Dearest Mon, the highly regarded sophomore owned by Beverly Green and trained by Rick Violette Jr., worked four furlongs handily at Palm Meadows Feb. 28 in :48.60 in preparation for Saturday's $300,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes, one of five grade II events on tap for the Spectacular Saturday III program at Gulfstream Park.The Fountain of Youth is the final major prep for the grade I Florida Derby, centerpiece event of the Florida Thoroughbred racing season to be run April 2."He worked just like I wanted him to and all systems are go for us in the Fountain of Youth," said Violette.
Dearest Mon, a son of Maria's Mon, won a Gulfstream allowance race at seven furlongs in impressive fashion Jan. 8 but disappointed when fifth in the grade III Holy Bull Stakes Feb. 5.Violette, who saddled Read the Footnotes to win last year's Fountain of Youth, had indicated shortly after the Holy Bull that Dearest Mon would have to train well to be considered for the Fountain of Youth.