HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Friday’s eagerly anticipated entry-level allowance event that was to match exciting maiden winners Speak Easy and  Conquest Warrior in race written as a potential prep for the $1 million Florida Derby here on March 30 took a major twist early Thursday when the connections of Speak Easy announced their attention to scratch from the race to run the following afternoon in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. Speak Easy was one of two horses cross-entered in both Friday’s $91,000 main event and the Fountain of Youth along with Merit, whose trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr., said in light of that decision his horse would compete in the allowance race instead. With the defection of Speak Easy, Conquest Warrior will likely be the heavy favorite coming off his eye-catching maiden win going a mile here on Jan. 13 when overcoming a tough trip that began when he was knocked around badly at the break before recovering to gamely run down the Todd Pletcher-trained Antiquarian in late stretch. The latter came back to flatter the effort by winning his maiden at the Fair Grounds five weeks later. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports  “He took what they gave him, only making his second start, and I thought he finished up really well,” said McGaughey, who also contemplated bringing Conquest Warrior back in the Fountain of Youth rather than Friday’s headliner. “I think he’s the kind of horse that wants to run this far and I feel this is a good spot to see where we stood. He’s trained good enough [at Payson Park]. We’ll see if he is good enough.”     Merit is another who couldn’t have been more impressive on graduation day, winning off by 10 1/4 lengths at seven furlongs while earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.  He returned to finish third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Real Macho, after engaging in a suicidal early speed duel with Pletcher’s odds-on Born Noble when making his 3-year-old debut on Feb. 3.  Real Macho is also entered in the Fountain of Youth. “I missed a work and he wasn’t 100 percent fit going into that last race and I expect him to run much better having had that race under his belt,” said Joseph. With Speak Easy out, Merit could find himself loose on an easy lead breaking from the rail under regular rider Edgard Zayas. Pletcher will still be represented in the race by Nomos, who returned to the main track after finishing fourth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, in a first- level allowance race on the grass here on Jan. 13. Nomos was a well-beaten eighth after setting the early pace in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill in his only previous try on dirt.  He will run without blinkers for the first time since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 With Anticipation over the turf in his second career outing last August at Saratoga. Secret Lover, Raguel, and Tapit Three Times complete the field. Friday’s card will also feature a $92,000 allowance carded at five furlongs on the turf that drew a full and very strong field of 12 led by multiple stakes winner Carotari dropping in company off a fourth-place finish here last month in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. The lineup also includes the graded stakes winner Prevalence making just his second lifetime start on turf, along with top contenders Axthelm, Mamba On Three, and Vacation Dance. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.