Fountain of Youth prospect A. P.'s Secret drills for Joseph

Gentry Farms’ A. P.’s Secret breezed five furlongs in 58.43 seconds Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for a scheduled start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth on March 5.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 3-year-old’s clocking was the fastest of 10 recorded at the distance. It was the second straight bullet five-furlong breeze for the son of Cupid, who is coming off an impressive mile optional claiming allowance victory at Gulfstream on Jan. 9.

“He had a good strong work, his last strong work of the series,” Joseph said. “He’s in good form. Hopefully, he can stay healthy from now to the race. I think he will run a big race.”

A. P.’s Secret broke his maiden at first asking at Gulfstream in September and came back to finish second in a Dec. 5 optional claiming allowance behind Strike Hard, who went on to finish second in the Jan. 1 Mucho Macho Man. A. P.’s Secret returned to the winner’s circle following an off-the-pace 1¼-length victory Jan. 9.

Joseph-trained Collaborate and Ny Traffic breeze in company in preparation for scheduled starts in the $200,000 WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) on the March 5 program.

“It was a huge work for both of them,” Joseph said. Collaborate was clocked in 59.41 seconds, while Ny Traffic was timed in 59.11.

Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Collaborate is coming off a sharp closing 1¾-length victory in a 6½-furlong optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream on Jan. 6. Ny Traffic has been idle since capturing the Oct. 30 Hudson Handicap Belmont Park.

Joseph reported that Grade 1 winner Drain the Clock exited his close-up second-place finish behind Miles Ahead in Saturday’s Gulfstream Park Sprint in good order.

“He came out of the race well. Obviously, we were disappointed that he got beat, but we always try to take the positive. It was a fast-run race, and he got a 102 Beyer (Speed Figure),” he said. “On the day, he was second-best, but he showed up and ran like we thought he would. He just got beat.”

A trip to Dubai for the $1.5 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1) on the March 26 Dubai World Cup (G1) undercard is still in play.

“There was nothing to deter us from that,” Joseph said. “It’s still in play for sure.”