Weekend Watch: Running down Fountain of Youth day stakes

Each weekend, Horse Racing Nation previews the top races to tune into coast to coast and runs down the main contenders. All times are Eastern.

Gulfstream Park, Race 4: 1:00 p.m.

Dania Beach winner A Thread of Blue tries graded stakes company for the first time in the Palm Beach Stakes (G3). The runner-up from the Dania Beach, Louder Than Bombs, gets an extra sixteenth of a mile to try to run down the front-running favorite trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.

Gulfstream Park, Race 5: 1:30 p.m.

Breaking the Rules is heavily favored to win the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3). The son of War Front scored in the Tropical Park Derby last out and will have to hold off El Prado Stakes winner Hembree.

Gulfstream Park, Race 6: 2:00 p.m.

Recruiting Ready drew the rail in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes (G3). He was a solid second to World of Trouble in the off-the-turf Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint last out on Jan. 26, and he will certainly face an easier field here.

Gulfstream Park, Race 7: 2:30 p.m.

Holy Helena is back to defend her title in the The Very One Stakes (G3). Though she has not won in about 10 months, the former Queen's Plate hero sits a 9-5 favorite. Semper Sententiae finished third in the same flight as Holy Helena was sixth, the La Prevoyante, in her previous start. She's one to watch along with Tricky Escape.

Gulfstream Park, Race 8: 3:00 p.m.

Chad Brown sends out the three top choices in the Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3). Maiden winner Cambier Parc is slightly favored over her two stablemates, French import Golconda and fellow maiden winner Connectivity. Those three drew the three outside posts in the 1 1/16-mile turf affair.

Gulfstream Park, Race 11: 4:30 p.m.

Todd Pletcher has the favorite in the Honey Fox Stakes (G3). Bellavais, from the family of millionaire and Grade 1 winner Winter Memories, won the Marshua’s River (G3) last out and received the morning line nod over the Brown-trained Precieuse, who is making her first start since August.

Aqueduct, Race 8: 4:50 p.m.

Weather Wiz sits at even money on the morning line for the Bernardini Stakes despite the 5-year-old making his stakes debut in his 11th career start. The son of Tiznow ran a promising second in his last allowance start and faces six here, with Royal Albert Hall, the former California campaigner, the second choice entered to run back from a Feb. 21 claiming race.

Gulfstream Park, Race 12: 5:01 p.m.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Jaywalk makes her season debut in the Davona Dale Stakes (G2). The lovely gray filly has just one loss in her career, a second in her debut at Monmouth. She has never been seriously challenged in any of her wins and is by far the classiest in this field. She should waltz to a victory and lock up her Kentucky Oaks spot.

Gulfstream Park, Race 13: 5:32 p.m.

Kentucky Derby points are on the line in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). Hidden Scroll received 9-5 favoritism off his smashing debut back in January. A couple colts in this race are undefeated, and the talent abounds. Check out my Head to Head handicapping feature for more on all 11 contenders.

Oaklawn Park, Race 8: 5:52 p.m.

Amy's Challenge is squarely the one to beat in the Spring Fever Stakes with the Mac Robertson trainee having already prevailed in her 4-year-old debut over this course. While sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs, her biggest challenge could come from Steve Asmussen-trained Vertical Oak, who has ever reason to rebound from an eighth behind Amy's Challenge in the American Beauty.

Santa Anita Park, Race 6: 5:56 p.m.

Big Scott Daddy, a Dec. 26 debut winner who ran with Derby hopefuls last time on dirt, is entered for the one-mile Pasadena Stakes on turf. But watch the forecast. Perhaps rain could shift this race to the main track. In this wide-open race, Bob Baffert-trained Much Better will likely scratch to run in next weekend's Gotham Stakes (G3) in New York.

Gulfstream Park, Race 14: 6:06 p.m.

Grade 1 winner Channel Maker is the heavy favorite in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G1) but had the misfortune of drawing the far outside post in the field of 11. With the race 1 3/8 miles long, he will have plenty of time to get a good position running back from the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). Zulu Alpha certainly has a good shot here off his victory in the William McKnight (G3) last month. Also worth a look is Highland Sky coming off the layoff.