Hutcheson Stakes winner Papal Power and Tropical Park Derby winner Strong Performance meet Monday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., in a division of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, a steppingstone to the Florida Derby and the Triple Crown.
The Fountain of Youth was split into two divisions because of the size of the field–21 Triple Crown hopefuls. Each division will be 1 1/16 miles.
Papal Power was installed as the early favorite among 11 entrants in the second and stronger division. The chestnut colt has three victories, two seconds and a third in seven career starts and has earned $257,860. He finished ninth in the Breeders` Cup Juvenile in November at Aqueduct, the only time he has finished out of the money.
Strong Performance scored an upset as a 20-to-1 shot over Dr. Dan Eyes and Real Forest in the Tropical Park Derby at Calder Jan. 4. He has three victories in five starts and $172,320 in earnings.
Donald MacBeth will ride Papal Power, and Jean Cruget will be aboard Strong Performance.
Southern Appeal, Regal Dreamer and Sunny Prospector head the field of 10 in the first division. Southern Appeal has finished no better than fourth since scoring a one-length victory over Papal Power in the Laurel Futurity.
Missing from Monday`s field is Snow Chief, thoroughbred racing`s youngest millionaire. He is expected to arrive from California before March 1.
— Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore launches its spring meeting Monday with eight Triple Crown nominees scheduled to go in the two divisions of the $85,650 General George Stakes.
Double Feint, a son of 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Spectacular Bid, is expected to battle with Lil Tyler in the first division. Fobby Forbes, a son of 1976 Kentucky Derby winner Bold Forbes, is the favorite in the second division. Each division will be 1 1/16 miles.
Triple Crown nominees besides Double Feint are Silent Dynamite, Swallow, Lil Glenn L., Broad Brush, Fast Step, Fuller`s Folly and Spiderman.
— Laffit Pincay, who took the ride only hours before the race, guided Hatim to a two-length victory Sunday in the $218,700 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
The 48th running of the event for 4-year-olds and up lost much of its glamor when Precisionist, Gate Dancer, Strawberry Road and Greinton didn`t go to the post. Precisionist skipped the race because of a 127-pound impost. The muddy condition of the track was the reason the other three were withdrawn.
Pincay had been scheduled to ride Greinton with Eddie Delahoussaye slated to ride Hatim. But Delahoussaye was ill, and with Greinton scratched, Pincay got the ride on the 5-year-old owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Hatim covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47 2/5. Right Con, with Patrick Valenzuela aboard, finished second, with favored Nostalgia`s Star third.
