Trainer Dale Romans had good reason to scratch Free Drop Billy (Union Rags) from last weekend's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park-he also had the race's 18-1 upset winner Promises Fulfilled (Shackleford) entered. Last term's GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. hero, second-best in the GII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3, has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite cutting back to a one-turn mile in Saturday's GIII Gotham S. at the Big A. Romans and the Albaugh family teamed up for a win in this race last year with J Boys Echo (Mineshaft).
“I think it's a wide-open race,” Romans said. “For most of the 3-year-old preps at this time of the year, they're all wide open, everybody is starting to come together, but he's doing great, so we'll see how it goes.”
Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior), winner of last term's GI Champagne S., makes his third straight start in South Ozone Park. The Jerome S. victor completed the exacta in the nine-furlong GIII Withers S. last time Feb. 3. “He'll always give you a run, he always tries,” trainer Jason Servis said.
Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro) looks to get back on track following a well-beaten fourth-place finish as the 9-5 favorite in the Holy Bull. The Godolphin homebred narrowly captured the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 25.
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