist with Nyquist for champion 2-year-old male, Godolphin Racing’s Mohaymen won the $350,000 Lambholm South Holy Bull (G2) Jan. 30 at Gulfstream to kick off his 3-year-old season after ending 2015 with wins in the Nashua (G2) and Remsen (G2).

Among the other nominees are Grade 1 winners Brody’s Cause, Greenpointcrusader and Nyquist’s Doug O’Neill-trained stablemate Ralis; multiple graded stakes winners Airoforce and Awesome Banner; graded stakes winners Azar, Destin, Frank Conversation and Riker; multiple stakes winner Awesome Speed; and late-developing Outwork, Shagaf and Zulu, all undefeated from two starts.

Cash is King’s Cathryn Sophia, undefeated winner of the Forward Gal (G2) whose three victories have come by 34 ½ combined lengths, headlines 21 3-year-old fillies nominated to the one-mile Davona Dale, which included graded stakes winners Carina Mia, Lewis Bay and Off the Tracks, stakes winners R Girls a Charmer and Vieja Luna, Grade1-placed Tap to It and multiple graded stakes placed Thrilled.

The top five finishers from the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy Jan. 30 – J R’s Holiday, Azar, Little Mo, Don’t Be So Salty and Dania Beach (G3) winner Life Imitates Art – each return among the 31 3-year-olds nominated to the Palm Beach, along with Urban Bourbon, third in the Dania Beach; Francesco Blue and Governor Malibu, stakes winners on dirt; and Swagger Jagger, winner of the Pulpit Stakes last fall at Gulfstream Park West.

Gary Barber, Michael James Ambler and Windways Farm’s Catch a Glimpse, winner of three straight including the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) for trainer Mark Casse, is expected to make her seasonal debut in the Herecomesthebride for 3-year-old fillies. Also in the 34 nominees are Grade 3 winners Harmonize and Pricedtoperfection and undefeated multiple stakes winner Lira.

Gelfenstein Farm’s Mr. Prospector (G3) winner X Y Jet will go for his fifth consecutive victory in the 6 ½-furlong Gulfstream Park Sprint, having approached the six-furlong track record in both the Mr. Prospector and Sunshine Millions Sprint. Multiple Grade 2 winner Blofeld and Grade 3 winners Barbados, C. Zee, Clearly Now, Grand Bili, Pure Sensation, Trouble Kid and 2015 Swale (G2) winner Ready for  Rye are among the 17 nominees.

The Sand Springs, at one mile on turf, drew a total of 46 nominations while the Texas Glitter, at five furlongs on turf, had 16 nominees.

Source: Gulfstream Park