Burnham Square Focused on Saturday’s G2 Fountain of Youth
At 0h03, on February 27, 2025 • By Gulfstream Park
When Burnham Square joined trainer Ian Wilkes’ stable to prepare for his career debut last season, trainer Ian Wilkes could never have imagined that the unassuming gelding would turn out to be a top contender for Saturday’s $415,000 Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.
“I wouldn’t have run him for $150,000. I would never have taken that shot. He’s just got better as I ran him. He got better and a little better,” Wilkes said. “I’m very happy with what he’s done, but if I told you I knew he was something good before I ran him, I’m lying.”
Burnham Square, indeed, looked like a good thing Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park, where the son of Liam’s Map overcame early bumping to rally from seventh under Edgard Zayas to win the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) going away by 1 ¾ lengths to establish himself as a prominent player on the Road to the Triple Crown.
Saturday, the Wilkes trainee will seek his third-straight victory of the Championship Meet in the 79th Fountain of Youth, the final local prep for the March 29 $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream. The 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) prep will headline a 14-race program with nine stakes, eight graded, worth $2.15 million in purses. The Fountain of Youth offers Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 50-25-15-10-5 scale. (First-race post time is set for 11:30 a.m.)
Burnham Square debuted at Keeneland Oct. 26 in a $150,000 claiming maiden race at six furlongs, in which he raced six-wide before closing to finish second, a half-length off the winner. He returned to finish a late-closing third, beaten by three-quarters of a length, in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs Nov. 30. The decision was made to equip the homebred gelding for his next start.
“He just was making mistakes in his races. He wouldn’t help the jockey. He wouldn’t go near horses, wouldn’t run into the dirt. He wouldn’t do anything until down the lane,” Wilkes said. “I put blinkers on, and they’ve helped him get a little more focus and they’ve helped him get into the race.”
Burnham Square responded to the equipment change with an eye-catching nine-length romp at Gulfstream Park December 28 in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight event that set him up perfectly for his winning stakes debut in the Holy Bull.
Wilkes is confident Burnham Square’s future will not be compromised by distance limitations.
“Distance isn’t s problem. They farther they go, the better he is,” Wilkes said. “I’m not too concerned about distance. You have to find out if you’re good enough – are we better than everyone else?”
Zayas has the return call on Burnham Square, who is rated second on the morning line at 5-2 Saturday.
