2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes predictions, odds, date, post time: Horse racing expert reveals picks, best bets

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt, Forte, kicks off a 3-year-old campaign that's focused on winning the Kentucky Derby when he leaves the starting gate in the 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park outside of Miami. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Forte has four wins in five career starts. He last raced on Nov. 4, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He is the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes odds. Champagne Stakes winner Blazing Sevens is second in the odds at 7-2 in the 10-horse Fountain of Youth Stakes 2023 field, while General Jim is third in the odds at 6-1.

The 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes post time is 5:43 p.m. ET for this $400,000 race. With several lightly raced 3-year-olds set to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you'll want to see what racing insider and Beyer Speed Figure maker Bob Weir has to say before making any 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes picks.

A member of the Beyer Speed Figure-making team who is based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Weir is a two-time qualifier for the prestigious National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas. He has produced multiple five-figure days at the track over the years, including a $60,000 Pick 6 at Del Mar in 2014.

Last year he was red-hot in the Triple Crown prep races, hitting the superfecta in the Blue Grass Stakes, the trifecta in the Louisiana Derby and exactas in the Fountain of Youth Stakes and Tampa Bay Derby. He also hit the 19-1 winner of the Man o' War Stakes, the trifecta in the Pegasus World Cup, the superfecta in the Met Mile and multiple Pick 4s, including May 14's at Belmont for $1,851. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, he has handicapped the 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes lineup, made his picks and constructed his bets. Go to SportsLine to see them. 

Top 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes predictions 

One surprise: Weir's top pick is not Forte, even though he is the reigning 2-year-old champion. A $110,000 purchase two years ago, Forte enters the Fountain of Youth having won three straight Grade 1 races. That run was highlighted by a victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

While Weir acknowledges that Forte is a deserving favorite, he is concerned that the horse may not be set to run his best on Saturday since there are more important races just around the corner. "Can he still win if he's only 80% to 90% cranked for his return?" Weir asks. "Maybe, but he's going to be a strong favorite. This is a good spot to take him on." See Weir's picks at SportsLine.

How to make 2023 Fountain of Youth Stakes picks

Instead, Weir's top pick is a "wild card" who faces a "big ask" on Saturday. Weir also is high on two double-digit longshots "running well." He's sharing which horses to back only at SportsLine.

So who wins the Fountain of Youth Stakes 2023? What double-digit longshots are must-backs? And how has Weir constructed his wagers? Check out the latest Fountain of Youth Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Weir's picks for the Fountain of Youth Stakes.