Commandment Just Gets The Better of Chief Wallabee in Fountain of Youth

It was a good battle on the tote and it carried over to the racetrack, as Wathnan Racing's Commandment (Into Mischief), sent away the 12-5 favorite, and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Chief Wallabee (Constitution)–the 29-10 second choice–locked horns in the final furlong of Saturday's GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, with the slightly more experienced Commandment taking advantage of a superior trip to prevail narrowly. The victory was good for 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

A two-time Fasig-Tipton buyback and sold for $500,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Commandment was away in good order from gate three for Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was bang in centerfield through the opening exchanges, as longshot Rockies Balboa (Girvin) made the running in advance of the previously undefeated Solitude Dude (Yaupon) and a three-wide Napoleon Solo (Liam's Map) through a fast opening section of :23.16. Chief Wallabee, an impressive debut winner over seven furlongs, tracked Commandment from one path to his outside and a length in arrears passing midway.

Junior Alvarado asked Chief Wallabee for a bit of mid-race speed to race just ahead of Commandment entering the final half-mile, but while the Bill Mott runner was committed to an overland journey around the second turn, Commandment charted an inside course, his rider hoping that a run would materialize.

Chief Wallabee loomed three deep outside of Solitude Dude and looked set to charge home approaching the stretch, but Commandment found the room he needed at the inside, hit the front and just held sway to the line. The final time was a solid 1:43.33.

“I thought he was getting a good trip,” said trainer Brad Cox, winning the Fountain of Youth for the first time in his career. “Turning for home, it looked like Irad obviously put him in a great spot. He had the inside path and finished up well. He had to fight to win, and he galloped out well again.

“Irad said he had to ask him to gallop out past the second wire and he had plenty of horse. He passed the two-turn test. Now it's a mile and a sixteenth to a mile and an eighth, whether it's the [Mar. 28 GI Curlin] Florida Derby or the [Apr. 4 GI Toyota] Blue Grass. We'll talk it over with the Wathnan team and come up with a game plan.”

Trainer Bill Mott knew he was asking a lot of Chief Wallabee at career start number two, but was clearly pleased with the colt's performance.

“Of course, when you get beat like that, I'm disappointed,” he said. “But he ran really well. I mean, to run against horses that have much more experience, I think he showed up. We're trying to get going late in the game. Now you've got four or five races to choose from, so you've got to decide which one of those.”

Added Chief Wallabee's jockey Junior Alvarado: “I had to make a little premature move just to get my position forward since it's the first wire with a horse going that far for the first time. I hesitated a little to make that move but I had no choice.

“Then I saw Irad coming through at the three-eighths pole and I had to make a premature move once again. I have to say it might have cost me the race but this is something we're building on for next time. I doubt if those horses will beat me again.”

Commandment made a pair of sprint appearances in Kentucky at two, finishing fourth on Keeneland debut behind 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Local Knowledge (Yaupon) Oct. 4 before running away to graduate by better than five lengths at Churchill on Breeders' Cup Saturday. Taking the next logical step, Commandment split horses decisively turning for home and ran out a 6 3/4-length winner of the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man Stakes, setting him up for this first try at a two-turn route.

Pedigree Notes:

Commandment is the 94th winner at the graded level for Into Mischief and is the sire's second straight winner of this key Kentucky Derby prep, won last year by Sovereignty.

Sippican Harbor, the 2018 GI Spinaway Stakes upsetter, was bought back on a bid of $1.45 million when offered in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and has since produced six foals, two of which have started.

Sippican Harbor is one of 10 winners out of Blossomed, who is also the dam of three-time Japanese stakes winner Awesome Result (Justify); SWs Crudo (Justify) and Saayedd (Malibu Moon); and GSP Bodacious Babe (Mineshaft), herself responsible for MGSW Royal Spa (Violence).

Sippican Harbor's youngest produce include a 2-year-old colt by Curlin and a yearling filly by the latter's champion son Elite Power. She was most recently covered by McKinzie.

📜 COMMANDMENT ($6.80) took the opening on the rail & fought off Chief Wallabee to win the $425,000 @CoolmoreAmerica Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at @GulfstreamPark! The son of @SpendthriftFarm's Into Mischief earned 50 @KentuckyDerby 🌹 points. @iradortiz was up for… pic.twitter.com/lae17HKIDT

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 28, 2026

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
COOLMORE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH S.-GII, $400,000, Gulfstream, 2-28, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.33, ft.
1–COMMANDMENT, 122, c, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Sippican Harbor (GISW, $262,650), by Orb
2nd Dam: Blossomed, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Texas Cinema, by Mt. Livermore
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($485,000 RNA Wlg '23 FTKNOV; $475,000 RNA Ylg '24 FTSAUG; $500,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Lee Pokoik (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $238,080. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $403,539. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Chief Wallabee, 120, c, 3, Constitution–A La Lucie, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Ball, Michael and Katherine G.; B-Mike Ball & Katherine Ball (KY); T-William I. Mott. $76,800.
3–Solitude Dude, 122, c, 3, Yaupon–After the Party, by Into Mischief. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($55,000 RNA Wlg '23 KEENOV; $85,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo '25 OBSOPN). O-Chris Fountoukis; B-Martha Buckner & Matthew Ernst (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.. $38,400.
Margins: NK, 2, 8 3/4. Odds: 2.40, 2.90, 3.60.
Also Ran: Bravaro, Napoleon Solo, Jackson Hole, Bull by the Horns, Lost Money, Rockies Balboa. Scratched: Global Aviator, Talkin.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.