HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chief Wallabee obviously showed a world of potential when rallying to defeat the highly regarded and subsequently stakes-placed The Puma launching his career going seven furlongs on Jan. 10 at Gulfstream Park. But did he do enough to warrant coming back around two turns in a major Kentucky Derby prep in his second start six weeks later?
That’s the question trainer Bill Mott has wrestled with since Chief Wallabee’s victory. He finally reached a decision 24 hours after his promising 3-year-old drew post 6 on Saturday in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.
Mott gave himself one final opportunity to opt out of the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth with Chief Wallabee even after the race was drawn. He entered him back the following day in a seven-furlong allowance on Sunday’s card. But when that race failed to fill, the decision was made.
“He got such a late start. This is not the progression I wanted or the proper way to do it,” Mott conceded. “I had the option of running him in the seven-eighths race next Sunday, but it didn’t go. I could have put him in the mile and one-eighth allowance the same day, but I didn’t. So now I’m almost forced to run him in this spot. The whole thing is a rush job, but at the same time it will answer a lot of questions.”
A field of 11 was entered for the Fountain of Youth, although it is likely only 10 will start with trainer Danny Gargan saying Sunday that barring any noteworthy late defections, his Champagne runner-up Talkin will likely wait to run the following week in the Tampa Bay Derby.
“There are at least three pretty tough horses in this field,” Mott said. “And he wouldn’t necessarily have to win to get the answers to some of those questions we’re looking for. And I am happy with his post. He’s not a run-off leaving the gate, he showed that in his first start, so he should be able to sit off the speed and make a late run.”
Chief Wallabee is one of several Fountain of Youth contenders coming off seven-furlong victories in their most recent starts, along with the undefeated Solitude Dude and steadily improving Florida-bred Rockies Balboa, who has won his last two starts locally by a combined margin of 10 3/4 lengths for trainer Dale Romans.
“This horse has a lot of talent,” Romans said immediately after posing in the winner’s circle with Jack’s Promise following his impressive victory Saturday in the Gulfstream Park Sprint. “I don’t know what he was beating in those two Florida-bred races, but he beat them like he’s supposed to. And now it’s time to see if he can step up, go two turns, and run with the best.”
Junior Alvarado guided Rockies Balboa to his two local victories but will be replaced by Luis Saez after opting to keep his seat aboard Chief Wallabee in the Fountain of Youth.
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