HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (AP) -James Jerkens offered a blunt explanation why he never nominated Quality Road for the upcoming Triple Crown series.
``I forgot,'' Jerkens said.
It'll amount to a $6,000 oversight, but after the way Quality Road ran Saturday, the trainer won't mind writing that check.
Quality Road took off at the top of the stretch and won the Grade 2, $250,000 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park - announcing himself, perhaps surprisingly, as a Kentucky Derby contender.
Jockey John Velazquez asked Quality Road to find that top gear as they made the turn, and the colt responded, then pulled away to beat Theregoesjojo by 4 1/4 lengths and return $13, $6.40 and $4.60.
``There were some very, very promising horses in this race,'' Velazquez said. ``And he was good. He handled the pressure the whole way.''
Quality Road broke his maiden at Aqueduct in November and raced only once since, explaining why he wasn't exactly touted as a Derby hopeful.
He needed only 1 minute, 35 seconds over one mile of Gulfstream's dirt to change that.
``Every work has been better than the previous one,'' said Jerkens, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. ``And he lived up to those works.''
Theregoesjojo paid $5,80 and $3.80. Beethoven ($3.80) was third, another four lengths back. Favored Capt. Candyman Can was fourth, and morning-line favorite This Ones for Phil set a quick early pace before fading and finishing fifth, more than 10 lengths behind Quality Road.
``I thought he ran a great race and lost to a very good horse,'' said Ken McPeek, who trains Theregoesjojo. ``And believe me, the horse that won is one very impressive horse.''
This Ones for Phil started on the extreme outside, which trainer Rick Dutrow said would allow him and jockey Edgar Prado to decide when they wanted to make their move.
Apparently, that was right out of the chute.
Prado moved his mount right to the rail and the half-mile was in 45.5 seconds and This Ones for Phil seemed to labor a bit, while eventually yielding after Velazquez steered Quality Road - who had stayed about a half-length on the outside of the leader - to the front.
That, Velazquez said, was only half the battle.
``He started kind of looking in front, not knowing what to do,'' Velazquez said. ``He's a young horse, so I had to keep his mind running. And he did it very well.''
Sure enough, no one else made a serious charge.
Jerkens is New York-based, which means he could point Quality Road to the Wood Memorial as his next stop. He also hasn't ruled out the Florida Derby, at Gulfstream in a month.
``I'm a New York guy, I come from New York, the rest of my stable is there,'' Jerkens said. ``But the weather back home in the spring is so tricky with track conditions and stuff. At least here, you've got a uniform, consistent track. That's a big thing when you're getting ready for big races. You don't want to miss any works if you can help it.''
It was part of a big day for Velazquez.
In the day's co-feature at Gulfstream, Twilight Meteor - fittingly, a Canadian-bred - won the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Turf, finishing the mile in 1:34.31 for Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher.
Twilight Meteor hadn't won any of his last 11 starts dating back to 2007, but now could be pointed to a Grade 1 event at Keeneland in the coming weeks, Pletcher said.
``We think he's a matured horse now,'' Pletcher said. ``He seems to be in the best form of his career.''
Twilight Meteor returned $14.40, $7.40 and $5.60. Buddy's Humor was second by a length and paid $8 and $6.20, after barely nipping Buffalo Man ($11) for the place spot.
But the day belonged to Quality Road and Jerkens - who had a win in the Fountain of Youth taken away three years ago, when Corinthian crossed the line first but was disqualified for impeding another horse's path.
This time, there was no inquiry, only relief.
And sometime before March 27, when the Triple Crown series closes nominations, Jerkens will be sending Quality Road's paperwork to Churchill Downs.
``That was a screwup on our part. We just missed a deadline,'' Jerkens said. ``Just going to cost a little more money, that's all.''
