2010 Fountain Of Youth Stakes – Eskendereya
Eskendereya shook off Jackson Bend rounding the final turn of the $250000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park and romped home by 8 1/2 lengths under John Velazquez to register his first graded stakes win Feb. 20. Buddy’s Saint, the 9-5 favorite among 10 rivals in the 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-olds, left his race on the first turn when he jostled with Aikenite while attempting to advance through an opening at the rail for jockey Jose Lezcano. Zayat Stables’ Eskendereya, a disappointment in last fall’s Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) when he finished ninth at Santa Anita, is two-for-two in 2010 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The good-looking son of Giant’s Causeway –Aldebaran Light (by Seattle Slew) won a one-turn mile allowance race Jan. 7 at Gulfstream by 1 1/4 lengths. www.bloodhorse.com


