First Samurai Wins After Inquiry

First Samurai and Edgar Prado head for the finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes race at Gulfstream Park. (Matt Dean - AP)

HALLANDALE, Fla., March 4 -- First Samurai, a leading candidate for the Kentucky Derby, won the Fountain of Youth Stakes on Saturday, but it was hardly a victory that enhanced his credentials for the classics. He finished second to Corinthian, a colt who had not appeared in a stakes race before, but was elevated to first place after the winner was disqualified.

First Samurai had won two Grade I stakes last year and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (behind two colts who are now out of action). Yet there have been questions about his stamina, and this was his first crucial test at 1 1/8 miles.

The 7-to-10 favorite took the early lead, as expected, and managed to set a moderate pace -- a half mile in 48.3 seconds -- as Flashy Bull stalked him. He was in such an ideal position that track announcer Vic Stauffer called, "There's absolutely no excuse for First Samurai."

Those words were premature. On the turn, the lightly raced Corinthian made a strong three-wide move, hooked the leader and seized the lead. First Samurai was beaten.

As Corinthian started to edge away, First Samurai was in tight quarters along the rail, forcing jockey Edgar Prado to alter his course and move outside. Then Corinthian proceeded to blow the race.

He drifted away from the rail, moving out at least four horse-widths, forcing out the favorite and Flashy Bull. First Samurai kept trying hard and was cutting into the leader's margin, but wound up a length behind. Almost immediately, the numbers on the tote board started flashing, signaling a stewards' inquiry. Corinthian was placed third for interference with both First Samurai and Flashy Bull.

Trainer Frank Brothers thought the performance should have dispelled doubts about First Samurai's ability to handle the distance. "He showed a lot of courage," Brothers said. But the effort hardly suggested that any of these horses should be considered among the best 3-year-olds of 2006. The time of 1 minute 49 seconds, over a very fast track, was undistinguished.

In the nominal feature race, Harlington won the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap, a race that continued the slide of Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner. Funny Cide engaged in a four-horse battle for the early lead while jockey John Velaszquez put Harlington in stalking position. Then he moved inside the leaders, took command and held on for a neck victory. Funny Cide, meantime, faded to seventh in the eight-horse field, the seventh straight loss for the gelding who was once the most celebrated thoroughbred in the country.

"Maybe he's just not as good as he was," trainer Barclay Tagg said.