“It’s a building block. I know people don’t like to hear this, but you have to start somewhere. We’ll go from there. He’s getting his last breeze before the race.” [Feb. 20] and we know where we stand from a fitness standpoint,” said Summers.
“We’re ready to start his three-year-old season. That’s the most important thing. It’s the plan we have. I’m glad it’s working and we’ll see if he can move up a few spots in the polls.”
Summers said he might also enter the son of Liam’s Map for the Feb. 28 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack if the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth draws a strong field and Napoleon Solo lands well out of post in the Feb. 21 draw.
“You don’t want to be standing next to you in line [the] Pegasus [statue] in the parking lot,” Summers said. “You want to be smart.”
Both the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and the one-turn mile Gotham offer 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve Qualifying Points. A win in both races would likely earn a spot in the field for the opening jewel in the Triple Crown.
Napoleon Solo, winner of both career starts, has 10 points after his victory in Champagne.
#Champagne #Stakes #winner #Napoleon #Solo #target #Fountain #Youth